flattened her hand against her stomach as if something had just upset it. “I see. I suppose that means you’ll be taking the throne back, then?”
“No. I’m staying right here. Limbo is in far more capable hands than mine.” He gave Theo a smile. “But we’ll be visiting now and then.”
Amelia exhaled. “I am very glad to know we won’t be losing you. In fact, I’m even happy that you both have family with you now. Speaking of, I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do. I should go. I have work of my own to attend to.”
“Amelia,” Robin said. “About that. If I could have a word with you?”
“Of course.”
Then he noticed his mother had taken a seat on the bench. “Mom, are you all right?”
She nodded. “A little tired is all.”
Welten was leaning on Theo. “I suppose we all are after that adventure.”
“Let’s go inside, then.”
Theo shook her head. “Have your chat with Amelia. I’ll take them in. We’ll be in the dining room, too, because I can already smell Mrs. Applestock’s biscuits. Amelia, you should join us for breakfast.”
“Thank you, but I don’t want to intrude on time with family. We’ll get together soon, I’m sure.”
“All right. Thanks again for your help.”
“You’re welcome, Theodora. Welten, don’t forget what we talked about.” Amelia gave them a wave, and as Theo left, taking Pryn and Welten with her, Amelia turned to Robin. “Now, what was it you want to talk to me about?”
* * *
Theo decided on the small dining room. The one where she and Robin had had their dinner. She couldn’t forget that he’d told her he’d pictured family meals in there, and breakfast with his mother and her father seemed to fit that bill.
She got Pryn and her father seated at the table, then ran to the kitchen to let Mrs. Applestock and the rest of the staff know what was going on.
To a person, they all seemed genuinely excited to have Robin’s mother in the house. As expected, Mrs. Baton and Elswood were less enthused about the arrival of Theo’s father. She ignored their lukewarm response and asked for coffee to be sent up with biscuits and jam as soon as possible. It had been a long night and a tiresome adventure. They were in need of sustenance.
Mrs. Applestock promised to get the coffee and biscuits out to them quickly, followed by the rest of the breakfast she was already preparing.
As Theo left, Elswood was loading a cart with the things she’d requested. She got back to the dining room and found her father and Pryn in a deep conversation about something that they immediately went silent about. Probably her and Robin, if she had to guess.
The man himself walked in a few moments later. His battle leathers had been replaced by track pants and a T-shirt.
She gave him a once-over. Whatever he had on, he was a sight to behold. “Everything all right with Amelia?”
“Very all right.” He kissed her cheek. “Thank you, by the way, for everything you did in Limbo.”
She grinned but shrugged. “Everything we did. We did all that together. And I have to say we make a pretty good team.”
“You make a wonderful team,” Pryn said.
Welten raised a finger. “I’ll second that.”
Robin and Theo took their chairs. With them now at the table, every seat was filled. He looked out over the group and smiled. “This is really something.”
Theo smiled. “A family meal in the family dining room?”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
Elswood arrived with coffee, tea, cream, sugar, biscuits, two kinds of jam, pear butter, and marmalade. He filled their cups, then piled the table with the food and disappeared again with the promise to return shortly with more filling fare.
They tucked in. Robin started with coffee. “There are plenty of rooms in this house, so we’ll find some that you like and get you both settled in. Then, if I may be so bold, Welten, we need to get you to a doctor and see what help is available. Theo said you’ve been unwell.”
He nodded. “I have. And about that…” He looked at Theo. “Your friend Amelia out there. She’s a witch, you know.”
“I know.” Theo spread nightberry jam on her freshly buttered biscuit and wondered where this was going.
“Well, she said there’s the taint of fairy magic on me.”
Theo stopped spreading jam to look at him. “Is that what she meant when she told you not to forget what you’d talked about?”
He nodded, looking a bit sheepish.