Page 84 of Of Fate and Phantoms
"Your defiance in the face of my simple statement that you've been out would suggest not."
"Damn," I muttered. "Next time I'll answer with as much indifference as you."
"Is there a reason you're reluctant to tell me where you've been and why you have blood on your dress?"
"Yes," Seth chimed in, hands on hips. "Isn't that why you want to talk to us in the first place?"
"It is, but I was hoping to approach the subject in such a way that wouldn't worry you, or anger you, or cause this sort of reaction." I waved a hand at Lincoln.
"What sort of reaction?" he asked. "I thought I was being very calm, considering there is blood on your dress." He crossed his arms defensively.
"We're quite unharmed."
"So I see."
"So there's nothing to worry about."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"Charlie!" Seth shouted. "Just tell us!"
Gus grabbed my elbow and marched me into the parlor. I glanced back over my shoulder at Lincoln. He merely arched his brow and followed. This wasn't going at all how I planned it in my head. I had planned to repeat what we'd learned from Gawler first then tell the story from the beginning, in the hope they'd be so grateful for the breakthrough they'd stop being overbearing.
"Sit," Gus said, directing me to a chair. He looked far more rattled than Lincoln. Perhaps because Gus wasn't very good at hiding his thoughts whereas Lincoln was a master at it.
Seth and Alice strolled into the parlor like a couple heading into the dining room, her hand on his arm. She sat too. All the men remained standing.
"Sit down," I told them. "You're being somale."
All three sat.
"The blood isn't human, it's animal," I told them. "We've been to Smithfield Market."
Seth blew out a breath. "Is that all? Why didn't you say you went marketing?"
"Smithfield's closed by midday," Gus told him. "They weren't marketing."
"You're correct," I said. "We went to meet a man there by the name of Gawler. He's one of the shifters that Lord Erskine read about years ago."
Gus and Seth fired questions at us while Lincoln merely sat and waited. He leaned his elbow on the chair arm and stroked his lip with the side of his finger. He didn't take his gaze off me. He looked like he had all evening to hear my answers. I suppose he did.
Alice and I answered each question until our story was complete. "I'm sorry we didn't wait for you," I said. "But if we waited any longer, we would have missed him today, and tomorrow could be too late."
"I disagree," Seth grumbled. "It wasn't safe to meet a strange man, a shifter no less, in a meat market, of all places."
"Aye," Gus agreed.
"Charlie's right," Lincoln said, to my utter amazement.
"Have you gone mad?" Seth shook his head. "Anything could have happened!"
"They're grown women, free to do as they please. Both are sensible."
"You are mad."
"Seth," I warned him. "No woman likes to be told what she can and can't do." I jerked my head in Alice's direction, but I wasn't sure he got my meaning. He did, however, remain mercifully quiet.
"As to the matter of taking Lady Gillingham with you," Lincoln said. "I'm not so sure that was wise."
