She smiled, clearly not the least fooled by his misdirection. “I ain’t the only one who’s not changed, Baz.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Today is a rescuing day ... of sorts. Some of my fellow authors and I have started an organization, the Charitable Authors League of London. We bring food and supplies and other things to people who are in need.”
“While still hampering the plans of the madams and macks of London.” She shook her head, still smiling. “Don’t you ever sleep?”
He chuckled quietly. “Not as much as I should.”
Talking to her had always been easier for him than talking with others, though he did stumble about for words now and then. They knew so much of each other’s history. So many of the things they usually kept hidden from others, they’d not needed to hide from each other. He knew about her family, where they came from, what they did. She knew his mother had lived her life trapped by the very sorts of people he’d dedicated himself to thwarting.
Her eyes settled on the parchment in front of him. “Is this your latest tale?”
“Yes. My publisher is hoping I’ll have this installment finished soon.”
“I’ve not yet read your newest story. I’m hoping to, though.”
“You would like it,” he said. “After all, you were the one who told me I ought to write about true medical marvels.”
“You remember me saying that, do you?”
He nodded. “I’ve thought on it often these past years.”
“Been thinking on anything else?” she asked, watching him as if she doubted he pondered much.
Surely she remembered that his thoughts were always full and heavy. “Plenty of things. My patients. My mother and what she’dthink of me if she were still living. The poor people of London and what they need. Whether you were happy and safe.”
“Because I’m one of the poor people of London?”
He couldn’t tell if she was jesting. Shewasone of the unfortunates this city claimed in abundance. But she was also significant to him in a personal way. Theirs wasn’t an ordinary marriage, but he did care what happened to her. He always had. He knew she’d doubted that in the days and weeks before she’d left three years ago. The reassurances he’d offered then hadn’t been enough. He had his doubts they would be now. He didn’t want to spend what little time they had together now arguing.
“Because I want you to be happy and safe,” he answered, hoping she hadn’t noticed his pause.
She seemed satisfied. “What’s this latest tale about, then?”
“A fictional tale of a doctor searching out a mystery that’s based on things that have, in actually, been documented and researched and wondered about.”
Her eyes pulled wide as she listened to him, her interest never flagging. “I see it being read absolutely everywhere, but not a soul’s been kind enough to drop their copy when racing after a train or leave it behind after having their shoes shined. Mark me, sometime someone’ll be terrible careless, and I’ll snatch m’self a copy.”
Snatch one? “Do you not have any spare pennies, Gemma?” It would explain her current state, but not in a way that set his mind at ease.
“What is your charitable authors’ group going to be doing today?” She made no effort at finesse when changing the subject, a sure sign she was uncomfortable with his question.
That told its own story, one that worried him. But he suspected questioning her directly would not get him the answers he needed. She did not confide in people easily. It was a trait they shared.
“We are bringing food and supplies to a corner of the city that recently had a fire.”
“The same fire you was asking me about yesterday?”
He nodded. “That’s how I happened to hear about the victims’ graves being robbed.”
“Ah.”
The Dread Master had been right to direct the DPS to create this sister organization. It gave him a ready reason for knowing about things the DPS had discovered without having to outright lie to Gemma.
There were few things he disliked more than falsehoods and deception, both from himself and in others. He had seen the destruction it caused.
“Is this betterment ladle you’ve planned for today for authors only, or can friends and family and wives-not-seen-for-years take part as well?” she asked with a familiar air of mischief.
Life was so often heavy. Having a friend who lightened the load was a welcome thing.