Nell bustled around, setting out the salad and the still warm sourdough bread with both regular and vegan butter, and bringing out a light vegetable broth based soup with tiny noodles for everyone.

There was a pitcher of water and glasses for everyone as well as hot water and mugs for tea. If the Detective or others wanted wine there was a bottle of Sister Erasmus' red that Nell had traded for before she came back.

"Please sit, let's eat," she said. "I'll get the stir fry finished up in a few minutes."

She'd be bowing her head in prayer for a moment, but she didn't expect anyone else to.