Chapter 24: The Road

I woke in my old room with the sun on the wall and a man's arm across my waist.

For a moment I did not know where I was.

Then I did, and I lay still and let it be true.

Matthias was already awake.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kell," he said into my shoulder.

"Brandauer Kell," I said. "I'm keeping both."

"I'll tell the stationer."

Downstairs, the kitchen smelled of coffee and burned toast.

My father sat at the head of the table in his cardigan.

Thea sat beside him, buttering a slice of toast and arguing with him about jam.

"Strawberry," Thea said.

"Plum," said Anton.

"You can't say plum. You said it yesterday, and look what happened."

"Plum," my father said again, with great dignity, and Thea threw up her good hand and gave him the plum.

I stood in the doorway and watched them.

I had been raised for nineteen years by women who taught me to keep my face still.

I let it do whatever it wanted.

"Ilse," my father said, and held up a finger.

He pushed something across the table with his thumb.

It was the gold signet ring, the one from my hem.

"Yours," Anton said. "Head. House."

"Papa, you gave it to both of us."

"Both," he agreed. "You first. Her second." He glanced at Thea. "She doesn't mind."

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