[With water in their cups, he sets the kettle on an oven mitt and lets it stay there, ready when they want more. Before he says anything else, rolling his thoughts around, he takes a tea bag and sets it in the cup to let it steep. The question throws him off a little, and had he not been so attached to the man, he wouldn't have hesitated to answer at all. His voice quiets for his response.]
There was a fire at the manor started long before anyone knew what had happened. Whoever did it wanted to cover their tracks. By the time word reached me, it had been put out, but... It was far too late. What went into your coffin and your wife's coffin was little more than fragments of bone.
[His back had been turned to Vincent when he set the kettle down and for it, he was more than glad. He continued to stand there, head lowering at the memory. There he was, informant to the Earl, one of his strongest allies, and even he hadn't known what was to happen. Eventually, he shook his head with a sigh and moved back to the table, to stand by his chair instead.]
Of course she did. Your father commanded much in his time, but they were more equals than he would admit. [He lifted his head to Vincent at mention that he shouldn't be lonely, head tilted in his curiosity and more than willing to take to the distraction.] Will you? You know your son said the same thing to me and it wasn't long after that I woke to find him trying to sleep, sitting against my bed.
[He didn't bother to elaborate on that, not yet, but the poor young Earl. Those had been rough times for him.] If you find yourself unable to sleep, I won't question you if you come to us. Keep you close to your son as well.
no subject
There was a fire at the manor started long before anyone knew what had happened. Whoever did it wanted to cover their tracks. By the time word reached me, it had been put out, but... It was far too late. What went into your coffin and your wife's coffin was little more than fragments of bone.
[His back had been turned to Vincent when he set the kettle down and for it, he was more than glad. He continued to stand there, head lowering at the memory. There he was, informant to the Earl, one of his strongest allies, and even he hadn't known what was to happen. Eventually, he shook his head with a sigh and moved back to the table, to stand by his chair instead.]
Of course she did. Your father commanded much in his time, but they were more equals than he would admit. [He lifted his head to Vincent at mention that he shouldn't be lonely, head tilted in his curiosity and more than willing to take to the distraction.] Will you? You know your son said the same thing to me and it wasn't long after that I woke to find him trying to sleep, sitting against my bed.
[He didn't bother to elaborate on that, not yet, but the poor young Earl. Those had been rough times for him.] If you find yourself unable to sleep, I won't question you if you come to us. Keep you close to your son as well.