“You’ve taken to listening to private conversations? Haven’t you any other forms of entertainment?”
Harry shook his head and smiled mischievously.
“Every other guest has left the castle, Harry. Why haven’t you?”
“I am here to be your conscience, Adam. To save you from yourself.”
“No, thank you.” Adam made to leave the room.
“She’ll come back, you know,” Harry said behind him.
Adam stopped at the threshold.
Harry continued. “I know Persephone well enough to be certain that, when Linus returns to his ship, she will return to Falstone. And I know you well enough to predict that you will act as though you couldn’t care less whether she came back or not. Do you really want her to wonder about that?”
“This is none of your concern, Harry.”
“You miss her, Adam.” Harry did not seem at all concerned about Adam’s reprimand. “Persephone deserves to know that.”
“She is happy with her family. I would only interfere.”
“So go be part of her family,” Harry replied as though the answer ought to have been obvious. “Go to Shropshire.”
“That isn’t how it works, Harry,” Adam muttered and stepped out of the drawing room.
Harry followed him. “How what works, Adam?”
“Persephone receives her reprieve, and Hades stays in the underworld waiting for her to return,” Adam grumbled. “Waits to see if the seeds worked.”
“Obviously you were sleeping duringthatlecture at Harrow.” Harry shook his head as he stepped past Adam and made his way up the stairs.
“What do you mean, sleeping?” Adam called after him.
“Adam.” Harry turned back to face him, an unmistakable scold in his tone. “Hades did not sit back and wait for Persephone. When the time came for her to return, he went after her.”
Adam stared back. He did not remember that.
Harry chuckled. “Hades was not the sort to sit around and fret, Adam. When the time came, he slipped past the hellhounds—” A howl outside sounded as if on cue. Harry raised an eyebrow in mock salute to the irony of that noise. “—and ventured into the realm of the living to reclaim his bride.”
“I do not remember that.”
“Look it up. Hades was no pambsy fribble, Adam. And I’d bet a ponyhisPersephone knew exactly how her husband felt about her.” Harry gave him a very pointed look.
By the next morning, Harry was gone, off to make holiday visits to relatives before returning to Falstone for Christmas. Adam remained behind, alone.
* * *
“Are you sure you are warm enough?” Athena asked for the hundredth time that afternoon.
“Athena.” Persephone spoke as patiently as possible. “I am dressed as warmly as I am at home, and it is far colder there. I assure you, I am perfectly comfortable.”
“Well,Iam cold,” Athena said.
“Why don’t you go in and warm up.”
“I wouldn’t want to leave you out here alone,” Athena said. “Your leg is not fully healed yet.”
Persephone smiled. “I doubt I will be accosted in a walled garden behind my childhood home.”
