The House in the Cerulean Sea(72)

Linus looked down at his hands. “Oh, I don’t think that’s true. He merely needed—”

“He needed to hear it spoken aloud,” Arthur said. “And I can imagine it coming from no better person.”

Linus jerked his head up. “That’s certainly not true. It should have come from you.” He winced. “That wasn’t an admonishment. I meant that it wasn’t my place to suggest such things.”

Arthur cocked his head. “And why not?”

“Because I’m not—I shouldn’t interact. At least not on such a personal level.”

“It’s against your RULES AND REGULATIONS.”

Linus nodded as Sam Cooke gave way to The Penguins, singing about their Earth Angel. It caused his heart to stumble in his chest. “It is.”

“Why is that, do you think?”

“It’s what’s required of someone in my position. Because it allows me to remain impartial. Unbiased.”

Arthur shook his head. “These children aren’t animals. You aren’t on a safari with binoculars, watching them from a distance. How are you supposed to evaluate the children if you don’t even take the time to know them? They’re people, Linus. Even if some of them look different.”

Linus bristled. “I never suggested such a thing.”

Arthur sighed. “That—I apologize. That was … an oversimplification. I’ve dealt with prejudice for a long time. I have to remind myself that not everyone thinks that way. My point is you did something remarkable for a boy who came to us only used to derision. He listened to you, Linus. He learned from you, and it was a lesson he needed to be taught. I don’t think he could have asked for a better teacher in that regard.”

“I don’t know about all that,” Linus said stiffly. “I only did what I thought was right. I can only imagine what he’s gone through, and you as well, as the master of this house. Especially with wards so unique.”

“Yes,” Arthur said. There was something in his voice that Linus couldn’t quite place. “As master of this house, of course. It’s why I—how did you put it shortly after your arrival?—don’t let them leave.”

“I could have worded that better,” Linus admitted. “Especially knowing what I do now.”

“No, I don’t think you could have. It struck to the heart of the matter quite cleanly. I prefer bluntness to obfuscation. Things get lost in translation. Which is why when I tell you that I believe you helped Sal, I mean every word. I didn’t ask him why he moved the desk. I only asked if he’d had help. He told me he had. And that it was you. It wasn’t hard to fill in the blanks after that.”

“It was merely a suggestion,” Linus said, uncomfortable with the praise. “I told him that while it was okay to want to feel small, he shouldn’t forget that he can be big when he wants to. I hope it wasn’t too out of line.”

“I don’t think it was. I think it was the right words at the right time. As I said before, he’s healing. And with that healing comes trust, though it needs to be well-earned. I think you’re on your way.”

“Then I would feel honored.”

“Would you? That doesn’t sound like it’s proper. I’m sure the RULES AND REGULATIONS would—”

Linus scoffed. “Yeah, yeah. I hear you.”

Arthur smiled. “You do? I like that very much. Thank you.”

“For?”

He shrugged. “Whatever it is you’re doing.”

“That’s … vague. For all you know, I could be writing in my reports that this place isn’t suitable, and neither are you.”

“Is that what you’re writing?”

Linus hesitated. “No. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still have concerns, or that my mind is made up.”

“Of course not.”

“But it does bring me to a certain point. If you still prefer my bluntness.”

Arthur folded his hands on his lap. “I cherish it, in fact.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“No. I don’t. But you do, and I don’t think you’d say it without having thought through it. Let’s have it.”

Linus glanced at the record as it switched over to Buddy Holly, singing about why you and I by and by will know true love ways. The fact that it was yet another love song barely crossed Linus’s mind; he was focused more on the fact that all these different singers were on the same record. He’d never heard of such a collection before.

“I think we should take the children on an outing off the island.”

Buddy Holly sang in the silence.

Then, “We?”

Linus shrugged awkwardly. “You and Zoe and the children. I could come as well, to keep an eye on things. I think it would do them good. Just so they aren’t so…” He glanced at his report. “Isolated.”

“And where would we take them?”

Linus decided to play along, even though Arthur would know the village better than he. “I saw an ice cream parlor when I was in town last week. Perhaps a treat is in order. Or there was the movie theater, though I don’t know if Sal would like it with how sensitive his hearing is. Being this close to the sea, I’m sure the village is a tourist destination. But given that it’s off-season, there won’t be as many people around. Maybe we could take them to a museum, if one exists there. Give them a bit of culture.”