She spoke of Annie. A momentary image of his dead wife passed within his mind and then faded. His old life was over; he would not be going back to it. He felt he could accept that now. He could never forget Annie, but he could let her go.
“It no longer haunts me,” he answered.
Her green eyes held his own. “Perhaps you will permit me to remain with you long enough to make certain, Ben Holiday?”
He nodded slowly. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
She bent close and kissed his forehead, his cheek and his mouth. The party continued unnoticed around them.
It was after midnight when the festivities ended and the guests began to retire to the rooms that had been prepared for them. Ben had finished saying good night to all who remained and was giving thought to the comforts of his own bed when Questor approached, looking a bit embarrassed.
“High Lord,” he began and stopped. “High Lord, I regret troubling you with so small a problem at this hour, but it needs attending to, and I believe you best suited to deal with it.” He cleared his throat. “It seems that one of the Lords brought a canine pet with him into Sterling Silver — quite a close member of the family, I am given to understand — and now it has disappeared.”
Ben lifted his eyebrows. “A dog?”
Questor nodded. “I have said nothing to Abernathy…”
“I see.” Ben glanced about. Fillip and Sot were nowhere in sight. “And you think…?”
“Merely a possibility, High Lord.” Ben sighed. Tomorrow’s troubles were already upon him
Ben sighed. Tomorrow’s were already upon him. But then, of course, so was tomorrow. He grinned in spite of himself. “What do you say, Questor — let’s go find out if the gnomes are planning a midnight snack.”
High Lord Ben Holiday, King of Landover, began the new day rather earlier than expected.
The End