Cas looked up from the tray he was maneuvering through the doorway. "What? No. I made tea and Philpot scrounged up a tea cake for you from somewhere. I haven't seen a tea cake for a week. You always were her favorite." Cas shot the jest out in a careless tone, seemingly from pure force of habit.

Poll was in no mood for the old game of vying for the primary spot in Philpot's pastry-filled affections. They weren't boys anymore. Cas was someone's husband — Miranda's husband — and someone's father, as well. Their lives no longer ran in tandem. They were no longer partners in crime, no longer a pair, no longer the two of them against the world.

Poll took the tea and drank it down black and strong, ignoring the cream and the tea cake on the tray. "What has the physician said about Iris's condition? Someone has seen her, haven't they?"

Cas set the tray down. "No, we thought we'd let her ride it out, catch-as-catch-can." He rounded on Poll with black fury in his eyes, spitting out the words in a fierce whisper. "Of course, someone has seen her! The Prince Regent has sent his own physician thrice a week but there's nothing that can be done! If she is strong enough she will survive it. If she is not —"

Cas's rage choked off. He swallowed hard and bleak loss replaced the anger in his eyes. The eyes that were just like Poll's eyes.

Poll pulled his dejected brother into his arms. Sometimes he hated Cas. This was not one of those times. Cas pushed at him for a moment and then relaxed into Poll's hard clasp.

"God, Poll. I don't know how to fix this. There's no sneak-around! There's no secret passageway or bad invention or great escape! She simply gets sicker and sicker and there's not a damn thing I can do about it!"

Poll shook his head. "You don't have to do anything. You don't have to fix it. Take care of her. Pour Philpot's soup down her throat. Sing silly songs and remind her that she loves us and that we want her to stay. And then she will! She will stay, Cas. For God's sake, she has a grandchild now! Can you picture Iris Worthington missing out on that?"

Cas let out a hoarse sound, part sob and part laugh. "She dotes on Aurora."

"Why is this all on you? Where is Dade?"

Cas straightened and shoved a hand through his hair. "He's been called up before the Prince Regent for something or another. He tried to tell Prinny to bugger off because of Iris, but she talks about Prinny as if he's a friend of hers. Perhaps it's true. He'll be back soon, but just like the rest of us, he's worn flat. Before this, Dade was up in Shropshire, helping Aaron rebuild Worthington Manor. Elektra is terribly sickened, apparently."

"Elektra? She's ill as well?"