Marcello patted Niabheara's knee. "Maybe he...you know. Maybe he's just expecting us back, so he didn't think to send word?" he suggested. "Or maybe...well, maybe there's nothing to say. It si the Puck. It might have vanished. Especially if it showed up here."

"I thought he said he would regardless." She hunched up again. "Well, it's Father," she said airly, as if it didn't matter. "If he started being reliable, I'd be suspicious."

Marcello stroked her shoulder. "We'll be back there tomorrow, anyhow," he pointed out. "Nothing he's done in a day can't be set right if he's avoiding you on purpose."

"Wouldn't put it past him," she muttered. "He was terribly keen on rushing me out as fast as possible. If he's only going to be m--" She caught herself and chuckled. "Iron nails. Was I really going to say 'be mean to me'? I do sound like Pepita."

Marcello laughed. "There are worse people you could sound like," he said. "Pepita's not got a wicked bone in her body. Just don't start sounding like her in bed, hmm?"

She shot Marcello a rueful look. "We should not make such fun of her. Enough people made fun of me for being an aged maiden, and I remember well enough what that was like. She makes me wish I was innocent enough to believe the world was full of good people."

Marcello looked a bit hurt. "I wasn't trying to...I believe the world is full of good people," he pointed out. "Mostly good, at least. More good than bad. And most of the time, what we see as bad is just people hurting."

She put her hand on his cheek. It was a bit odd looking at his real face again--or as real as it might be for the present. "I was speaking mostly for me. I shouldn't mock her either." She sighed. "I don't believe that," she said. "The world's started to divide itself up into selfish people whose selfishness harms others and selfish people whose selfishness harms only themselves."

"Don't do that," Marcello replied, and he slipped an arm around her waist. "Of course people are selfish. It doesn't mean you can't be selfish and good. You. You put other people ahead of yourself so often. Even when you know it's not when you want, even when you know you'll be miserable for it."

"I hurt people too," she said softly.