And when Henry scoops Pansy from the sofa and carries her, bridal-style, to her bedroom? That tender expression as he tucks her in, then pauses at the doorway? That quick scan not of Pansy but of her surroundings, as if he needs to reassure himself that she is safe? And when he nods to himself, steps from the room, and shuts the door gently behind him?
That’s when Ophelia knows he’s a goner.
Chapter 31
Pansy
King’s End, Minnesota
Wednesday, July 12
I’m not entirely sure how I ended up in bed last night. Fuzzy notions fill my head, ones of floating up the stairs. Since that isn’t possible, I’m pretty sure Henry was involved. I’d ask him, except the thought makes my cheeks flame.
I’d ask him, except his umbrella is missing from the stand. Mine is slumped to one side, utterly despondent, ruffles sad and deflated.
“Want to do some yoga?” I ask her.
She does not.
On the other hand, that red-rose umbrella is all puffed up, looking unduly proud of herself. She’s been taking her chaperoning duties far too seriously. I pluck her from the stand—under protest—and carry her upstairs to my room.
On the way, I tell her, “Sometimes you have to let children make their own mistakes.” Which is something I overheard my mother saying to Adele when I was sixteen.
Was it a mistake? It involved a boy. So, at least in part, it no doubt was. I haven’t thought of Daniel in ages. The last I heard, he was at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, one more achievement in a long list of them. The only thing he hasn’t done is return to King’s End after leaving seven years ago. His family moved not long after he graduated early from high school. Really, he doesn’t have a reason to return. Even so, the Sight insists he will someday, with a leggy Italian model in tow.
But then, the Sight is just perverse that way.
In the kitchen, I find the space transformed. The contrasting gold and blue from sunflowers and delphiniums fill the space with joy. On the table sits a strategically placed and overflowing fruit bowl.
Someone—me, perhaps, although I don’t remember—tacked the note from The King’s Larder on the fridge.
Dinner is on us! Enjoy!
Guy and Milo
Guy and Milo own The King’s Larder, although Guy is officially retired. Except for all the extra time he spends on Hey Neighbor, you wouldn’t actually know it. He’s as busy as ever at The King’s Larder, as the quiche from last night proves.
Coffee is in a carafe on the counter, with a clean cup next to it. The French roast mingles with the scent of flowers and the hint of sweetness from the fruit. The kitchen smells like someone lives here rather than that same someone simply existing.
How Henry managed that in less than twenty-four hours, I’m not sure.
I’m on the back porch, in the midst of a downward-facing dog, when a pair of running shoes enters my field of vision. Next, I spy some high-end track pants and one of those fancy, sweat-wicking shirts.
What do you know? Henry Darnelle can dress for King’s End.
There’s a healthy flush to those cheekbones and a sheen of perspiration along his brow. I’m certain Henry Darnelle never actually sweats, not even in the Sahara. He has his umbrella strapped cross-body. From inside, a rattling comes from the umbrella stand, the noise loud and insistent. I send my umbrella a quick told you so and then ignore her.
“Good morning, Agent Little,” he says. “I hope you’re ready for your training today.”
My training? I land with a thump in table top, the wooden slats beneath my yoga mat creaking.
He’s holding his phone in the palm of his hand and continues to speak as if I’m not actually in front of him.
“I’ve completed the daily patrol of King’s End. Screamer activity is negligible. The fissures Agent Little and I repaired on Sunday continue to hold. However, there are pockets of discontent that will make for some excellent remedial training opportunities.”
Remedial training?
“There are a few hairline fractures in the old part of the cemetery as well. We’ll be able to refine her mending technique with those. I’ve attached a lesson plan, and I have every confidence Agent Little will complete these tasks satisfactorily.”
