#rivervale_lodge

"No pun intended."

"Well, yes."

She shakes her head. "I do not like this. I hope your House sibs will see it put to right."

"They will do thier best. Likely, better than I could do." he doesn't seemed bothered by this honest assessment.

She sips her coffee. "Other than that, the run was uneventful?"

"It was, pleasantly so. Productive, on or ahead of schedule."

"A rarity," she observes.

"Unfortunately." with a sigh.

"But you made it home in time for the 4th. Your reputation will be safe."

A soft chuckle. "Yes. I will be home on the fourth."

"I am glad." A thought. "You may not have your rival, though. Olgar has left suddenly for a Dreaming mission. He did not provide many details."

"Mm?" a frown as he twists around to look at her "Kerri and Sylvi ok?"

"Kerri is irritated by the census inventory, but is well. Sylvi I have not seen much of, but I have not heard anything about her being un-well."

"Whatever his mission is, it does not seem to have anything to do with them."

A grunt. "Unless he misses the fourth."

"Unless he misses the fourth," she agrees.

"Would you rather compete against his wife or his daughter?" she asks, amused.

"Compete?"

"Pardon -- would you rather instruct his wife or his daughter in proper grilling technique?"

"Hmmphm."

"I suspect Kerri could do just fine on her own. If Sylvi were interested.... happy to share what I know."

A quiet chuckle and another sip of her coffee.

"Jess is coming." Frank says. A statement, not a question.

"She is." Equal certainty. A glance towards the trod door. "I know she is only that far...but it seems wrong to impose without invitation. She worked so hard to separate herself from us, years back."

A heavy sigh.

"Bill E. seemed to suggest the Countess's assailant was Leanhaun." his train of thought is pretty obvious.

Or possibly not. "Tell me what you are thinking."

"Mm? Oh. Just that .... I don't know. I wasn't sure I mentioned it to you before. I told the House, of course."

She nods, frowning. "I admit to being reluctant to have you in a situation where you might be noticed by them again," she grumbles.

Frank nods. "I admit the same. And I would not wish to miss the fourth."

A brief snort as he equates the two matters. "Fair."

"What else has been going on here?"

"Much has been as I have told you when you called." (as he always does when away)

However, she does fill him in on some of the details of the doings of the Lodge and barony...at least the ones she knows about.

((End Scene))