"Hello!" she chirped, as Vandor opened the door to his room. "I got up early to surprise you."
"Mrs. Tibbets ..." he said, closing the door behind him with an odd, intent stare, "for once, I am very glad to see you."
He approached her slowly, towering over her in his enormous black cloak, his pallid hands reaching out toward her.
"You—You are?" she said, in a very small voice.
"Yes," he said, eyes and teeth glinting. "I had a rather ... unfruitful ... night's work. But now I feel that everything will soon be all right."
His gaze shifted from her eyes to her throat, and she suddenly felt chilly.
"Mister Thobal," she said quickly, "I have good news for you."
"You have?" he said, surprised into halting a few paces from her. "For me? You have news for me?"
"Yes," she said, with what she hoped was infectious delight. "You won't have to sleep in that dirty box anymore.... Look!"
She turned to her left and, reaching out a hand, flicked a switch.