“You forgot something.” David turned his head to be confronted by the ebony-and-silver cane and an expression on Murdo’s face that dared David to defy him. “Chalmers’s house is less than ten minutes away,” David protested, but Murdo just kept holding out the cane. “You should take it with you whenever you go out.” His expression softened at whatever look he saw on David’s face, and he added more gently, “For now.” David sighed, but he took the cane, though somewhat ungraciously. “Fine,” he huffed and turned to the door again. “Make sure you’re back for dinner,” Murdo said in an imperious tone he sometimes used that got on David’s nerves. David turned back to look at him, irritated. “Must you order me around like that?” he demanded. “I’m not one of your footmen, and anyway, dinner’s eight hours away.”
