After them came Marjorie and Lord Adrian. Contrary to expectations, neither appeared to be a white canvas covered in colorful paint splotches. Marjorie was a tiny little blond wisp of a woman, and Lord Adrian a mischievous rogue disguised as a fine gentleman.
Last came Jacob, with his gentle poet’s air, dark brown skin, and what appeared to be some sort of mink or ferret draped about his neck like a particularly furry scarf.
The siblings took turns hugging Elizabeth and kissing her cheeks in familial joy, barely sparing a glance at the towering medieval castle or its picturesque backdrop of chalk downs and limestone ridges.
Stephen didn’t want to interrupt their happy reunion. Nor was he making his intrusion any less awkward by hanging back, halfway between the castle and their carriages.
“Darling tinker!” Elizabeth made an exaggeratedget over heremotion with her arm.
As Stephen approached, one of the circling hawks shot from the sky, streaking toward him like a poisoned arrow. He squeaked and jumped backward out of the way.
The bird ignored him and aimed its deadly claws toward Jacob Wynchester… who lifted his arm in welcome. None of the siblings blinked as the hawk landed on the leather gauntlet at Jacob’s wrist as docile as a dove.
Stephen wasn’t certain his heartbeat wouldeverreturn to normal.
“Family,” Elizabeth began as if there had been no interruption, “please allow me to present Mr. Stephen Lenox. Stephen, these are my siblings, Tommy, Graham, Marjorie, and Jacob, my sisters-in-law Philippa and Kuni, and my brother-in-law Adrian. These are the Wynchesters. Most of them.”
Stephen bowed. “The pleasure is mine.”
When he straightened, Graham shook his hand. “Soyou’rethe famous Stephen. It’s so good to put a face to the name after hearing so much about you.”
Stephen stared at him blankly. “I’m… famous?”
“In Elizabeth’s daily reports,” Tommy explained. “We’ve read them a hundred times. There’s usually a line about Reddington, two lines about the castle, three sentences about Miss Oak’s future orphanage, and then four pages about you.”
Stephen looked at Elizabeth.
Her cheeks turned pink. “On the days when there wasn’t much progress to report, I had to fill my reports withsomething.”
“You made him sound a little less”—Kuni waved her hand toward Stephen’s midsection—“clothed.”
Stephen closed his eyes and cringed. “Tell me you didn’t write home about the state of my abdomen.”
“It’s on my mind a lot,” Elizabeth protested. “You’ve a very nice abdomen.”
“And, apparently, you also possess a very big—” Marjorie began.
Jacob coughed into his fist.
“—brain,” Philippa finished. “The vast majority of her letters detail how clever you are. I can’t wait to see your machines for myself.”
Stephen rubbed the back of his neck. “I make them to stave off boredom, mostly.”
“Well, if that’s true, you’ll never be bored again,” said Graham. “On our trip up, we compiled an entire list of fantastical devices we would love to own. If you can make a device even half as fanciful, we’d pay you handsomely.”
Stephen cut a glance toward Elizabeth.
Her eyes twinkled as she whispered, “I’ve not told them yet.”
“Secrets!” Tommy held up a fistful of reports. “Afterthisstack of intelligence?”
Elizabeth smiled. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Jacob shook Stephen’s hand. “It really is good to meet you. After a month of letters, we all feel like we know you. We’re glad to make it official.”
“I feel like I know you all, too,” Stephen admitted. “Elizabeth has told me a few stories—”
“A few!” Tommy’s brown eyes were fond. “I imagine she trotted out the wildest of our adventures, complete with throwing voices to imitate each of us perfectly.”
