"Miss Hattie," Clementine said, "I let you be until now, because I respected your desire for independence. But this is too much! You could’ve gotten into horrible trouble last night! And anyway, how could you leave Derington without saying goodbye?"

Dawson watched this all unfold with great interest, and some horror.

“Little ‘Mette,” Hattie returned the hug, and patted her back, “You've been keeping track of me for months? Don't you think that's a bit excessive?"

"Twasn't just me," Clementine’s voice was a bit muffled when she said this, "Father was too."

"For a silly old maid?"

"Miss Hattie! You're family, and you know that. You’ve been with us since Father was a boy! Of course he worried about you.”

"Hmph." Not quite family, Hattie thought, but...well, maybe, in some respects.

Clementine at last released Hattie from her clutches.

"But you're truly fine, now?" Clementine asked, and her head bobbed up and down while she inspected Hattie.

"Yes, 'Mette, I believe so. Even my teeth have gone back to normal, thank goodness.” Hattie stepped back, “Now, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I insist you stop, and I insist you head back to Derington Holding. You’ve your lessons with Madame Jorn.”

Clementine’s nose scrunched, “But Miss Hattie…”

“As you can see, I’m fine, dear. Please, go.”

“Fine. But since you know how we’ve been keeping an eye on you anyway, will you come visit?”

Weariness poured into Hattie’s heart. To go back? Would that invalidate all her progress until now? Would she fall into a request for more, and find herself back where she started?

It would be easy to go back to the Duke’s employ, to the warmth of a place that her very soul knew. To see Matilda and the staff, and the youngsters everyday, like she had for her whole life.

Hattie steeled herself.

“I can’t promise you I will, ‘Mette. But do visit me, if that’s your desire. As long as your father and Madam Jorn allow it.”

Clementine swooped in for another silk soft, crush of an embrace.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Miss Hattie. I’ll go now.” Clementine paused once before she left the room, and turned to Monte. She gave him an elaborate curtsy.

“Please continue to take good care of Miss Hattie.”

“Farewell, my dear,” Hattie watched as the bright pink presence of the little lady left the room.

“I can’t believe that rascal Soli, and little ‘Mette have been watching me…” Hattie said this under her breath.

Dawson overheard, but pretended he hadn’t. Those were the authorities of Derington she was speaking of, after all. “That was alarming,” he said, “I’ve left breakfast out, so please sit down while I get your other...visitor.”

Dawson left the room, and Hattie sat at the table. There were plates and a bowl of fruit, and a cold omelet. Hattie split the omelet in half and set the plate down for Monte on the floor. Her back creaked, and she let out a tiny, “Ooof!”

[I hope this goes back to normal too, and soon,] Hattie told Monte, [All this creaking and popping is plain awful.]

[You recovered from last night, Hattie. I think you’ll be okay.]

The first bite of the omelet tasted scrumptious. Hattie pierced a second morsel, when Dawson returned. For a man normally cool about most things (he did run a school for young and often childish mages), a perturbed grimace was all over his face.

“Miss Hattie, this...gentleman has been waiting for you.” The gentleman in question was Liobald. His attire was fancier than what he'd worn yesterday, though it was a subtle elegance.

Hattie stilled. Something about Liobald woke up the instincts that had so overwhelmed her yesterday. Dangerous. She felt her teeth elongate, and panicked.

[Monte! Help me stop it!]

Together, the two quashed down the instincts that roiled up at the sight of this man, but it took concerted effort. The teeth retracted. Hattie sagged with relief that the insticts hadn’t escalated, and with the effort it had taken to surpress them.

“Liobald? How on earth did you know I was here, too?” Hattie asked when she had gathered herself.

“People notice a gold wolf racing down the streets.” Liobald said,“I was concerned for you after your...abrupt departure yesterday. I trust you are well, now?”

“Yes, I’m doing much better.”

“Very good. Now, we were interrupted yesterday, and I wondered if you would like to join me for dinner, perhaps, tomorrow evening?”

[I don’t like this man,] Monte said.

[He hasn’t done anything bad,] Hattie chided, [Hasn’t he looked out for us? And I did enjoy his company until things got out of hand.]

But Monte was still disturbed by the disaster of yesterday, which was also the first time they’d really been apart.

[Don’t go without me.]

[I won’t.]

“I suppose that would be fine,” Hattie said to Liobald, “But only if Monte can join us as well.”

Liobald’s face lit up, “Wonderful. I look forward to seeing you both.” Liobald told them where to go, “I’ll take my leave, so you can rest. Enjoy your breakfast.”

Once Liobald left the room, Dawson took a seat across from Hattie. He had silently watched Hattie’s interactions with both of her guests. His face had regained some of its energy once Liobald left.

“Thank you, Headmaster Dawson,” Hattie said, “And thank you for your aid yesterday. I’m so sorry for troubling you with all this.”

“Miss Hattie,” Dawson’s tone was dry, “I am terrified of you.”

“What?” Hattie’s eyes narrowed in confusion, and she tilted her head a mite. She took another bite of omelet, as Dawson braced to explain.

“The Duke’s daughter...and you do know who that ‘gentleman,’ was?” on the word gentleman, Dawson’s tone was scathing. At Hattie and Monte’s blank looks, he wilted, “Oh dear.”

[How do you know Liobald?] Monte asked, growing stressed.

“I don’t know him personally, and thank goodness for that, but almost anyone who’s streetwise would recognize him. He’s the kingpin of all the drug trade within Derington!” Dawson’s voice grew quite high as he reached the end of the sentence.

Hattie choked on a bite of omelet. Coughs wracked her frame for a full minute.

That was why Hattie’s instincts had gone haywire, because they recognized the hazard that Liobald posed, Hattie and Monte thought. But Dawson and Clementine were known variables, who had Hattie’s best interest at heart.

“The Duke’s daughter and the drug king in my house,” Dawson said when Hattie wasn’t turning blue anymore, “Miss Hattie, I don’t know how you could stand to associate with such dangerous people.”

“Yet you let them into your house?” Hattie asked, still shocked.

“I’m not happy about it, but both of them are too powerful. To refuse their wishes would have been to make enemies. At least they didn’t meet. That would have been a catastrophe.”

“I’m not quite sure what I’ve gotten myself into,” Hattie said, “But why didn’t you tell me this before I met with him?”

“I assumed you knew!” Dawson ran a hand through his red locks, “And the whole situation was so strange, so I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“And now I have a dinner date with the man,” Hattie sighed, “I’ll just apologize and say I can’t make it.”

Dawson shook his head, “Good luck with that, Miss Hattie. I’ve got a school to run. Make yourself comfortable, and when I get back in the evening I’ll help you sort out the bond strangeness.”