Lucky Rabbit

Pandy spent the next indeterminate – and seemingly interminable – period of time sitting on the cushion, waiting for the Shadow to reappear, or for someone else to suddenly show up. Really, why was she the only one who couldn’t become invisible, or at least close to it? Even Isidor had that wibbly thing he did, though it didn’t seem to be terribly effective. But the totally-not-a-demonic-undead rabbit? Oh no, she had to be perfectly visible at all times.

Nothing happened, however, and the carriage finally pulled to a stop. Pandy stood on her back legs, nosing aside the worn velvet curtains, and saw the steps of Falconet just outside. A doubtful-looking footman was hurrying to open her door, so she quickly restarted Shifting Faces and put on something that approximated Ms. Wellington’s stern glare. This was somewhat spoiled by the fact that she had to grab both the money bag dropped by the Shadow, as well as her own gift bags, which had been knocked to the floor sometime during the journey, and when the door opened, she was squatting like a particularly uptight frog.

The footman stepped back out of the way, coughing into his fist as Pandy attempted to gather whatever shreds of dignity she had – not much, at the best of times – and straightened. Remembering the way other ladies had gotten out of carriages, she held out her hand, waiting until the footman took it gingerly before hopping down. Only when her feet touched the ground did she realize that she jumped right over the little step, so she yanked her hand back, picked up her skirts, and hustled inside.

The foyer was full. Full! There were even a few adults who looked like they might be parents, all standing around talking. Some had their children close by, a possessive or protective hand on their small shoulders, while others stood alone, mostly looking mildly dyspeptic. Under other circumstances, Pandy might have paused to wonder what was happening, but right now she had no time, so she looked around, determined that there were no good hiding places in which to transform, and practically ran for the dining hall.

Which was also full. It wasn’t time for lunch yet, and it was a beautiful day outside, so why were there so many children sitting at the tables, talking, snacking, and even doing homework? Several staff members wandered the room, and when Pandy entered, it felt like every single eye turned toward her.

She ignored them. No, she glared at them, daring anyone to try to speak to her. No one did, though a few glared back, including a young woman who might be the one who’d once run into her with a cart. Frankly, it looked like she’d like to try again and see if she could do a better job this time, but Pandy just strode past, stretching Ms. Wellington’s short legs to their utmost as she hurried through the door and into the hall that led upwards to the staff quarters.

At the top of the steps, Mistress Rose was deep in discussion with Mr. Rowe, who Pandy almost didn’t recognize because he wasn’t wearing his russet and blue jacket with brown pants. Thaniel’s homeroom teacher was one of the first people who didn’t give Pandy a look of pointed dislike, and he even raised a hand as if to greet her, but she pointed her nose in the air and swept past.

No time. No time no time no time! Pandy grabbed the doorknob of ‘her’ office and turned it. As usual, it seemed mildly reluctant to open for her, but it did, allowing her to throw herself inside just as her clothes began to fall to the ground around a particularly distressed-looking rabbit. Quickly, Pandy wriggled out of the billowing cloth and kicked the door shut, then used her teeth to tug the last folds of her skirts out from under the door. Hopefully, neither the doctor nor Mr. Rowe had noticed that most of her clothing had entered the room because of inertia, not because they were actually occupied.

Alone and safe at last, Pandy flopped out on the floor in a very un-rabbitlike pose. Her heart wasn’t pounding and her breath wasn’t coming fast, but they definitely should have been. She took a long minute to admire the subtle eggshell color the ceiling had been painted, and the simple but elegant crown molding around the top of the walls. Then the door shook as someone knocked, and she jerked upright, eyes wild and whiskers quivering.

“Ms. Wellington?”

It was Thaniel. It was Thaniel, and everything would be all right now. At least, it would if she could get the door open, which was a bit iffy, with her clothes and bags piled up in the way. Eyeing the door, she thought, and found herself airborne, coming down, clinging to the knob just as Thaniel tried it, and apparently that was enough, because even as she fell down again, the door opened, allowing Thaniel to slip inside.

The boy took in Pandy’s wild-eyed state and the pile on the floor and pushed the door closed behind him just as soft voices began to grow louder. Footsteps sounded in the hall, walking slowly, almost hesitant.

“-way did he go?” Mr. Rowe asked, sounding slightly concerned. Of course, Thaniel must have run right past them when he came up after Pandy.

“He looked a bit distressed,” Mistress Rose said. “Perhaps he was headed for the infirmary?”

“Wouldn’t he have stopped to talk to you?” the homeroom teacher asked. A tentative knock sounded on one door, then another, and finally Pandy’s.

Mistress Rose snorted. “He won’t be in there. Who would voluntarily speak to that woman?”

“Shhh, she’ll hear you!” Mr. Rowe whispered, but he must have spent a little too much time around his young charges, because he was almost as bad at keeping his voice down as they were.

“I don’t care if she does,” Mistress Rose retorted, but she lowered her voice nonetheless, and the two of them quickly moved off down the hall.

