#it's going.

‘Lavender. Possibly lemon zest.’

Hubert’s sense of smell remained as sharp as ever and Ferdinand would find that impressive, were his unwelcome guest not a rodent born out of wedlock. Instead, he accepted the sweets, warm even through his gloves, and bowed his head slightly. “I cannot even fathom what we did to deserve you, Mercedes.”

She laughed softly and clasped her hands in front of her chest. “Just return safely.” She lowered her voice and added: “You may rest assure that Hubert is in good hands. Who knows? Maybe he’ll wake up before you’re back.”