Brushing back her very pale hair, the young woman exclaimed anxiously, "I'm so sorry! Oh my goodness, he knocked over your coffee, too. I'm so sorry!"

Almost as flustered as the young woman, Spencer snatched at the pile of napkins near his bag, clumsily poked them at the puddle of coffee on the table, and then stammered, "No, it is fine. Please don't worry about it."

"I'm really am sorry, but sometimes Bertie is the naughtiest dog in the world. May I please buy you another cup to replace yours?"

"There really isn't any need. I was almost done with it anyway." Nervously looking at the young woman and half shocked by his own daring, Spencer asked haltingly, "Did-did you want to sit down here? I-I don't think there are any other available tables outside. I'm almost finished so, if you want, you can have it to yourself in a moment anyway."

Responding with a grateful smile, the young woman asked with one hand on the back of the chair across from him, "Are you sure? If so, then thank you. I can't take Bertie inside. It isn't usually so crowded here this early."

Spencer held out his hand very tentatively to the spaniel, which hopped up to put its paws on his knees.

Tugging quickly on the little dog's lead, the woman demanded, "Down, Aubert!"

Spencer earnestly said, "I don't actually mind. It is a pleasant change to have a dog be so friendly."

"Bertie definitely seems to like you." The young woman sat down and then smiled brilliantly at Spencer, who reflexively pushed his glasses back and tucked his hair behind his ear.

A waitress came up just as the young woman was placing her large, formal handbag on the chair next to her. "Hello and welcome to La Fournette. My name is Kristin. Do you need another minute or can I take your order?"

"Oh! Um…do you have any of the cherry muffins still?"

The waitress shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, those sold out quickly today. We still have the blueberry walnut muffins and the banana bread."

"No, thank you. I think…maybe just the plain croissant and a hot tea. Oh, also another coffee…what sort did you have before?"

Waving his hand to indicate it was not necessary, Spencer said seriously, "No, really, I am fine."

"Ok, well, just the croissant and a tea then. Earl Grey if you have it."

The waitress looked back and forth with interest between couple at the table. She raised her eyebrows as she asked with a half-smile, "Any honey or anything?"

"No, thank you."

As the waitress walked away, the Spencer smiled awkwardly and said, "I should probably introduce myself. My name is Spencer Reid."

"Charlotte Landry-Theriault. Thank you for being so nice about everything."

"It is my pleasure. Do you, uh, do you eat here often?"

"Mm-hm. I live right near here, so it is convenient. I like to take Mister Naughty here out for a breakfast walk on Sunday when I'm back from mass."

Surprised, Spencer said, "You must attend a very early service if you have already gone to mass, changed, and taken your dog for a walk."

"Yes, I enjoy the 7 o'clock service. I like to start my day early, especially in the summer when the sun is up and happy."

"Do you usually attend the Tridentine mass?"

Charlotte looked sharply up from her purse, through which she had been digging distractedly. "What?"

"The closest church with a 7 o'clock mass is St Michael, but it is a Latin mass."

With a bright smile and an expression of surprise, Charlotte replied, "That's right. Are you Catholic, too?"

Spencer shook his head. "No. Through the course of my work I once needed to know all the mass times for the area within 30 miles of McLean."

"And you just happen to still remember?"

Slightly embarrassed, Spencer replied, "Yes. I remember everything I read. I was not really raised with religion although my mother is Catholic and my father was LDS. I have read the Bible, the book of Mormon, and the Quran as well as numerous religious works such as the Avesta, the Kitab al Hikma, and the Guru Granth Sahib. I'm open to investigation, yet, I don't currently subscribe to a particular faith."

Charlotte nodded. "Those are all good ones to have read. I assume you have also read the Talmud, the Five Classics, the Upanishads, and the Tripitaka?"

Surprised, Spencer said excitedly, "Of course. I found them all fascinating. You have read them all, too? I actually don't know anyone else who has."

"Yes, but I read quite a lot." Charlotte was silent for a moment, and then asked, "You said that you are open to investigation, but have you actually explored any faiths with a serious intention or are you merely open to it in theory?"

His voice rising as if asking a question, Spencer answered, "I, uh, I suppose that you could say it is more in theory. I'm more of a, uh, believer in science."

Speaking without sarcasm, but quiet understanding, Charlotte sighed, "Ah yes, science." Having successfully located it, Charlotte placed her book on the table next to her and asked very seriously, "Do you want to find an answer?"

