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Chapter 34 - Foes

"Well, well, well." Anne grinned as L, Liam and I came into the kitchen a few minutes later. "I didn't know it rained men in London!"

"That's a fact I'd rather have kept from you." Liam winked, an inescapable grin on his face. "Apparently someone was in town for a reason."

"Er, yes. Anne, I will cover the cost of the extensive messaging on your mobile yesterday." L scratched his head as Nan stood up from the table, her eyes bright as she peered at him.

Anne stood up from her chair shaking her head as she threw her arms around L. "Forget that. I'm glad you're here!"

"Me too!" Liam added enthusiastically and I sighed, turning to Nan.

"Nan, this is our friend...Elliott. Elliott, this is Liam's grandmother, Nan."

L held out his hand and stooped a little lower to meet her gaze. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Haypenny."

"And yours...L." Her face was shining like a girl's.

"How did you know her surname?" I demanded then.

L turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "Come now, Grace. How else do you think I found you without at least researching Liam's family tree to start?"

"Brilliant! Just brilliant" Liam exclaimed. "We should hide Grace again and see how quick you can find her."

"Er, no." L's tone was stern. "I would rather you didn't."

"Yes, me neither." I added as the rest of us took seats around the table. "Did Jude get something to eat? He was talking Caleb's ear off about tomatoes just now."

Anne looked at me quizzically. "Jude? Is he here too?"

Instantly, I became worried. "Yes. I told him to come back here. I hope he didn't get lost." I was angry at myself for just giving him an address and expecting him to find the house himself. Was I so dumbstruck by L's appearance that I had lost my common sense? The boy wasn't used to neighborhoods in the city after being so sheltered in the abbey, he could be anywhere.

"I'll go look. He couldn't have gone far." Liam volunteered as Nan continued unnerving L by holding him under open scrutiny.

L coughed and turned to where she sat in the seat beside him. "Erm, yes, Mrs. Haypenny? Can I be of any assistance?"

"You carry many secrets, child." She whispered, placing a hand softly on his cheek. His eyes grew large. "But not to worry, they are safe with me." She gave his face an affectionate pat.

"Oh. That's good then. You have my appreciation." L smiled weakly and settled back in his seat. "Is everyone uncovering my identity today?" he whispered to me under his breath.

"Not too many people, I promise."

The front door swung open and we heard shouting voices and stamping feet in the front room followed by a clap of thunder. I was relieved that I could hear one voice being Jude's bitterly cursing about the weather.

"It ain't pleasant, to be sure." Caleb's voice answered him.

Liam sat back down. "Guess no need call a search party after all, eh L?"

L observed him silently and cleared his throat. I didn't think he was taking to it well that he had an admirer who wasn't one of his successors.

"God, that came out of nowhere!" Jude remarked as he trudged into the kitchen with Caleb behind him a short time later absolutely soaked to the skin. "I don't know how you work outside like that all the time, man."