Ford had lurched back to life at that. So now he was making Tycho leave – now that Tycho had changed tack entirely. A man she had been ready to despise for the rest of her life, who was now telling her sorry and good luck and who had not taken his eyes off of Ford for the last few moments, as if seeing him anew. And suddenly she felt sorry for him too.
(Jemima was not sure any amount of good luck would save this situation, but.)
And she blinked at the raven and the feathers it – he – left behind, but didn’t startle at the smack against the window, because adding such bizarreness into the mix only made this feel more surreal; a dream, a nightmare. She wished it were one. It was too far-fetched even for a nightmare, but if only she happened to wake up and pull herself out of bed now, she would laugh and laugh and laugh in relief.
But her eyes were already open and the tears seemed to have dried up, now that Tycho was gone and Ford’s voice had taken on that unnatural sharp tone. She stared at him, incredulous. So he had lied to her, and he had been evidently lying to him too – and was he going to tell her why now? Swaying a little on the spot, whether in exhaustion or from a new, caustic surge of hostility, Jemima waited pointedly, just to see.
(Jemima was not sure any amount of good luck would save this situation, but.)
And she blinked at the raven and the feathers it – he – left behind, but didn’t startle at the smack against the window, because adding such bizarreness into the mix only made this feel more surreal; a dream, a nightmare. She wished it were one. It was too far-fetched even for a nightmare, but if only she happened to wake up and pull herself out of bed now, she would laugh and laugh and laugh in relief.
But her eyes were already open and the tears seemed to have dried up, now that Tycho was gone and Ford’s voice had taken on that unnatural sharp tone. She stared at him, incredulous. So he had lied to her, and he had been evidently lying to him too – and was he going to tell her why now? Swaying a little on the spot, whether in exhaustion or from a new, caustic surge of hostility, Jemima waited pointedly, just to see.
