It had been two days since he met Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel was feeling thoroughly annoyed.
"Why can't I get that damn woman out of my head?" He asked his daemon in frustration.
Stelmaria said nothing, her eyes glowing with a mixture of laughter and exasperation.
Lord Asriels mood wasn't improving because of their current location. He was walking through the poorest part of London, on his way back from a meeting with John Faa, the king of the Gyptians. As he wandered the narrow, cobbled paths he eyed his location with distaste. It was littered with grubby urchins and toothless old women. It was the last place Lord Asriel expected to see her.
Mrs Coulter was standing outside a small church shaking hands with an old priest. She was smiling, flashing her dazzling white teeth, the golden monkey just managing to suppress his disgust at the old mans dirty fingernails. Lord Asriel wondered for a moment what she was doing there, then he noticed a man, presumably a journalist, taking a photogram.
"She's a good politician" Stelmaria murmured "It will look good for Mr Coulter if his wife is seen looking after the poor."
Lord Asriel nodded. He watched as Mrs Coulter bent her head low to speak to a child who had been staring wide eyed at her. In fact a small crowd had gathered around the church. It wasn't every day a woman like Mrs Coulter was seen in this part of town and the kindly warmth she was exuding combined with her white dress made her look almost angelic.
Asriel grappled with his desire to go and speak to her versus his desire to avoid being a near a church. Mrs Coulter won. He strode over to Mrs Coulter, who had turned and was walking towards the church.
"Marisa. I'm surprised to run into you in a place like this." He said, speaking low as he grabbed her arm lightly.
She turned around looking slightly startled. However the golden monkey clapped its little hands together in delight.
"I'm just doing my Christian duty to my fellow men" She said with a slight smile
Asriel laughed.
"So I suppose the fact it makes a good picture for tomorrows paper has nothing to do with it then?"
"Of course not." She answered, not bothering to sound sincere. "And what brings you to this part of London?"
"I had some business with the Gyptian king."
Mrs Coulter raised an eyebrow "Ah yes. I had forgotten you were a famous defender of Gyptian rights. It upsets my husband terribly."
"Well all the more reason to do it I suppose"
"I've always wondered…what's the advantage in it for you?"
"Christian duty" Lord Asriel answered sarcastically.
She laughed. The golden monkey moved towards Stelmaria and stroked her fur playfully.
"Interesting. I wouldn't have thought a man investigated for heresy twice would have worried about trying to please The Authority."
"Well perhaps not. I find the Gyptians are far more worthwhile than most other people you find in London."
"Really? Even me?" She asked mischievously.
He smiled and said nothing. Stelmaria moved her head and nuzzled the Golden Monkeys fur softly. Mrs Coulter exhaled sharply, noticing their daemons had changed from being playful to something more sensual. The Golden Monkey looked at her for a second and then stepped back reluctantly.
"I'm about to attend a church service" She said changing the subject, trying to ignore the moment that had just passed between their daemons. "Would you care to join me?"
Lord Asriel despised the church, clergy and the idea of worshiping a higher power. He hadn't attended a service since he was a child but somehow he immediately answered her.
"It would be a pleasure."
Mrs Coulter knew Lord Asriel was only attending in order to spend time with her. She knew his views on the church perfectly well. She had only asked in order to test him and now that he had answered she felt her heart beat a little faster. Excitement, and nervousness. She had met a man she wasn't sure she could control. Even more disconcerting, she wasn't sure if she could control herself. The sermon they were listening to was, quite appropriately, about the sin of lust. The priest was particularly fervent in detailing the punishment sinners would face in hell. It was the kind of sermon that usually had an effect on her but today she could barely listen. Mrs Coulter tried to tell herself it was because it was an old, crumbling church that couldn't compare to the splendour of the cathedrals that she was used to. But somehow she couldn't help but be intensely aware of Lord Asriels presence next to her. His eyes were narrowed in sardonic amusement, one hand rested on his daemons head, the other so close to hers.
Finally the service finished.
"I would ask if you wanted me to walk you home, but I suspect you might find it patronising" Lord Asriel murmured to her as they left the decrepit church.
Mrs Coulter smiled though she was quite taken aback. He seemed to understand her better than any other man she had ever met.
"Quite right. Good night Asriel" She answered
"Good night then Marisa" He said nodding to her. He turned on his heel and strode out into the night leaving her standing for a moment, watching him walk away.
………………………………...
Mrs Coulter had barely woken the next morning when her husband stormed in, fully dressed in a suit despite the early hour of the day.
"What is this?" He muttered, thrusting the morning paper into her hands.
Still a little drowsy it took her eyes a moment to focus on the front page. It was a picture of Lord Asriel and herself outside the church. She bit her lower lip, she hadn't realised how close she had been standing to him. In the photogram they were both smiling, as though sharing some secret joke.
"I don't see what the problem is" she began, trying to salvage the situation "look at the article it's congratulating both of our humanitarian efforts"
"You don't see what the problem is!" Edward exclaimed "Look at that photo. What were you even doing there with Lord Asriel?"
"Nothing. I just happened to run into him. No one except you would think anything of it."
Edward said nothing. His daemon flapped her wings in exasperation.
"Quite frankly Edward I can't handle you're constant barrage of suspicions. You know I try so hard to further your career. I spent hours down in the slums of London the other day, do you have any idea how filthy those people are? I would only ever put up with it for you." She spoke passionately, allowing her voice to tremble for effect. She coughed softly, as if stifling a sob.
Edward melted. "I'm sorry."
His daemon moved towards the golden monkey who clung to it tragically.
"It's just I know there are so many men after you. I shouldn't take it out on you." He spoke awkwardly but sincerely. He wasn't a man that was used to apologizing.
Mrs Coulter nodded. It was difficult not to smirk, sometimes manipulating people seemed far too easy. However she realised she would have to be more careful from now on. A voice at the back of her mind told her that she was getting herself into a dangerous situation.