Once the bowls had been brought out, along with bread and spoons, Malachi paused in his wandering to join the constable at the table. Without having to be told, he seated himself, and examined the food set before them.

Far more food than he needed, far more than he typically ate -- but he would not risk looking ungrateful by refusing anything he was given. He'd finished the tea. He could finish some stew and rolls.

He did not doubt Crane's skills in the kitchen, though. From the way Mister Tully had reacted to the sweet buns he had made, Malachi was operating under the assumption that the man was instead quite skilled.

"Not a problem at all," he reiterated. Malachi reached for his spoon, but seemed to think better of it and grabbed a roll instead. Didn't want to scald his tongue if the stew was still hot.

"So," Malachi turned the roll over in his hand, inspecting it.

"In a world where everything worked out the way you wanted. What would that look like?"

Settling to take a bite of it, he chewed a portion of the roll and stared curiously across the table.