The heavy iron gates of the Avery estate swung open with a quiet, oiled glide as the carriage turned into the cobblestone driveway. The estate was imposing, surrounded by manicured hedges and tall, ancient oaks that caught the golden light of the late afternoon sun.
"I'm not letting you go back like this," Derrick insisted firmly as the carriage ground to a halt before the front portico. He smoothed down his wrinkled coat, though his hair was still slightly tousled from lying unconscious on a stall floor. "We had a miserable end to our afternoon, Cherion. The least I can do is host you for a proper dinner so we can shake off the stench of that theater washroom."
Cherion offered a faint, tired smile as Ezek opened the carriage door. "Derrick, really, you don't have to entertain me. You should rest."
