“Ah.” Sheridan turned his way again, that easy smile on his lips. “No rush, whatever you like. And feel free to just tell me to entertain myself if you’ve things to do. Telly’s doing that all the time. He seems to think I’ll just follow him about forever unless he dismisses me.” That self-deprecating twitch of his lips. “No idea where he got that impression.”

Oliver chuckled. And it was nice to be able to do so. For all Sheridan’s odd foibles—and his seeming acceptance of the idea that he ought to marry Libby—Oliver liked him. “How about breakfast and then the library? You can browse to your heart’s content while I check that my grandmother is comfortable again.”

Sheridan nodded, but his eyes went curiously serious. Or perhaps not so curiously. “It was good of you. Very. To take us in like this, when you’ve such concerns. You could have just told us to go back to Penzance, Telly’s high-handedness be hanged. And we’d have gone—though don’t tell him I told you so. He likes to come off as more ferocious than he really is. A bit like Abbie’s pug. That’s my sister. Abbie, I mean. Not the pug.”

Oliver laughed again and led the way into the dining room, where Mrs. Dawe had porridge and toast and jam set out, along with a bit of bacon. “I won’t tell. Telford, that is—if ever I meet this Abbie, I may just imply that you told me your sister was a dog.”

They enjoyed a cheery breakfast that only dimmed a little when Telford joined them. Primarily because the man didn’t say a word, not even in response to Sheridan’s stage-whispered explanation that Telly detested mornings that began before ten and rarely spoke a word before eleven.

Suited Oliver just fine.

He was just finishing up when Mrs. Dawe poked her head into the room. “I see the girls coming up the street. Benna must be feeling better.”

“Oh good. Earlier than I dared expect them.” They must have decided to come over early so they could get back before the usual Wednesday-afternoon delivery. He stood and moved toward the front door, opening it to receive the morning breeze even though Mabena and Libby were still a fair way off. They were walking at an encouragingly normal pace, though, which told him Mabena must be feeling more herself. And Libby had a basket looped over her arm whose lid she was holding down, which must contain Darling.