Timekeeper (Timekeeper #1)(64)

Danny tried to think of a good excuse to stay behind, but Brandon had already shrugged on his coat. Danny looked around and saw Colton standing near the door, frowning.

“I’m not sure …”

“I won’t bite your head off,” Brandon said. “Come on.” He turned to walk down the stairs.

Danny grabbed his coat, hesitated, and spotted Colton close by. His nearly-invisible eyebrows were set at a gloomy angle, his mouth turned down in disappointment. Danny gave him a helpless look, whispered, “Sorry,” and descended after Brandon.

His feet thumped heavily on each stair. Brandon snorted at his expression. “Don’t look too put out.”

“Sorry. I was just thinking about something.”

“And what would that be?”

Danny didn’t want to bring up the Maldon tower or Lucas, so he settled for one of his lesser fears at the moment. “My mother interviewed for a job a couple of weeks ago …”

They walked to the pub, hands in their pockets and heads bent against the wind. It was growing dark already, the clouds on the horizon stained pink. When they opened the door, lively noise escaped and sucked them inside.

The townsfolk roared with approval at their presence, beckoning the pair to join them. They sat at a small table near the back and were plied with drunken praise and well-wishes until a tall woman pushed past the worshippers to take Danny’s and Brandon’s orders.

Danny sat passing his beer mug from hand to hand, legs fidgeting under the table. He wanted to see Colton before he left for home, but if he got in too late, his mother would worry.

“So you don’t want your mum to run off,” Brandon said.

“I’m just not sure I want to live alone.”

“And you don’t want to move with her?”

“God, no. I never want to leave London. It’s my home. It’s—well, it’s London.”

Brandon nodded. “I’d never leave London if I could help it. Got my brother and sisters, though, so I don’t have to worry about that.” He took a sip. “I’m sorry, mate. About your father and all that. Lost my own dad some time back.” Brandon took out his tiger’s eye marble and began to roll it between his fingers. “Not in Maldon, though. The white plague.”

Many in the city had died of consumption, the illness stripping flesh from bones as their bodies wasted away. He could only imagine what Brandon must have gone through as his father lay coughing away his life.

“Don’t have much of him now, save for a box of his old things. I found this in there a month after he died.” He showed off the black and amber marble. “I used to play marbles with him all the time. I snatched it before the younger ones could take it.”

Danny lowered his eyes, feeling a twinge of guilt for having nicked it earlier. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

He knew what would come next. Brandon would say Danny was lucky his father was still alive, just unreachable. Others had said the same, not knowing the words landed like knives.

But Brandon only sighed and shook his head. “Damn shame.”

They sat in easy silence until Danny asked about Brandon’s family. Brandon was more than glad to list them off, from his older brother who flew airships for the military to his youngest sister who was barely out of nappies. Whom he liked best, whom he liked least, and why he would fight to the death for them either way. Danny was both fascinated and jealous. If he had a brother or sister to share the house with, his mother leaving wouldn’t have been so painful.

If only Colton could leave his tower.

The conversation shifted from high to low places, from amusing stories to sad ones. When Danny finally looked at his timepiece, he groaned.

“It’s nearly eleven! I need to head home.”

Brandon checked his own timepiece. “Ah, look at that.”

“Er …”

“Yes?”

“I’m a little confused,” Danny confessed. “About why you did this tonight.”

“How long has it been since you’ve made a night of it?”

Danny didn’t answer, but it was as good as an admission. Brandon shook his head.

“I was the same after my dad passed. Wouldn’t let myself have fun, or talk to my friends. You can’t let it take over your life. Your dad wouldn’t want that, I’m sure.”

Why were others always telling him what his father would or would not want?

Still, Danny knew Brandon had a point. He fiddled with his timepiece before pocketing it. “I suppose I do need to get out more.”

“Sure do. Elsewise you’ll end up making enemies left and right. Give others a chance, yeah?”

Danny wondered if this had been Brandon’s idea of making Danny feel better. “I reckon I should. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me; you bought the drinks.” Brandon scraped his chair legs back to stand. “Until next time.”

They parted at the door. The streets were dark and quiet. Danny shivered; the pub had been warm, but out here the icy finger of winter stroked down his spine.

As he headed for the clock tower, a hand touched his arm.

“Danny, is it?”

It was the young man who had danced with him on St. Andrew’s Day. Harland. His teeth shone like pearls in the moonlight. Danny returned the smile, still a little woozy.