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“This is what I keep telling you, Saint. You have to think,” Stephen said. “If you’d put a knee in his groin first, you could probably have punched him in the face as well when he went over.”

"You? You’ve no powers, no allies, and a serious weakness in the shape of Mr. Day. She’s strong as hell. What can you possibly do about her?”

"I like the way he says ‘furthermore’,” Merrick observed quietly. “Cos you can tell he means ‘wankers’.”
Dan Gold choked. Crane said, “I like to think I’ve had an influence on him.”

“I saw how you see me, back then,” Crane murmured in his ear. “I had no idea I was such a handsome devil.”

“Do you know, I’m not very happy about that.”
“No, nor am I.”
“Really very unhappy,” Esther added.
“Yes.”
“Shall we make some other people unhappy?”
“Oh, I think so.”

“Let’s get Merrick. Come on, adai.”
“I am aware that means idiot.” Stephen was trying to sound pointed, but the golden light was returning his eyes at last, and Crane felt a deep tension finally dissipate at the sight.
“It’s a term of affection,” he assured his lover, following him to the kitchen. “You are an idiot, of course. But it’s mostly affection.”

“I’m so sorry,” Stephen mumbled in Crane’s ear when at last they broke for breath. “So sorry. I was foul to you and I’ve made such a mess of everything and you were right all along, about it all. You should be furious with me.”
“I am,” Crane said against his neck. “Livid. Can’t stand the sight of you. Come here.”

“Because if I can tell the Council that the thefts were me, not Miss Saint, then I can tell them all about you and your noble love nest. Love nest, Crane. That’s quite good. Do cranes nest?”
“They’re birds, of course they— Shut up.”

Miss Nodder leaned forward, then glanced round at Stephen. “Are you in this conversation, or just skulking?”
“Mostly skulking.” Stephen had a particular knack for making himself unobtrusive. He felt mildly impressed that he’d been noticed. “But I have licence to skulk.”
The justiciar’s green eyes glimmered with amusement. “Skulk away, then.”

“Stephen can, of course, use my power, for two reasons. Firstly, because it’s his, just as all I am and all I have are his. Not that he ever asks, of course. I’m not sure that he quite believes it.” He looked round at Stephen, a rueful smile dawning, ignoring Fairley’s loud noises of disgust. “But I do hope you are aware, my sweet, somewhere in that absurd heart, that I am ever, entirely, and quite pathetically yours.”

If you’re staying with your wife purely because of your marriage vows, then those vows aren’t worth a damn.