On one hand, Skulduggery's reaction was oddly satisfying. On the other, much larger hand, the sheer stillness of his stunned amazement was enough to make Gabe feel guilty. He didn't think Skulduggery even knew half the things he was feeling under that awe, but Gabe could sense them from an observer's viewpoint, and he softened his smile a little in deference to that fact.
"Yes, that's the one," Kelly said, releasing Des's hand and smiling a funny, vindictively gleeful smile at Skulduggery.
"No," Gabe said quickly before she could say any of the many pointed comments lurking in her soul. "But we should have considered that Saffron would be there. Saffron recognised her, and if they'd crossed paths then Marr might have figured out she'd been seen and known. I needed Kelly's help to get them apart before Marr noticed." He smiled apologetically. "And then I needed to tell Janet what was going on. About the case and the attempted bombing, and about rescuing Saffron from your brother's old affiliates."
Janet had been harder to sell to than Kelly. She was the one who actually had to make the decision. She'd listened, arms crossed and lips tight, and asked all kinds of questions Gabe suspected she'd be asking Paddy later on. Saffron wasn't related to Marr in any way, but since she'd nearly been the tipping point Gabe had had to explain their relation to her too.
"Hey, Gabby, did you know he can hardly keep his eyes off you?" Kelly cut in gleefully. "I really have to ask: how did you guys manage to escape from that desert stronghold if he was too busy staring?"
Gabe felt his cheeks warm, and he ducked his head. "I also maybe had to explain my, er, injuries and whether they'd be a workplace liability."
"Aren't you wondering how they manage to escape from that desert stronghold if he was too busy staring?" Kelly asked Des innocently. "No wonder he needed rescuing. Show him a pretty girl and he's practically useless."
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"Yes, that's the one," Kelly said, releasing Des's hand and smiling a funny, vindictively gleeful smile at Skulduggery.
"No," Gabe said quickly before she could say any of the many pointed comments lurking in her soul. "But we should have considered that Saffron would be there. Saffron recognised her, and if they'd crossed paths then Marr might have figured out she'd been seen and known. I needed Kelly's help to get them apart before Marr noticed." He smiled apologetically. "And then I needed to tell Janet what was going on. About the case and the attempted bombing, and about rescuing Saffron from your brother's old affiliates."
Janet had been harder to sell to than Kelly. She was the one who actually had to make the decision. She'd listened, arms crossed and lips tight, and asked all kinds of questions Gabe suspected she'd be asking Paddy later on. Saffron wasn't related to Marr in any way, but since she'd nearly been the tipping point Gabe had had to explain their relation to her too.
"Hey, Gabby, did you know he can hardly keep his eyes off you?" Kelly cut in gleefully. "I really have to ask: how did you guys manage to escape from that desert stronghold if he was too busy staring?"
Gabe felt his cheeks warm, and he ducked his head. "I also maybe had to explain my, er, injuries and whether they'd be a workplace liability."
"Aren't you wondering how they manage to escape from that desert stronghold if he was too busy staring?" Kelly asked Des innocently. "No wonder he needed rescuing. Show him a pretty girl and he's practically useless."