Life rarely goes as planned, Master Benedict said. The question is: Are you happy?

Was I?

I think… maybe I could be. I’ll always miss you. But if this business ever gets settled… I paused. Tom thinks I should marry Sally.

What do you think?

That’s years away, I said.

Master Benedict sounded amused. That’s not a no.

I shook my head. Even the angels were making fun of me.

Sally squealed when she saw us.

We were waiting in the parlor of Berkshire House while a servant went to fetch her. As we sat among the finery—portraits in gilded frames, drawers of polished walnut—it occurred to me how ordinary this sort of thing had become. And how strange that was.

Even now, all this formality to visit Sally, a Cripplegate girl. Yes, sir, please wait in the parlor—madness.

Sally broke through the airs by running, delighted, into our arms. Tom being closest to the entrance, she flung herself at him first. She hugged him and gave him a giant kiss on the cheek. Then she came to me. She held me longer, tighter. But she didn’t give me a kiss.

Tom watched the whole thing. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he gave me an innocent look, as if to say, I didn’t say anything. It’s the thought that counts, isn’t it?

Anyway. Sally looked a little flustered afterward. Though that just may have been her excitement. “Can you believe it?” she said. “The king’s ward? And a pension? Oh—they did tell you, didn’t they?”

“They did,” I assured her.

“It’s all so wonderful,” she said, and she hugged me again. It felt good—and she smelled like cherries.

My face was warm. I cleared my throat. “Settling in to a life of leisure, then?”

“Oh, I don’t want that.”

“Uncomfortable in all this luxury, are you?”

She laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m so grateful for what the king’s given us. And everyone’s been so much nicer to me here than in Paris.” She said the last with a genuine sigh of relief. “I’ve already been invited to a party. But a life of lazing around… I don’t know. I want to be useful.”

Tom and I exchanged a glance. “In that case,” I said, “have we got something to tell you.”

CHAPTER 20

SALLY LISTENED AS I LEANED in and recounted the events of the last day. She was horrified by the attack on Simon, stunned at my new apprenticeships, and amazed by the letters I’d been getting. She studied the one we’d found in the Banqueting House.

“ ‘Saints defend these ancient walls…’ What does it mean?”

“We’re off to Blackthorn to find out,” I said. “Want to come?”

She stood, eyes shining. “I’ll see if I can borrow a horse.”

We tied our mounts outside the Missing Finger. I was just giving Blossom a good scratch before leaving when Tom said, “Look who it is.”

Bridget fluttered down from the roof of my shop and ran excitedly over my boots. I picked her up, stroking her feathers as she cooed at me.