"I'm awful sorry, ma'am." Sean bowed his head. "They discovered her late last night, by their reckoning. Maybe a few days. They're still workin' it. There'll be more from Salem in the morning. I came up myself because," Sean's mouth tightened, "because she was one of yours, ma'am. And because well it might be all connected."
At the end of the dining table, the teacup in Lazlo's hand made a small soft sound against the saucer.
Everyone turned.
Lazlo's free hand had come up to his mouth. His eyes had closed. The white silk pocket square was at his face.
"Forgive me," he said. The words came through the silk. "Forgive me, my friends. I had not… I had not…"
Rhoda crossed the dining room in three steps and laid both hands on Lazlo's shoulders and held him.
"Sit down, Lazlo. Sit down. Edgar, get him a chair. Sean, give us a moment, please."
"Of course, ma'am."
Edgar pulled a chair away from the table and set it behind Lazlo. Rhoda lowered him into it. Lazlo sat. He kept the silk to his face for three long breaths. The room did not move. Honey at the foot of the table, Roam behind Sean, Phineas a step back, Maeve and Oona standing together against the sideboard.
Lazlo lowered the silk.
"You will think me a poor old warlock." His eyes were wet. "But she was my friend. I knew her many years. She came out of Sibiu with her hair in a braid and one of her grandmother's spells in her pocket and nothing else. Eighteen, she was. Maybe nineteen. She came to my office and she sat down across from me and she told me she was going to be the youngest field agent FACTS & FIBS had ever sent into the Carpathians. And do you know what I said to her." He looked at Rhoda. "I told her she would be."
Lazlo sniffed into the silk.
Outside, the wisteria rustled and Dean Martin tilted his head toward the lawn and counted softly under his breath.
"Sugar," Dean Martin said. "Three in the grass."
Lazlo continued. "We worked together for years," Lazlo said. "Nadia. Nadia was the bravest girl. She was the bravest I have ever known. She…" His voice caught.
"Sugar," Dean said. "Two more in the grass."
Honey turned her head a fraction toward the side window of the dining room. Out on the side lawn, five new cats had settled themselves in the cold grass. Then two more, blinking up at the house with the same puzzled lost arrival.
Honey's eyes crossed to Roam, who had already started toward the window. Neither of them said anything.
"She was like a daughter to me." Lazlo's voice had dropped to a near-whisper. "She was the bravest. I should have… I should have…"
"You don't have to," Rhoda said. "Sean. Was there anything else."
"Salem will send what they have, ma'am, as they have it." Sean's voice was lower than ever. "I'm to ask, sir, ma'am, has Miss Costin been in touch with this house recently? Anything that struck ye. Anything irregular."
Rhoda looked at Edgar.
Edgar shook his head slowly.
"Not in months," Edgar said. "She was overdue to file a report. We'd been waitin'."
"That'll be the last thing from me, then." Sean nodded. "I'll let myself out. Mrs. Hadwin, sir. Mr. Varga. Friends. I'm awful sorry."
"Thank you, Sean." Rhoda gave him a half smile.
Sean inclined his head once and turned. He went down the hall to the front door. The bells on the inside of the door rang softly behind him as it closed. The dining room was very quiet.
Lazlo lowered his face into the silk again. His shoulders shook once. "I beg your pardon, my friends. May I, may I be alone, for a little while. I would like to go upstairs."
"Of course." Rhoda laid a hand on his shoulder. "Take all the time you need. Come down when you can."
"You are very kind." He patted her hand.
