Wouldn’t like her, in that environment, if he saw her in that. She didn’t say it out loud, but Griffin certainly heard it. Before he could think better of it, Griffin shifted, touching the top of her hand with his fingers. “And you feel different to them, and not different, all at the same time.”
Annice didn’t jerk her hand away. “Aye. Don’t speak like them. Got teased for it, speaking proper. Because of Da being from elsewhere, and Mam being a teacher long enough.” She shrugged with her other shoulder. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.” Griffin kept his voice as even as he could, but it was a struggle. When she looked at him again, she focused, blinked, then he added, “I work in the Courts. I’ve seen the worst of people, sometimes. And a lot of people who are in a mess, and couldn’t see a way out, or where things kept going wrong.”
It made her mouth twitch. She looked away, at the table, but she was talking again. That was good. “Not enough money to get to the next time there’ll be fish or a bit of day labour or whatever. Never enough. Always a lot of mouths to feed, not enough rooms to sleep in, someone having a problem or an injury or a baby or a cough that won’t go away. Even with magic. Magic helps, don’t get me wrong, fewer of us die. But it doesn’t make there be food on the table or coal in the cellar or anything like.”
Griffin found himself watching her intently now, the way she was speaking, the way she moved. It hit him then that he wasn’t just curious about her, interested in a life he hadn’t lived. It was something far more personal and far more complicated than that. She blinked once, then turned to look him square on. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He bit his lip. “Do you want to know? I’ll tell you the truth, you know that.”
Annice almost drew back, but then she deliberately let out a breath, her hand and her body where they’d started. “I do know. Why?”
Griffin swallowed just the once. “I was thinking that, um.” Words failed him, they never failed him, they weren’t like his legs. Only now they were not there when he needed them. He tried again. “I like you. As a person. If I thought you’d permit it, I’d be asking to take you out, the way a man takes a woman out. We are working together, but you’re a consultant. There are ways to ease that.” Then he flushed. He could feel it. “Of course I’ll tell you the truth. There’s no other way to do this.”
He expected her to push away, to stand up, to leave the room. She had a few days ago, when they’d touched on places just as sensitive. To Griffin’s surprise - and he suspected also to hers - she stayed. Her fingers were trembling under his. “You can’t mean that. I’m nothing like you.”
“You’re curious like I am. You care like I do. Like I want to, anyway. You see things - such glorious tiny things like a flashing bit of jet in a beach full of stones and dark black pebbles and coal. You pay attention. Why wouldn’t I be interested in that?” Then, some imp of the perverse added. “I also promise I am not at all interested in a nursemaid. And I like to think I’ve proven I’m good at managing for myself, professionally and otherwise.”
That last part helped, actually, because she actually smiled at it. “That part’s true enough.” Annice let out a long breath, and Griffin gave her the space for it. He could be patient. She was watching his face intently now, like she was studying something to carve, maybe. “What does that mean? Given, um.”
“It doesn’t affect the consulting arrangement. If you’d feel more comfortable having the formal arrangement with someone else, Charlus could take it over, or I could see about one of the clerks. Maybe Antimony.” At her confusion, he added, “One of the Guards, she does a lot of work in inheritance cases. A friend, but she’s made all the Guard oaths. You can rely on that.”
“Huh.” Annice let out a breath. “And if I don’t? Don’t want to make a change, I mean.”
“Then I will show you a bit of Trellech. And show you the courtroom, and you can have a room at the inn that’s on your own, as long as you like. And if you needed more time, I’d be glad to keep the room for a bit.” He considered something. “My family’s well off now, enough that if I couldn’t work, I wouldn’t have to worry about all the things my War pension wouldn’t cover. But I make good money, I don’t spend a lot, and I am comfortable. The sort of comfortable that doesn’t fuss over what I spend on food, or paying my housekeeper well. Putting you up for a week isn’t a bother. A month or two, even. Though I hope we’d figure out something else in there. The inns aren’t terribly comfortable for a long period.” He added after a moment, “Not as much privacy as I like.”
That got her to blush charmingly, he thought. He might, in hindsight, have been having feelings for her for a bit now, actually. “Oh.” Annice looked up. “And what does that mean?”
“It means, right now, I like this. Sitting close.” Griffin considered, wanted a promise that she’d understand was real. “I will check with you, I promise, about doing new things, about if they’re something you want. But I like your company, I would very much enjoy more of it, in ways we both desire. You. Just as you are, and all that you are, and being who you are and where you’re from.” He should, he realised, talk to her about Trellech, about being Heir, but that was a long conversation, and if she couldn’t deal with Trellech, well. Maybe she should see the city first.
Now, she considered, then carefully twisted her hand in his. “And if I don’t like something, I can outrun you. On feet, anyway.” She glanced at the chair, where it stood in the corner. “Maybe not in the chair. It’d depend on the hill, aye?”
That got him chuckling. “Probably. But I’ll only chase you as much as you wish. Tell me to stop, and I will. Do you want my oath on it?”
“No.” Annice swallowed. “I mean. Thank you for offering. Um. Could you talk more about the stone? Me just sitting here, like we were doing?”
“Of course.” Something more ordinary, if talking about an unusual talisman she’d only just discovered existed were ordinary. Griffin settled back into that, until half an hour later, Annice shifted against his side.
“You want to get home?” Griffin asked, carefully.
“I need to pack. I did some, but, um.” She’d been on his sofa all night, and then out most of the day. Of course she’d want to put things to rights.
“Charlus is going to be here at nine, and I can have him come around to your shop and carry your bags. Or he’ll have a cart, probably. We have to bring the trunk here back, and all. Tomorrow.”
She leaned forward then, kissing him on the cheek and getting up before he could do anything in response other than smile. “Tomorrow.” she agreed, gathering up the stone, its box and lid, and her bag. Annice hesitated by the door, waving once at him before she let herself out. He let her go with no further comment, but he watched through the angle of the window until she completely disappeared from sight.
Chapter28
MARCH 30TH IN TRELLECH
Annice didn’t know where to look. The morning had started out smoothly enough, if by smoothly, she meant Charlus turning up with a luggage cart and taking care of her battered suitcase and carpet bag. Then he’d reloaded everything at Griffin’s cottage, and gone trotting off to make the last payment to their landlady, while Griffin finished making sure he’d packed everything. Annice had stood there, not sure what to do. Finally, they’d gone out, and along to the ghault with the portal, tucked away a few more alleys east from the White Horse & Griffin.
It was coming through into Trellech that had floored her. She had wanted to stop dead, but she knew she couldn’t. There were people coming through behind her. Specifically, Charlus, with that loaded cart. Griffin had wheeled off to one side, out of the way, waiting as Annice looked around. Sheep were coming through one portal, herded into some fencing. As she looked around more, she could see that Portal Square wasn’t any such thing. She’d known that it was a triangle, but it definitely felt angular, standing in it. The far point had lines of people.
“That’s the international portal. People waiting for customs and such. Those buildings there, on each side, people can wait there. The ones closer to us are for domestic travel. If you’ve booked a portal and have to wait for it, for example, or you’re meeting someone. Not a problem here.” Then he looked up behind Annice. “Charlus, can you see about getting our luggage in the proper places? Meet you at the court when you’re done. Annice, do you have everything you need for the afternoon? Whatever tools?” Annice nodded. She had several measuring tools and her notes and all with her.
“Certainly, sir. It’ll be half an hour, maybe a little longer.” Charlus nodded at Annice and then went off with the handcart.
