Fleur chuckled. “I just wanted to see what I could do without taking my feet off the ground.”
“I’m honored you chose to share it with me.” It was bitter-sweet. Each new step that Fleur took toward finding her place in the world again was one step away from him.
“I helped, Daddy.” Ellie tugged at his hand.
Fleur grinned. “Yes, you did. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“And Fleur’s dad helped too. He climbed a ladder.” Ellie frowned. “I’m not allowed...”
“That’s right, ladders are for grown-ups.” Rick firmly quashed any hopes that Ellie might have of clambering around in the stairwell. Looking up, he could see the box that had contained the luminous cloud of glitter that had come fluttering down from the top of the tower held firmly in place by ropes and pulleys. He couldn’t imagine that Josh would have allowed Fleur to fix it in place on her own.
“Where is Josh?”
“He’s up in the viewing gallery, playing with Ellie’s telescope.” Fleur turned, calling loudly up the stairs. “Dad...!”
Light flooded downwards as the door to the viewing gallery opened and Josh appeared, walking down the steps. Ellie raced toward him, brandishing her sword.
Rick smiled a greeting and Josh grinned back, before turning his attention to the imaginary duel with Ellie, bolting through the door to the kitchen to avoid her lunges. Ellie ran after him, and Rick heard the sound of something crashing to the floor as the fight continued.
“So what do you have lined up for me? Prisoner of the Warriors of the Moon?” She’d already made him her prisoner, and Fleur could chain him up and lead him wherever she wanted.
She shot him a mischievous look. “I was thinking about it. But I decided it wouldn’t suit you. I’ve got something a bit more appropriate for you.”
She led him through the chaos that was ensuing in the kitchen, and Rick followed. Upstairs, in his bedroom, she’d laid out a dark suit on the bed, and added a shirt with a wing collar, a cravat and a richly embroidered waistcoat.
“Let me guess...” Rick frowned. “Count Dracula?”
“No! Everyone’s going to be coming as Count Dracula.”
“Okay... Give me a clue.”
“Well, it’s the library, so it’s a character out of a book or a comic. And it’s Fright Night...” She gestured to the chest of drawers, where a Victorian-style glass flask filled with a blue liquid lay. Beside it was a sheet of paper, stained to look like parchment, which bore the name Henry Jekyll in flowing script, along with a string of what looked like chemical formulae.
“You couldn’t resist it, could you? Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Rick chuckled. “Be careful. I might drink the blue potion and think up an even harder exercise routine for you.”
Fleur grinned. “Too late. You’re not my doctor anymore...”
* * *
When he walked back downstairs, order had been restored and Ellie was sitting quietly, drinking a glass of juice. Josh admired the costume and Fleur produced a bowler hat from a large bag on the kitchen table.
“If this doesn’t fit, you’ll have to carry it.” She handed him the hat, and Rick tried it on.
“That’s fine.” He removed the hat, inspecting it. The hat had been carefully brushed and looked new on the outside, although the headband was a little worn. “Where did you get this?”
“It’s mine. I had it in my props box.” She took the hat from him, putting it on her own head. It was big enough that it slid down over her brow, covering her ears, and it looked slightly incongruous with the face paint and the swords. All the same, she looked adorable.
“When are we going...?” Ellie’s impatience to show off her costume surfaced.
“Not yet, Ellie. It doesn’t start for another half-hour.” Rick turned the corners of his mouth down, mimicking Ellie’s expression of dismay, and Fleur looked at her watch.
“I’d better get moving.” She took the bowler hat off and reached for the bag on the table. “You’ll drop me round to see Jess on your way home, Dad?”
Rick’s heart fell, and he realized he’d wanted to arrive at the Fright Night with Fleur more than anything. “Jess...?”
“You know Jess. Jess Brady, she has a Saturday job at the bakery. Her father’s Sheriff Brady.”
“Ah, yes, of course. I met Jim Brady in Main Street the other day, he came up and introduced himself. Nice guy. I can take you over to see Jess if you want.” Rick wondered whether Ellie might be persuaded to contain her impatience for just a little