Val was deep in a book, of course; I rarely saw her in any other state. She did not immediately look up as I trailed into the library, so I sat in the chair opposite and laid my cheek against Robin Goodfellow’s soft fur.
‘Bad week, hm?’ said Val.
‘Mmpf,’ I said.
She closed her book, handling it with tender care. ‘The Baron left those for you. He’s off on some kind of diplomatic mission, and said you’d probably want them.’
‘So I do.’ I sat up and poured chocolate.
‘Is that for me?’ said Val, pointing at the second pot.
‘I expect so. Milady sent me down here.’
‘Why?’
‘No idea. Actually, she didn’t send me so much as put my chocolate down here as bait.’
‘I don’t have much for you to do.’
‘It’s okay. Apparently I am having “time off”.’
Valerie blinked. ‘Oh.’
I gulped chocolate.
Va
