No, maybe that was it. Maybe he felt lonely.

“Perhaps I’ll write something about him in my column this week,” said the king.

“That’s a better idea.”

“If I’d known more about him I’d have given everybody the day off.” The king felt agitated, felt he hadn’t done enough. “I didn’t realize how big a deal it was for so many people.”

“Why would you?”

“It’s my job to know this city, isn’t it?”

“Look, if you’d given everyone the day off we’d have lost time on building the new planning department.”

“Yeah, good point,” said the king, nodding and closing the shutters. “If we don’t get that built, the city will never get finished, will it?”

2

WESTON’S REPLACEMENT WAS SO eager to get started he was waiting for Iona the next morning in the school’s front lobby.

“Hello!” said Carter, bounding forward to shake Iona’s hand the moment she entered. “Lovely words at the funeral yesterday—really lovely.”

“You were at the funeral?”

“Yes.”

There was an awkward moment as each wondered if the other was going to bring up the disturbing incident at the end of the funeral. Iona wanted to talk about it; she desperately wanted to know why it had happened, what it meant. But to take such an interest in something strange would only mark herself out as strange. She knew it was better left alone.

“Anyone who knew Weston would have said the same,” said Iona eventually.

“I wish I’d known him—as more than just a teacher, I mean.”

“If you knew him as a teacher, then you knew him.”

Carter looked around the lobby. “I mean, it’s a terrible way to get the job, but . . .” He’d been in line for a teaching post for some considerable time. He had worked fourteen years in construction and his body bore the scars.

“He’d be glad to know his replacement was enthusiastic, don’t worry.” Iona offered to show him to his new office—which was Weston’s old office—where she would give him a rundown of his duties and workload and make sure he had everything he needed. As they walked she became increasingly aware of loud noises—not the usual chatter of students but hammering and sanding. Was there a practical going on? No, there couldn’t be—the day’s classes hadn’t started yet.

As they turned the corner Iona realized the noises came from their destination. The door to Weston’s old office had been removed and members of a crew were coming and going. All Weston’s books had been removed and stacked up against the wall in the corridor. Iona and Carter tried to step though the doorway but were pushed aside by a bulky man who barely bothered to say “excuse me.”

Iona looked inside and saw that half the office floor was missing. The other half was in the process of being torn up. All the furniture was gone, including the filing cabinet, and the shelves and shutters had also been removed. The paneling on the walls was being sanded smooth.