Temeraire snorted. “We must trust them to always carry out their promises in the most scaly manner, I suppose. Well, Perscitia and I must just manage it. I will ask Ricarlee to run: I am sure Parliament deserves him.”

“I am informed,” Tharkay said, “that my own lands fall in one such empty district. As the area is entirely devoid of dragons so far as I know, I am sorry there is not much company on offer, but I have a notable forest for deer-hunting, and I should be delighted to make you free of any place you like to put up a pavilion, and make yourselves at home.”

“I am afraid we are inconvenient houseguests,” Laurence said, bemused. “Are you certain you wish to make so extended an invitation?”

“I quite look forward to figuring as a tyrant in the imagination of my tenantry,” Tharkay said, in his way. They spoke a little while longer, as the sun went down, and made arrangements to meet for breakfast the following morning, at Tharkay’s hotel; then he took his leave again, with the tact that plainly meant to permit them private conversation.

“Why Laurence, I call that handsome,” Temeraire said. “Do you suppose you should like it? But perhaps you would rather we went back to our pavilion, in Australia: I know you are not fond of politics.”

For a moment, the sun rose out of the Blue Mountains and shone red-gold on the cut stone floor of the half-finished pavilion, spilled down light into the valley below and over the softly lowing herd of cattle: another memory of home, of peace and simplicity. But that could only be a flight, almost a surrender. The reward of true service, surely, was to be asked for more; and Laurence could not claim Temeraire’s work was done, even if his own might have been called so.

“No, my dear,” Laurence said. “I do not think a life of quiet retirement is our lot, nor yet should be; and our valley will wait until that has changed.” He laid his hand on Temeraire’s muzzle and looked north and west, towards the curve of the ocean, towards home. “Tharkay’s estates are in the Peaks: I think you will like the countryside very much.”

“I am sure I will, Laurence,” Temeraire said. “And surely it will be famous, to be in Parliament.”