Wilhelm realizes, once the worker's footsteps have receded down the hall, how tightly he's clutching Iris's waist, pressing him against himself as if by melding together they might have a better chance of staying hidden. He lets go of him like a held breath. They remain connected by the wine bottle they're both still holding.
"Sorry," he whispers.
They don't have time to waste lingering here. He pulls open the door and conducts Iris through it, then quietly guides it shut. Once they're through, he ducks into a patch of shadow beside a large shelf. From there, Wilhelm can scope out the situation.
This late in the evening, the work of cooking is done. He hears the splash of water as someone, he presumes, scrubs pots and pans clean. There's the brisk clatter of putting things away, the idle chatter of winding down for the day. Luckily the kitchen is vast enough that none of these things are happening near the corner they've tucked themselves into.
On a nearby shelf, he spots rows of wine bottles in a rainbow of colored glass. Surely one won't be missed. A nearby table holds baskets of cheeses, breads, and sugared fruits. There's a whole chocolate cake — tragically, he thinks, it won't fit in his pockets.
"Hold this, and wait here."
Pressing the bottle into Iris's hands, he leaves the shelter of the shelf's shadow to sneak over to the table. He takes his veil of shadows with him, not knowing how to divide it into two.
no subject
"Sorry," he whispers.
They don't have time to waste lingering here. He pulls open the door and conducts Iris through it, then quietly guides it shut. Once they're through, he ducks into a patch of shadow beside a large shelf. From there, Wilhelm can scope out the situation.
This late in the evening, the work of cooking is done. He hears the splash of water as someone, he presumes, scrubs pots and pans clean. There's the brisk clatter of putting things away, the idle chatter of winding down for the day. Luckily the kitchen is vast enough that none of these things are happening near the corner they've tucked themselves into.
On a nearby shelf, he spots rows of wine bottles in a rainbow of colored glass. Surely one won't be missed. A nearby table holds baskets of cheeses, breads, and sugared fruits. There's a whole chocolate cake — tragically, he thinks, it won't fit in his pockets.
"Hold this, and wait here."
Pressing the bottle into Iris's hands, he leaves the shelter of the shelf's shadow to sneak over to the table. He takes his veil of shadows with him, not knowing how to divide it into two.