The innkeeper came bustling out from behind the counter the moment she stepped inside, wiping his hands on the bottom of his stained apron. “Madam,” he said, his eyes darting around the common room, as if he feared he’d left it cluttered.

“Good morning, Mr....?”

“Collins, milady. Willie Collins.” He yanked a dirtied rag from his pocket and made a show of dusting a chair for her.

“Thank you, but I won’t stay. I’ve come only to have a quick word with my brother Mr. Knox Armstrong. I understand he has taken rooms here?”

The man blinked. “Yes, milady. A pair of them.”

Whoever the bird was, she must have been quite something for Knox to take a pair of rooms. “Would you please send someone up to him and tell him I have come?”

“Eddie!” Mr. Collins shouted.

A dusty little boy appeared from the back of the inn. Mr. Collins took him aside and leaned over him. He glanced back to Margot as he spoke to the boy.

The boy sprinted up the stairs, tripping over one in his haste. Margot could hear his ungainly clomp as he ran down a hall above her head. She and Mr. Collins looked up, as if both of them expected joists would begin to rain down on their heads. The boy’s heavy footfall was followed by the sound of a door slamming, and then another, and then the boy was running again, down the hall and stairs.

“I’ve done it, Papa!” he called as he skipped across the inn into the back room once more.

Mr. Collins smiled anxiously when they next heard the footfall of a man striding down the hall above.

Knox appeared, taking the steps two at a time. “Thank you, Collins,” he said briskly as he leaped to the floor. The innkeeper scurried to the back room as if escaping a melee.

The melee was Margot’s brother. Knox looked a mess. He did not wear a wig, his blond hair was uncombed and his shirt hastily donned and opened at the collar. He sported a scraggly beard as if he’d gone unshaven for several days. “Margot!” he said, casting his arms wide. “What are you doing here?” he asked jovially as he embraced her and hugged her tightly.

Her brother smelled of sweat and a woman’s perfume. “A better question is, what are you doing here?” she asked, stepping back.

“Enjoying my life,” he said with a wink, and took her by the elbow. “Collins! Send tea up for the lady!” he bellowed over his shoulder.

He led her up the stairs as he chatted about how happy he was to see her, wondering aloud how long it had been, and how he hoped that she’d come home for an extended stay. They reached a door that he pushed open. He stood aside so she could enter ahead of him.