Laurence felt rather that he might blush for this family's lack of hospitality, to have left them out in the cold with the great house standing there on the hill, with so many windows staring out empty. But he was, evidently, the only one so conscious: the other aviators walked up the hill wearing expressions of pleased surprise, to meet the baskets full of cold meat and bread, fresh-boiled eggs, and many pots of hot tea. One servant had come down the hill carrying an enormous steaming platter that smelled pungently of Oriental spices, and even before he had stepped into the firelight, and Laurence saw his face, Temeraire had raised his head and said joyfully, ‘Gong Su, you are here!’

The cook came forward and bowed repeatedly to Temeraire, and as an afterthought to Laurence also, beaming as he relinquished the platter down to the aviators. ‘I am glad to find you well; but how came you here?’ Laurence asked.

‘Lady Allendale's generosity,’ Gong Su said, and turned to Temeraire, explaining in Chinese that Lady Allendale had written to the Corps, and obtained the names of Laurence's followers, to see them taken care of; she had given Gong Su a place.

‘And he says that he will come with us again,’ Temeraire added with satisfaction, ‘so we may have properly cooked food. He also says that if we will stop eating the deer now, he will stew them for us, with some grain.’ At this announcement, several of the dragons drew their deer all the closer and began to eat as quickly as they could.

A fuss was still being made on the path; the maid was now enjoying her hysterics sufficiently to resist being helped away by a couple of the footmen. ‘That is quite enough, Martha. Peyle, take her back to the house and give her some hartshorn,’ Lady Allendale said, putting an end to the noise. She continued on steadily, well-wrapped in furs and trailed by an unhappy footman with a lantern, who lagged behind as they came closer to the clearing.

Lady Allendale paused, near the edge; she had last seen Temeraire some ten weeks after his hatching, well before he had reached his full growth or even sprouted his ruff. To encounter one half-grown beast in broad daylight was a rather different experience than being faced with a dozen of them, including heavyweights and the alarming orange-eyed Longwings, covered to their jowls in blood and magnified by the flickering play of the fire upon their scaled hides.

Laurence was already on his feet; the other officers hastily stood as she came timidly to their circle. ‘I am very happy to see you again, my Lady. Thank you for keeping Gong Su safe for me.’ Temeraire said, adding in an undertone to Laurence, ‘that is correct, is it not?’