His Own Salvation.

Ninth

London. Sarah.

With an uncomfortable ratchet, the door to the porch opened and Caroline poked her head out to the two. "Here you are." The curls that had already come loose from her herringbone braid blew in the wind, her red cheeks almost poked out of the white snowy landscape.

"Will you two please come briefly? I just got an important call and I want to share it with you." Her lips were pressed tightly to a thin line.

Sarah glanced at Will, who nodded and joined Caroline. Sarah did the same and was glad for the comforting warmth that surrounded her when she entered the institute.

Caroline had settled down at the end of the table and folded her hands. Patiently, she waited until she had the undivided attention. Sarah tensed.

"There was another attack. We do not know for sure yet, but we think it was Pirenfer again..."

"I knew it." Sarah heard Jack mumble to Will. „Has anyone been hurt?" The brown-haired woman hung up. So, that was the queasy feeling.

Caroline shook her head. "Not directly. The Herdfortshire Institute was set on fire. It has almost burned down to the ground - no one knows how the fire has spread so quickly-..."

"No", Will interrupted her, a crease had formed on his forehead. "No no no no..."

"Will, nobody's been seriously injured", Caroline said quickly, "only the cook and the maid have a smoke poisoning."

Sarah vaguely recalled a conversation in which Jack had informed her and Diana that the nearest institute was in Herdfortshire. In it Wills nemesis lived ...

"Gibson. Do not say that idiot with his brood pulls to us!" Will's hands clenched into fists, and he stared hard at Caroline, teeth clenched.
Caroline, however, remained relaxed.

"Will, I'm sorry that they will come here. As you know, I do not get along so well with Mr. Cruncher personally, but we are the closest institute to them and we also have enough rooms available. Besides, living with the consul in a house is not an advantage, even though he will often have meetings with the other chairpersons."

Mr. Cruncher was Gabriel's father! Even though both had the same cash on delivery, Sarah had somehow never realized that. If she thought about it afterwards, she could picture Gibson. Aloof and with a stern, angry look. She shook herself lightly, thinking about the questions that Consul Sarah had asked her after the attack by Pirenfers's agent.

Will took a few steps toward Caroline and pointed a finger at her, but the bell cut him off. There was a quiet moment in the room, an unspoken fight between Will and the older one until Caroline sighed and smoothed her ball gown. She glanced briefly at Gerry's chair - it was empty since he had traveled to see his partner for Christmas - then she looked Will in the eyes. "Wilson, you will behave yourself. Woe I hear something about quarrels, fights or something like that." Then she walked to the door followed by Scott to greet the new guests.

Will looked like a schoolboy, bubbling and serious, who was being reprimanded. His fingers had gripped the edge of the table and he flung his dark hair from his eyes in a skilful move. Jack got up and stood next to him, whispering words in his ear, probably to reassure him.

There was silence. Tom, Diana and Oliver ate or played around with their phone. Nobody knew what to say.

Jack let go of Will, patted him on the shoulder and then sat down again in his chair. He had already taken off his jacket like Will, since it was quite warm in the room. Sarah gave a bloom to a flower swimming in the water-filled bowl as Will sighed. He turned his teacup in his hands.