Page 135 of Finch

A young man dressed in gray trousers and a black jacket materialized as if conjured by magic.

“Yes, sir?”

Cleaver handed Hayden Finch’s snow-dampened coat and hat. “See to it these are cared for.”

“Yes, sir.” Hayden inclined his head, then turned and walked away, his heels a light click on

the marble floor.

Finch was impressed. He’d gotten too used to Hugh’s household, which was a tad more…

informal, to put it mildly. Hugh was far too soft-hearted to dismiss any of his servants.

“Come, sir,” Cleaver said to Finch once Hayden was gone. “I’ll show you to Master Harrison’s

office. He didn’t inform me we were to have callers today, but I’m sure we’ll manage. Would

you like tea brought up?”

“I…” Finch was at a bit of a loss. He wasn’t used to being waited on, being far too used to

playing the role of several different servants in Hugh’s erratic household. On any given day, in

addition to being Hugh’s secretary, Finch might also act as butler, scullery maid, footman, and

pot boy.

Cleaver waited expectantly, one brow raised.

“Just tea, thank you,” Finch managed.

“Of course, sir. I’ll have it brought up shortly.”

Cleaver led Finch through the house and up the stairs to an ornately carved door, upon which

he knocked. “Master Harrison, you have a gentleman caller.”

There were hurried footsteps from inside the room as if someone were running at top speed,

then a silence during which the door opened. Finch was surprised to be greeted not by

Harrison, but by a boy of about seven with a dark mop of hair and eyes that seemed to be

impossibly full of color. He was dressed in a respectable, if very pink, button-down shirt and

slacks with smart dress shoes and, for whatever reason, a lab coat. There was a lizard on his

shoulder wearing tiny aviator goggles, a scarf, and a crash helmet. A pair of mechanical wings

had been fastened to its back.

Finch had a sneaking suspicion it was the same reptile who’d eaten the strawberry at the

birthday party.

“Hello!” the boy said cheerfully. “Do you know about aerodynamics?”

The lizard licked its lips in Finch’s direction.

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