Daniel gestured tiredly, unsmiling. “Please come in. I shall provide for your needs to the best of my ability. Though…” He ran a hand through his hair and knuckled his spectacles higher on the bridge of his hooked nose. “We’ve had some restorative difficulty, I’m afraid. There are only three rooms in habitable condition at the moment. I’ll continue working on it, of course. How many more can I ultimately expect?”
“Best to get it all ready to go,” Jeremiah replied. “The more Reeds we’ve got within driving distance, the faster we can put a stop to whatever Galbraith’s got cooking.” He nodded sharply, something between gratitude and matter-of-fact acknowledgement, and brushed past Daniel and into the house.
Bea and Darryl followed.
Gerald hung back. “That’s… it?” he asked uncertainly. He h
