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"We will all help you," Cassandra said

27

"Stop here," Gallowglass ordered Leonard stepped on the Mercedes’ brakes, and they engaged iatehouse Since no one was prepared to wait in London for news of the third page except for Ha the euro fro, Fernando following in one of Matthew’s inexhaustible supply of Range Rovers

"No Not here Go on to the house," I told Leonard The gatehouse would remind me too e’s fa It was strange to see it again without the surrounding fields filled with sheep and piles of hay, and only one chi a thin pluainst the car’s coldand let the black-and-white half-tilass remind me of other, happier times

I sat back in the deep leather seat and reached for e fro once more at the two pictures he’d already sent: Jack with Marcus and Jack sitting on his oith a sketch pad propped on his knee, utterly absorbed in what he was doing This last picture had arrived after I sent Matthew ic of photography, I had captured the ghost of Queen Isabella as well, her face arranged in a look of haughty disdain

Sarah’s glance fell on lass had insisted we rest for a few hours here before traveling on to Chipping Weston I had protested Weaving spells always lefthollow afterward, and I’d assured them that ic Sarah and Gallowglass had ignored me

"Here, e that stood between the gravel driveway and the ht into the house’s central courtyard, but now neither autoe

Instead, we traveled around to the small courtyard at the rear of the house that had been used for deliveries and tradesmen when I lived here in 1590 A s with a battered lorry that was clearly used for chores around the estate A for us

"It is good to see you again, Diana," Alance familiar "Where is Matthew?"

"Away on business," I said shortly, cliasped and hurried forward

"You’re pregnant," she said in the tone one would use to announce the discovery of life on Mars

"Seven a classes" Ae--classes that catered to ayourself into a pretzel" Gallowglass took ently "Come inside, Auntie, and rest a spell You can put your feet up on the table while Fernandoa pan--not with Amira here" Fernando kissed Amira on the cheek "No incidents that I should worry about, shona?"

"I haven’t seen or sensed anything" A since we’ve seen each other"

"Make Diana soive you," Fernando said with an answering grin

"The scent alone will transport me to heaven"

After a round of introductions, I found myself in the tiny room where we had taken our family meals in 1590 There was nosos and toast before us, along with bowls of rice and lentils

Everything was fragrant with chilies, mustard seed, li the aromatic steam

"Your kanda poha reminds me of that little stall we visited on our way to Gharapuri to see the caves, the one that had the chai made with coconuta spoon in the lentils "He was using round the rice the traditional way, in an iron nancy"

In spite ofdownright alchemical in the effect that cu down at an elass said with satisfaction "Nohy don’t you lie on the settle and close your eyes If you’re not comfortable there, you can always rest on the bed in Pierre’s old office, or your own bed, come to think of it"

The settle was oaken, heavily carved, and designed to discourage loafing It had been in the for my previous life in the house and had simply drifted a few rooms to provide a seat underneath theThe stack of papers on the end of it suggested that this here Ainning to understand how Matthew treated his houses He lived in them, left the the contents other than to slightly rearrange the furniture It meant he owned a series of ht of what awaited e Chaph had discussed our predicament under the watchful eyes of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and the bedchamber where Matthew and I had first set foot in the sixteenth century

"The settle will be fine," I said hastily If Gallowglass would surrender his leather jacket and Fernando his long woolen coat, the carved roses on the backrest wouldn’t jab into my side too sharply

To ed themselves into a e, sea spray, lilac, tobacco, and narcissus, I felt row heavy and I drifted into sleep

"No one has caught soclasses so long as Benjamin poses a risk to your safety" Fernando sounded uncharacteristically firh the front door?"

"Benja two dozen furious daemons, vampires, and witches, that’s what," Amira replied "Matthew toldsees off the settle and sat up, rubbing the sleep fro to the clock, forty-five e of tiht, since ere still ento

"You look less pale" Sarah called to Marthe, who brought tea It was mint and rose hips, with none of the caffeine that would have otten how cold sixteenth-century holass made a spot for me close to the fire It saddened me to think of all that concern directed atloved; I didn’t want hi in

"No pity, Auntie The winds do not always blow as the ship desires," heme into my chair

"The winds do what I tell them to do"