Chapter 11 #2
“I moved back home— the family estate— a few years ago. Well, a little over four now. Mother had someone come sort out the furniture, but I enjoy looking at pieces. I helped my son set up his own rooms eighteen months ago. Finding the right thing that pleases the eye? It’s a little like the rock, for me.
Something steady, something that I want to have there.
” He sucked in a breath. “Anyway, the pastry? I don’t know how long your break usually is. ”
They went further along the street, with Matthew making a comment or two on the way.
That bookshop was one he stopped in at fairly regularly.
He sometimes got lunch from that shop. Claudio didn’t press about any of the questions, letting Matthew guide the conversation.
They’d managed to get to the bakery before closing, but there wasn’t a lot to choose from.
Jam tarts, mostly, but they looked and smelled wonderful.
Once they were both walking back toward the Ministry, Matthew cleared his throat. “Can I ask how you became a Penelope?”
Claudio had to laugh. “Oh, it’s Gabriel Edgarton’s fault.
” He considered how to put this. “To start with, I apprenticed originally in Incantation. Before the war, I did the usual sort of consulting work, a range of projects, nothing terribly exciting or, well, necessary. Improving charms on spaces, that sort of thing. I didn’t need the money, but I did like feeling like I was doing something worthwhile. ” He brushed past that bit.
Matthew nodded, then his expression changed at a bite of the tart. They were excellent, well-balanced with a flaky crust. Matthew hadn’t been able to keep the pleasure off his face, and Claudio was pleased by that. It was a sign that things were less awkward.
“I was working on something during the war, and I got permission to consult Gabe about some of it. I knew he’d been working on a related project.
I expected it would be half an hour, he’d give me something I could use.
It turned into three hours. Followed by an invitation to stay for supper with his family and another ninety minutes of wide-ranging conversation.
He made it clear early on that if I wanted, the Penelopes would be interested in giving me more scope after the war. ”
“Wait, what?” Matthew blinked at him. “Just like that?”
“Oh, Gabe makes leaps of intuition half a dozen times before breakfast some days. About that size. Though in this case, he’d thought about it for at least a few days. He’d consulted Isembard about it too, and—” Claudio thought about that, where to explain it from.
He settled on the basics. “Isembard and Thesan, I mean, you had them as teachers, I know you did. But he had the training of me. And bodyguard, a bit, when it was needed, while Orion and I were in school. When I finished, they sat us down and made it clear that we could be friends. That we could figure out how to be friends as adults. Or well, people learning how to be adults. It was grand having people who weren’t my parents, who just wanted good things for me and still do.
Anyway, Isembard told Gabe that I’d listen to what he said, go away, and think about it. ”
Talking to Matthew felt comfortable now.
A bit like talking to Hypatia and Cammie had been when he’d been getting to know them.
Claudio wasn’t saying anything terribly private, but he’d seen Matthew in a bad spot, and evening that out a little felt good, somehow.
Now Matthew nodded. “And eventually you said yes?”
“Mm-hmm. Right after VE Day, Gabe and a number of the other Penelopes were going into Germany in small groups. Not to fix things, but to figure out exactly how bad some of the magical bits were, what needed dealing with first. We did that until November. Gabe took me on as an apprentice before we left, and I’ve never regretted a minute of it.
” Some people— Mother among them— had thought it was debasing himself to apprentice a second time as a grown man.
He glanced down at his wrists. “Well, sometimes the mud is a bit much, or I hate missing supper with someone I wanted to see. But the work? Never. I know it matters, and I’m good at it in a way that never gets boring.” That came out more like bragging than Claudio wanted.
Matthew hesitated, then said softly, “I’m glad you had that.” Then, a little more loudly. “You must be very busy. But you weren’t Tuesday?”
“No. We get time off, and we try to divide up the load. Though we’ve all got our own specialities.
Supper with Orion and his wife and another friend and her husband tonight.
Then I’m probably on my own Friday and Saturday, supper with Mother on Sunday.
” He shrugged. “Sometimes time with other people, but it depends, you know how that goes. Or, um, are you still sorting out what you’re doing with your time, now you’re settled in here a bit? ”
“A bit,” Matthew cleared his throat. “Maybe another drink sometime? When I’m a little more conversational. If you’re free?”
Claudio nodded. “Sure. You know where I’ll be on Tuesdays, at least. And if I’m not called out, I’d be glad to.
” That more or less brought them back to Matthew’s office.
Claudio glanced down at his watch. “I ought to get back. I’ve a meeting at four, and it’ll go better if I look at my notes first. See you Tuesday, then? ”
“Tuesday,” Matthew seemed about to say something else, then someone came out of the door.
He ended up just nodding. “Tuesday.” Then he turned and went back inside.
Claudio waited for a moment, then turned around and took the fastest path back toward the Guard Hall and the Penelope offices tucked into the back of that complex.