‘I thought you said you knew me.’ She pointed a finger at him. ‘Look. So far – so far just today – I have coped with discovering the skin of a senior Librarian, with running into a trap of chaos energies, with an attack by alligators, with an encounter with Alberich himself, and with an attempt to drown us in the Thames. And you have the nerve, the insolence, the undiluted gall,’ she could hear her voice rising, and at this point she didn’t much care, ‘to expect me to throw my hands in the air and run round in little circles just because you happen to be a dragon?’
Kai made desperate calm-down gestures with his hands. ‘I thought you were going to interrogate me! I was trying to think what to tell you!’
‘Well, I’m not going to interrogate you.’ Irene lowered her voice. ‘So calm down. Will it make you feel better if I promise that later on we’ll have some coffee and I’ll ask you a lot of personal questions?’ Yes, she could look forward to that. She would look forward to that.
It surprised her that she was indeed looking forward to that.
He sighed. ‘At least I’ll have that to dread, I suppose.’
‘Kai.’ Irene gave him a very deliberate stare. ‘Were you actually looking forward to telling me everything?’
Kai tried to meet her eyes in a decisive way. He settled for looking over her shoulder. ‘It isn’t as if I’ve done this before,’ he muttered.
‘Later,’ she said meaningfully. ‘I promise.’
She turned to see Vale at the door with an armful of blankets. ‘Am I interrupting?’ he asked politely.
‘Not at all,’ Irene said firmly, and swept past him with as much dignity as she could manage. He and Kai could stay up talking as long as they wanted.
Hopefully Bradamant wouldn’t turn up with any emergencies until after breakfast.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Kai and Vale were both up before Irene, and she walked in to find them sharing breakfast. Yesterday’s awkwardness seemed to have vanished, and they were talking amiably enough now. They seemed to be enjoying discussing politics (a hindrance to all right-minded men), previous investigations that Vale had undertaken (though generally without books being involved), zeppelins, and the proper method for eliminating giant centipedes.
Irene made the proper noises of good morning and yes, I slept very well, thank you for asking and please pass the marmalade as she took a seat. She then inhaled coffee by the cupful until she felt more human, letting the men resume their conversation. Her hand was feeling much better, even if it was still in bandages. Last night’s rain had passed, and outside the window the sky was – well, as clear as could be expected, given the constant smog. Rays of sunlight were filtering down. No doubt birds were singing in the countryside. Things weren’t too bad.
She wondered if she could actually get to quite like this alternate.
The door banged downstairs, and two sets of feet came hastening up the stairs.
‘Ah!’ Vale said, dusting toast crumbs off his fingers with a napkin, and pushing aside the spoon and egg which he’d been using to demonstrate the finer points of zeppelin control. ‘That would be Singh. I know his step. And no doubt Madame Bradamant with him.’
Irene hastily refilled her coffee cup and tried to ignore feelings of imminent doom. It had been such a nice morning, too. ‘They’re up early,’ she commented.
‘Oh, Singh is always welcome here for breakfast,’ Vale said cheerfully. ‘Especially when I’m working on a case that involves him.’
Perhaps that was why Singh had allowed Bradamant to meet them here, rather than keeping her at the station. Irene wondered a bit nervously if there had been any communication between Vale and Singh last night after she’d gone to bed. She stiffened her spine and was smiling pleasantly when Bradamant and Singh came in. Bradamant had somehow managed proper morning dress, neat and pristine in dove grey with violet cuffs and jabot, and had an umbrella tucked under one arm. Singh, behind her, was still in the same uniform as last night, but his moustache and beard had a spruce, freshly combed look to them. He carried a well-stuffed black briefcase that looked as though it had seen an investigation or two.
‘Ah!’ Singh said, his eyes fixing on the breakfast table.
‘My dear Singh,’ Vale said, springing to his feet and seizing the coffee pot, ‘we must speak a moment. Ladies, Mr Strongrock, please excuse us. Miss Winters, please do invite your friend to some breakfast. We will be back in a moment.’ With one bound he had swept Singh out of the room, taking the coffee with him, and abandoning Bradamant in the process.
‘Would you like some toast?’ Kai said helpfully, rising to his feet.
‘By all means.’ Bradamant furled her skirts and seated herself on the sofa next to Irene. ‘Is our host usually prone to such dramatic moments?’
‘I think he wanted to explain something to Inspector Singh,’ Irene replied. Her feeling of imminent doom was getting worse. She passed the toast and butter. ‘They’re old friends, and no doubt they wanted to discuss things without us listening. Quite reasonable.’