Behind Gabriel, a dark-haired man had appeared in the corridor, eyebrows raised. The shoulders of Barnaby's grey coat were damp, as was the top of his head. Barnaby had gone indoors from a walk, intending to explore the manor's facilities further, starting with the library. He couldn't actually see who it was arguing with the Messenger, but from the aura, he could hazard a good guess.

"Perhaps this is a bad time," he murmured.