“Come in,” she said. Preston pushed the door open. Standing there in the threshold, snowflakes clinging to the unruly strands of his brown hair, his glasses faintly misted, he smiled at her. It was a hedging, hesitant smile, as though he couldn’t yet discern her mood—but it had been more than a day since Effy had last seen him and she was so relieved that she bounded over and buried herself into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. “Are you all right?” “I’m fine,” she said, her voice muffled against the wool of his coat.