Pandy looked up at Thaniel. It was obvious that they couldn’t stay here, and Thaniel nodded to show that he knew it, too. The boy laid down on his belly beside Pandy, pushing aside a few bundles in order to do so, and together, the two of them watched the teachers’ feet and listened to their voices until they went around the corner. At that point, Thaniel scooped Pandy up with dizzying speed, and opened the door again, slipping back out into the hall.

Once the door was firmly shut behind them, he turned and headed for the stairs again, but Pandy reached out, placing a paw on his hand. When he looked down at her, she shook her head and looked after the two teachers. If they didn’t find him, they’d just keep looking. Of course, it was going to be up to Thaniel to find an excuse for his actions, because even if Pandy could speak, she had no idea what that excuse would be.

Thaniel frowned, and she felt his arm tense around her. For a moment, she thought he’d ignore her, but then he gave a resigned sigh, releasing his tension like one of the horses who’d decided it was better to just let a stable hand put on their tack, rather than getting a knee in the gut. Really, Thaniel’s life had been so much simpler when no one cared what he did or when, as long as he was available when The Father remembered to check on him. Of course, he also hadn’t had friends, unless you counted Marta, who was more like an affectionate aunt.

But Thaniel was nothing if not decisive, and now that he’d made up his mind, he started after the two adults with firm steps. They rounded the corner, finding Mistress Rose speaking to an older woman Pandy didn’t recognize, while Mr. Rowe was at the other end of the hall, peering around the next corner.

The doctor was the first to see Thaniel, and her expression quickly went from relieved to exasperated. “Thaniel! Where have you been? Don’t you know you’re not supposed to be up here except during office hours? Unless you’re looking for me, after all?” Since Thaniel had run right past her, this was unlikely, and the single eyebrow she raised said she knew it.

In response, Thaniel held up Pandy. “My Bunny got lost. I was just lookin’ for her.”

“Looking,” Mistress Rose corrected. Her eyes narrowed. “We didn’t see you when we came this way.”

Thaniel shrugged. “I must’ve been under a table, lookin’…ing.” He tilted his head, angelic curls falling over his forehead as he widened his bright blue eyes innocently. Pandy did her best to play a supporting role, burying her little pink nose beneath a paw and peeping out at the doctor and the approaching teacher as if she felt guilty for leading Thaniel astray. Which wasn’t that big a stretch, because she did, indeed, feel guilty.

Mr. Rowe laid a familiar hand on Mistress Rose’s shoulder. “Let it be, Rosy,” he told her. “You know how it is.”

A faint blush rose in Mistress Rose’s cheeks, and the woman to whom she’d been speaking looked amused. “Well, all right, then, G-George,” the doctor said, stumbling over what Pandy assumed was the teacher’s first name. Then she turned back to Thaniel and said, “Well. Please keep better control over your…pet, and no running in the halls. Most especially no running up stairs. That is exactly how accidents happen!” But she didn’t sound upset any longer, just slightly reproachful.

Thaniel nodded, gave all three adults a small bow and a polite reply, and managed not to run until he was around the corner and out of their sight. He didn’t stop, however, until he burst into the dining hall, where Geraldine, Eleanor, Isidor, Abbington, Suzanne, and Matilda all waited, along with their respective pets, other than Brook.

Geraldine broke into a grin the moment she saw Pandy, and everyone else showed varying levels of relief, except for Isidor, who looked away. Pandy really was going to have to do something about that, and she hoped one of the things she’d bought today might help. Of course, the bag was still upstairs with the rest of her things, so it would have to wait until later.

The children crowded around Thaniel, asking him where he’d gone. Apparently, they’d been right here, playing a game at one of the tables, when Pandy ran through, but of course she’d been in too much of a hurry to really look around. Thaniel had seen her, though, and took off without a word.

“I had to go get Bunny,” Thaniel said, holding Pandy up once again.

Most of the children understood what that meant, but Matilda sniffed. “Did she get away? If you can’t be bothered to watch her properly, I suppose I could-” She broke off as Suzanne planted an elbow in her ribs, and huffed out a breath. “I could watch her if you’re busy,” she mumbled, rubbing her side.

To Pandy’s surprise, Thaniel gave her a genuine smile and said, “We could go outside and play now, if you like. You can hold her on the way.”

Matilda brightened immediately, and she nodded, holding out her arms. Thaniel transferred Pandy over, and Matilda instantly buried her face in Pandy’s fur, breathing in deeply. Something that almost felt like hot tears touched Pandy’s skin, but she didn’t get any Corruption Points, and when Matilda straightened again a moment later, there was nothing but a sort of triumphant joy painted on her face.

“Is your headache gone?” Suzanne asked, reaching out but not quite touching Thaniel’s shoulder. So that was the excuse he’d used? It said something that everyone decided to stay inside, rather than going off to do other things or play outside without him.

Thaniel looked a bit guilty, but gave the tall girl a dimpled smile. “All better. I think I just didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

Suzanne smiled back, and the small group fell in together, chatting merrily as they headed off. Pandy was fairly certain that she was the only one who could tell Matilda’s arms were trembling as she held Pandy close, one hand obsessively stroking her silken ears over and over again.