“No doubt,” David said. “And the chill winds of an arctic winter are better than the tropical breeze of an island paradise!”

“If the winter is about to become a glorious spring,” Shad said, “and the island is about to be buried in hot lava, then yes, the winter is better!”

“If …,” David said, emphatically.

“Please come with us, David,” Victoria pleaded.

“Mr. Bartholomew has given me liberty to hire anyone I choose. Stay, Victoria. Your elegance and experience would serve us well.”

Victoria’s eyes grew big. She looked at David, at Mr. Bartholomew, at the house. She walked to a large picture window and gazed out at the horses, the flowers, the land.

I heard to my right the sudden clang of metal, then turned. Nothing.

“It’s a great estate by this world’s standards,” Shad said to Victoria. “But by the standards of the King, it’s a ramshackle old hut soon to be reduced to ashes.” He opened the front door and pointed down the red road toward Charis, nestled in the foothills of Mount Aletheas. “Now there is an estate, one that will survive the coming holocaust of things.”

She walked out front and looked back and forth between the two homes, Bartholomew’s and the King’s. Slowly she walked back inside.

“I’m afraid I can’t stay,” she said to David, eyes falling. “I have somewhere else to go.”

“Malaiki?” David asked, looking at her fondly. “I can certainly find a place for you.”

She backed away, toward the door, shaking her head.

“How about you, Nick? You’ve got savvy. You could be in charge of dozens of employees—eventually maybe hundreds.”

I stared at him, stunned and thrilled at his offer. What a prospect. I was eager to take charge, face the test of responsibilities, use again the skills that had served me well in business. Even if David and I had our differences, I could work around them.

“Think about it,” David said, smiling. “You could ride Sauto whenever you wanted. And I was just told there’s going to be lasagna and French bread for dinner tonight—and senaba sorbet.”

“Give me a few minutes,” I said. I glanced at the old man and saw fear in his eyes. I walked out one of the back doors to breathe in the fresh air and look over the estate that beckoned me to stay.

I walked for half an hour, at least, Frodo at my heels, looking as far as I could see. I visited the stable and talked to Sauto, who nodded and nickered and gratefully ate carrots from my hand.