Spencer bobbed his head and swallowed firmly before he replied, "In all honesty, I have not really thought about it in a long time." Suddenly uncomfortable with his answer, Spencer looked down at the red book on which the young woman's small hand was resting protectively and noted with interest that it appeared to be a liturgical work in Syriac.

"I understand. Well thank you for being so kind about my dog and everything."

Recognising a dismissal, Spencer gathered together his bag with disappointment. Yet instead of standing up, he hesitated and stammered, "You don't have to worry about it. I am not offended."

"Thank you, Spencer."

"You are very welcome."

The waitress arrived at that moment with Charlotte's tea and croissant and placed it in front of her. "Did you want any more coffee, sir?"

Spencer vacillated for a moment then he looked at Charlotte before he replied, "Yes, I think I would like another cup. Maybe to go?"

Charlotte shrugged noncommittally, but smiled at him.

Releasing the strap of his bag, Spencer said, "On second thought, I think I might also have a slice of banana bread."

Surprised, the waitress asked, "To go?"

First throwing another questioning glance at Charlotte, who was still smiling, he boldly replied, "No, I'll have it here, please."

Which one? Orthographies covering the Palmyrene alphabet to the Pahlavi script…texts in Attic or Ionic Greek…a treatise on Vulgar Latin across North Africa… No, surely she had nearly everything on all of her languages of study. Maps? He had no idea if she had any interest in geography, but a linguistic map perhaps… How did one even find such a thing?

Spencer shoved aside the stack of books he had finished that week and stood up from the table where he had been contemplating a catalogue. As much as he despised even the concept of an Amazon-type website, he had to admit it would probably find what he wanted faster. Nevertheless, he was going to trust Jacob from whom he had bought unusual and interesting books for over ten years. It was probably best just to go and talk to him. The languages of ancient Palestine were something he had only spent the last month studying. He was hardly an expert like Charlotte. Jacob would know the right book or the right person to ask. In fact, Spencer felt he owed Jacob in a way. It was his routine of eating breakfast and reading at La Fournette every 3rd Sunday of the month until Jacob's bookstore opened that had him in the right place and time to meet her.

He had hoped at least to select something before he left to meet her—even though he wouldn't actually have it in hand for their date. His little offering for this evening seemed destined to fail, but he really didn't know what else to get. Charlotte was an overtly feminine woman, who always wore exceedingly expensive-looking lacy or silky things that he certainly could not afford. He suspected that the earrings she had been wearing on their first date had cost more than his car. He only knew that he needed to bring something and she had one of these little ribbon things tied onto her handbag the day they had met. It was imperative that she knew he had been thinking of her in the time since their date. She had said that she understood his need to postpone when they got a case, but it had ended up being nearly two weeks. It was critical to be sure she didn't think that he was uninterested.

Bending down to look in the mirror, Spencer ran his hands through his hair and frowned with resignation at what he saw. She was extraordinarily conservative and very traditional. He could hardly be the type of man she typically dated. Bizarre hair, unstylish clothing, and ancient car…he was definitely not a successful alpha male type like her brother. Shrugging on his coat and slamming the door, Spencer then jogged down the stairs of his building and hurried outside to look for his car. He was going to be late if he did not start soon. The drive to Annandale was going to take at least an hour at this time of day.

The trip, which actually took 15 minutes longer than expected due to the rain, seemed interminable. His excitement at seeing Charlotte again was nearly unbounded. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to see her almost as much as he wanted to talk with her. They had spoken on the phone a few times, but, as exciting as the conversations were, it was not the same as being face to face. Charlotte's mind was creative, quick, and extremely clever. He thought with a smile of the sound of her soft, Southern voice the night before telling him excitedly about an opportunity she might have to handle the original of a Phoenician document that she had not yet examined. Spencer had to be honest that he was thrilled with the discussions that her intelligence had allowed them to have. Yet although her mind exhilarated him, her beauty was impossible for him to ignore.

His thoughts were filled with memories of her quiet, happy smile as she listened to him talk, her petite hands gesturing expressively when she talked about her siblings, her bright blue eyes flashing with humour when he told a joke that most people wouldn't have even understood, and her musical laugh when she had realised that he had sat on her hair yet again. She had laughed like that again the night before when they had talked in preparation for the date. She had promised to pin her hair up securely so it wouldn't get in the way. Without even thinking he had said, "No, please don't." He had not even realised how attractive he found such unusually long hair until confronted with her startled question, "Oh. Do you like it better down?" Equally surprised, Spencer had emphatically answered, "Very much. You look so beautiful." That was when she had laughed with delight at the compliment. He hoped that he could make her laugh like that again tonight.