Alexander arrived at half past five, and Lily let him in with the warm courtesy she used for people she had decided to be warm to for reasons that had nothing to do with whether she was currently delighted with them.
"Thank you for having me, LIly." Alexander said, which was the courtesy of a man who understood he was a guest in someone else's space even when that space contained the person he was supposed to be sharing a life with.
"Of course," Lily said. "Come in."
"Dinner is in an hour."
He came into the entrance and looked around with the attention he gave to spaces he was reading, and he found Elizabeth in the sitting room doorway. She was standing in the specific way she stood when she was between one thing and the next.
"Sugarplum," he said.
"Hi," she said. "How was the session?"
"Good," he said. "The Aurelian Compact student produced something interesting with the elemental cross-reference. I think she's going to be one to watch."
