6 March, 1894 — Greengrass Home

Ford's new bedroom on the recently built third floor of their Bartonburg home was bigger than any room he'd lived in before, though smaller than the ones he'd stayed in with Macnair or Tycho. It boasted a bed twice the size of the one in the tiny room he'd left behind downstairs, though he wasn't sure that was entirely necessary. He imagined marital duties, when and if they occurred, would take place in the room across the hall, currently empty but soon to be inhabited by the newly minted Mrs. Greengrass. But it did come in handy tonight, because it gave him and Cash plenty of room to spread out while they worked their way through the first bottle of gin.

The third floor only contained the two bedrooms. He'd chosen the one to the west thinking perhaps he'd be able to catch a glimpse of the Black Lake through the window, but it was obscured by the density of the neighborhood between them and the park. All he could see out his window was their garden and a sea of other Bartonburg addresses. But he'd been in her room, to check that everything was ready, and he'd noted that from her window the brightly colored rooftop of Ty's house could be seen, so he didn't regret his choice of room.

"I have a question," he announced to Cash. After a slight pause, he allowed, "It might be more of a when we've had more to drink question."

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