They were just sitting to scones and Earl Grey when Abe stood up and gave him a package brought in the day before. An online purchase, which his son made on his behalf when it turned out that neither of them could allocate time to visit the stores without hurry for at least a week yet. (Abe's other argument was that he had already spent some petrol on an unplanned detour to the riverside.) At least the delivery was in pristine condition.
You trade in antiques long enough, things get mangled in the mail.
Or 'lost'.
Or booby-trapped.
Anyway, this one time the online services were not lacking. He wiped his hands and carefully cut the wrapping paper.
Henry thought that the book looked laughably modern. They put that picture by Delacroix on the cover, and even that didn't help. He sighed.
He should have splurged for the original.
'Melmoth, huh?' asked Abe, leaning in. 'Seriously. What put you in the mood?'
'A most likely vain hope of educating my assistant on the finer points of gothic art.'
'Aww, Pops, you're being sweet.'
'Not remotely.' He shuddered and took a sip of his tea, leafing idly through the pages. 'The lieutenant drafted me to look at the whole Soul Slasher series in order to list all possible inaccuracies, which would help, in theory, to distinguish future copycats arising from that – that – fandom. Lucas took it for a sign of my coming around to seeing its virtues.'
Which was when Henry informed him, and maybe also a score of onlookers, about the rich tradition of horror literature.
'Must be fascinating reading.'
'Abraham.'
'Just imagine, they pay you for it. Taxpayers' money.'
'I would have happily declined the honour.'
'Come on, Pops, you are uniquely qualified.'
'Hm. Thank you... And so I am, unlike the man who wrote the foreword for this edition. Why is it so slim? Ah, a glossary!'
'Don't look!' cried his wise son, spewing some crumbles across the table. 'It will upset your stomach.'
Henry hastily shut the book.
'You are right, it invariably does.'
'You met the author?'
'Maturin? As a matter of fact, I did. You cannot imagine my disappointment when he confessed it was all pure fancy.'
At least, in Maturin's opinion. Had Adam spoken with the excitable parson? He took a large bite to conceal his unease.
'Hey, I made enough of them that you can take some to work and share,' Abe waved a hand, eyes sparkling. 'Say 'hi' to Detective Martinez for me.'
'Abraham. Of course I shall say 'hi' to Detective Martinez for you. I am a man of manners, hopefully.'
And so they parted, each to his own work.
