She turned and saw his bulk pushing through tables towards them. Her antennae flexed in what she was sure he would recognize as a smile.

A chorus of salutation greeted Isaac as he approached them. He looked straight at Lin and smiled at her privately. He caressed her back as he waved at everyone else, and Lin felt his hand through her shirt clumsily spell out I love you.

Isaac yanked a chair over and forced it between Lin’s and Cornfed’s.

“I’ve just been to my bank, depositing a few sparkly little nuggets. A lucrative contract,” he shouted, “makes a happy scientist with very bad judgement. Drinks on me.” There was a raucous and delighted crowing of surprise, followed by a group yell for the waiter.

“How’s the show going, Cornfed?” said Isaac.

“Oh splendid, splendid!” shouted Cornfed, and then bizarrely added, very loud, “Lin came to see it on Fishday.”

“Right,” said Isaac, nonplussed. “Did you like it, Lin?”

She briefly signed that she had.

Cornfed was only interested in gazing at Alexandrine’s cleavage through her unsubtle dress. Isaac switched his attention to Lin.

“You would not believe what’s been happening . . .” Isaac began.

Lin gripped his knee under the table. He returned the gesture.

Under his breath, Isaac told Lin and Derkhan, in truncated form, the story of Yagharek’s visit. He implored them to silence, and glanced around regularly to make sure that no one else was listening in. Halfway through, the chicken he had ordered arrived, and he ate noisily while he described his meeting in The Moon’s Daughters, and the cages and cages of experimental animals he expected to arrive at his laboratory any day soon.

When he was finished, he sat back and grinned at them both, before a look of contrition washed over his face, and he sheepishly asked Lin: “How’s your work been going?”

She waved her hand dismissively.

There’s nothing, dear heart, she thought, that I can tell you. Let’s talk about your new project.

Guilt passed visibly over his face at his one-sided conversation, but Isaac could not help himself. He was utterly in the throes of a new project. Lin felt a familiar melancholy affection for him. Melancholy at his self-sufficiency in these moments of fascination; affection for his fervour and passion.

“Look, look,” Isaac gabbled suddenly, and tugged a piece of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it on the table before them.

It was an advertisement for a fair currently in Sobek Croix. The back was crisp with dry glue: Isaac had torn it from a wall.

Mr. Bombadrezil’s unique and wonderful fair, guaranteed to astound and enthral the most jaded palate. The Palace of Love; The Hall of Terrors; The Vortex; and many other attractions for reasonable prices. Also come to see the extraordinary freakshow, the Circus of Weird. Monsters and marvels from every corner of Bas-Lag! Seers from the Fractured Land; a genuine Weaver’s claw; the living skull; the lascivious snake-woman; Ursus Rex, the man-king of the Bears; dwarf cactus-people of tiny sizes; a garuda, bird-man chief of the wild desert; the stone men of Bezhek; caged dæmons; dancing fish; treasures stolen from the Gengris; and innumerable other prodigies and wonders. Some attractions not suitable for the easily shocked or those of a nervous disposition. Entrance 5 stivers. Sobek Croix gardens, 14th Chet to 14th Melluary, 6 to 11 o’clock every night.