Despite her nervousness - the funny little way she was acting that made it quite clear something was going on - she had smiled, so perhaps it was nothing too troubling. He had already rethought his first notion and given her the benefit of the doubt on whether she'd done something ill-advised to put their father in a mood: that was simply too usual to see her so skittish as this. (And, in that case, she might have been better off at Julian's, or Katia's, or even sneaking out of the house with Leonid: Ari would never have been the most congratulatory audience for her endeavours.)
It was nice to see her, though, so he was glad she had come, whatever the reason for the visit. Hopefully when she left she would seem more herself.
There was no sense in forcing the matter too soon, so Ari pretended there wasn't something strange hanging in the air, and smiled easily at her agreeing to tea. He rang the bell beside him for it, though he'd scarcely needed to: a cup of tea was always his first restorative measure of choice after a long day, and his housekeeper was at the door only a few moments later, the teapot already full. She was, as he'd suspected, shocked to see Zelda there, but he waved her apologies off, allowed her to bring a second cup, and then insisted she head home at her usual time, since family didn't count as having company and didn't warrant a change of plan.
When the housekeeper had pulled up the door, Ari poured out the tea himself and passed one to his sister. "So," he began, now that his full attention had nowhere else to be but her, though his question was an undemanding one: "how have you been? Busy at work, too, I suppose?" (It was still a marvel that she was old enough to work, to be in the midst of a career of her own. When had that happened? If he hadn't known better, he might have sworn she'd be at Hogwarts forever.)
It was nice to see her, though, so he was glad she had come, whatever the reason for the visit. Hopefully when she left she would seem more herself.
There was no sense in forcing the matter too soon, so Ari pretended there wasn't something strange hanging in the air, and smiled easily at her agreeing to tea. He rang the bell beside him for it, though he'd scarcely needed to: a cup of tea was always his first restorative measure of choice after a long day, and his housekeeper was at the door only a few moments later, the teapot already full. She was, as he'd suspected, shocked to see Zelda there, but he waved her apologies off, allowed her to bring a second cup, and then insisted she head home at her usual time, since family didn't count as having company and didn't warrant a change of plan.
When the housekeeper had pulled up the door, Ari poured out the tea himself and passed one to his sister. "So," he began, now that his full attention had nowhere else to be but her, though his question was an undemanding one: "how have you been? Busy at work, too, I suppose?" (It was still a marvel that she was old enough to work, to be in the midst of a career of her own. When had that happened? If he hadn't known better, he might have sworn she'd be at Hogwarts forever.)
