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for the sake of matrimonial harmony, I tried to
leave as close to five as possible. Was it my turn to cook tonight?
Blast, I couldn’t remember.
    Still, I hesitated over the codex. I’d
handled far too many books of dangerous lore over the last few
years, and as a consequence had developed something of an instinct.
The writing within the codex might be incomprehensible at the
moment, but something about it set my nerves on edge.
    Another half hour wouldn’t hurt. Griffin had
said he might be late, given his own work. “I think I’ll take this
one back to my office,” I said, rising to my feet. “I’d like to
give it a closer look.”
    The librarian who’d brought me the codex had
drifted up during our conversation. Now he offered me a bow.
“Widdershins,” he said, in the same tone I imagined an Englishman
might say “my lord.”
    Mr. Quinn gave him a poisonous glare, as if
the poor fellow had overstepped his bounds. Why, I hadn’t the
slightest idea, since I’d been subjected to the librarians
addressing me thusly since that awful Hallowe’en of two years ago.
The librarian hastily bowed again and departed.
    “As you wish, Dr. Whyborne,” Mr. Quinn said.
“Do let me know if you find the codex to be of interest.”
    “Of course,” I said, scooping it up before
he changed his mind. I didn’t think he would, given he ordinarily
seemed to have no qualms about handing me the darkest of tomes, but
one never knew.
    I passed a few of my
colleagues on the way to my office, all of them making for the
exit. “Don’t work too late, Percy,” Bradley called jovially as I
passed. “You wouldn’t want to keep your landlord waiting for
dinner.”
    Ass.
    A visit to the men’s washroom was in order,
so I left the codex on my desk and made my way through the
labyrinthine corridors. A few minutes later, as I returned back the
way I’d come, I spotted a familiar form. “Iskander,” I called.
    He stopped, a relieved smile on his face.
“Whyborne! I was just coming to find you, actually. I’m glad to see
you haven’t left for the day.”
    I couldn’t recall him ever seeking me out on
his own. “Is everything all right?”
    “Oh! Yes, fine.” He hesitated. “I think.
There is something that’s been weighing a bit on my mind.”
    I fell into step beside him. “By all means,
please tell me. You know I’ll do whatever I can to assist.”
    A rueful smile curved his handsome lips. “I
know. Thank you for the offer of hosting the wedding in Whyborne
House.”
    “It wasn’t my idea,” I said. “That was
entirely my father’s.”
    “Oh.” The smile faded. “I
thought...well.”
    I’d said something wrong, although I wasn’t
entirely certain what. “You thought...?”
    Iskander sighed. “Massachusetts may not have
anti-miscegenation laws, but Christine will do her career no favors
by marrying me. It’s a heavy truth, but wishing things were
otherwise won’t make them so.”
    Oh. It hadn’t even occurred to me. But of
course he was perfectly correct.
    “The loss of the firman in
Egypt, returning from Alaska virtually empty-handed, marrying a
half Egyptian...her career is in jeopardy.” Iskander went on. “If
Christine were a man, of course, things would be different. But as
it is, having the wedding with the stamp of your family’s
approval—of your approval—will help. People respect you.”
    I snorted. “They respect Father, perhaps.
Although I fear Stanford destroyed a good deal of that respect with
his antics.”
    Iskander stopped. “No,
Whyborne. They respect you. And your father as well, of course, but he wasn’t
the one who fought your brother or saved the town from the tidal
wave the Endicotts raised. Christine told me all about it. One for the land, and one for the
sea .”
    The damned prophecy was going to haunt me
for the rest of my life. “Whatever the case, I’m glad Father saw
fit to help,” I said. “So what is it you need from me?”
    Iskander began to walk again. “Holding