"Aye, we figured you'd need some good red meat," said Alys. "Th'delivery boy took back cookies for hisself an' his master both for the favour."
"Well, I'll be able to do pickups for you tomorrow," said Jones. "Alex and his lot will be in the Agency for ages."
"It's true, I'm afraid," said Alex. "We promised Lapointe to go in and give statements so we could come home faster."
"Just as long as ye sleep here, ye should be better tomorrow," said Nat, giving them both a squinty once-over.
"I will not sleep here," said Jones with a chuckle. "What time do you want me, anyway?"
They ate steak and made a tentative schedule for Jones, with Alex adding a trip to Saveur after the Agency as a balm to everyone's souls, and also a chance to send a consolation gift to Chudleigh and Geoff that they'd appreciate. He didn't know Lady Herbert well enough to be obliged to send anything her way, but he thought that they might find a suitable donation to make in lieu of the flowers she'd be undoubtedly inundated with.
"Jones will have to stay for dinner," said Julian firmly, when they were talking about who all was coming to eat. "I suspect we'll get Murielle and Thomas, too, but only for the meal."
"Thomas' giant monster truck can handle the roads just fine," said Jones. "They'll be able to come along whenever they're ready and get fed accordingly."
"Ye know I'll make sure yer friends are taken care of," said Alys, sounding surprisingly cheerful, the way she did when they were giving her extra work she could complain about later.
"I don't think they'll stay the night," said Alex, "but if they do, we'll sleep up in the nest while James and Jacques take ours."
"We're really here to gossip about the Way, anyway," said James.
"And cook," said Jacques with a grin. "I still should go tomorrow, but Alys and I will cook something the day after, if we're still welcome."
"You're always welcome," said Julian warmly.
"Seriously, you guys are never anything but help," added Alex.
James chuckled. "You haven't always said that, but I believe it now."
Jacques beamed and said, "I love getting to hang out here without risk of serious mortal danger, and I'll repay you by making you food and also forcing you to do some knife practice."
"Yeah, there will definitely be knife practice," said James.
"Nooooooo," whined Julian, mostly faking it, though it was definitely not his favourite way to pass the time. "I haven't had to stab anyone in months!"
"That's not as reassuring as you think it is," said Jacques dryly.
Alex snorted. "I'll do it if only because then he has to. I like you self-rescuing, my love." He pulled Julian into a little kiss before going back to his food.
"It's fine," said Julian with a little huff. "I hate it but it's fine."
"That's the spirit," said Jacques with a laugh.
They were nearly done with the steaks and mash, and Julian could spot some suspicious movement in the kitchen, though Alys was pretending to have nothing to do with it.
"You'll message ahead to Saveur, right?" said Julian instead of letting himself comment on the proximity of dessert. "So we can stop in and they'll be expecting us."
"Of course. That way I can get an order in," said Alys. "Nat's got a stop or two for Jones as well, we'll give him a list, don't worry."
"We're very well taken care of since you came," said Alex. "We never worry."
"Well," said Julian, "not about that. The poison thing was very worrisome."
One by one their food was finished and trays drifted back to the kitchen until they were left with nothing but their cups of tea and each other. Julian relaxed into Alex's side, getting an arm around himself for his efforts. James and Jacques sat back in their chairs, too.
"So," said Nat, in a tone that brooked no argument, "tell us about this whole murder nonsense."
Everyone sighed, but Julian started up the thread of it. He was rewarded when huge bowls of bread pudding and ice cream on trays came floating out of the kitchen, and soon enough they were eating while they told the tale. It seemed like so much when they talked about it all together, murder after murder, but they made sure to give credit to Chudleigh for at least trying to keep people from putting themselves in harm's way.
