“Sophie raised her head. Light filtering through the trees dappled her face. “Hawk.”Charlotte looked up as well. A bird of prey soared above the treetops, circling around them.“It’s dead,” Sophie said. “George is guiding it. He is very powerful.”The realization washed over Charlotte in a cold gush of embarrassment. “Is George spying on Richard and me?”“Always,” Sophie said. “All those perfect manners are a sham. He spies on everyone and everything. Declan hasn’t been able to conduct a single business meeting in the past year without George’s knowing all the details. He does let go when you make love. He is a prude.”“‘Prude’ is a coarse word. He has a sense of tact,” Charlotte corrected before she caught herself.“A sense of tact,” Sophie repeated, tasting the words. “Thank you. The other one is somewhere around here, too.”“The other one?”Sophie surveyed the woods. “I can smell you, Jack!”“No, you can’t,” a distant voice answered”

“Demon pox," said Sophie. "Mr. Lightwood's got it, has had for years, and it'll kill him in a right couple of months if he doesn't get the cure. And Mortmain said he can get it for him." The room exploded in a hubbub. Charlotte raced over to Sophie; Henry called after her; Will leaped from his chair and was dancing in a circle.”

“I want it to stop," he said. "Sophie says everyone is still searching for a cure for me. I know I gave Will my permission, but I want everyone to cease looking now, Charlotte. It is over.”

“Sophie said a bad word. In the dim light she had stubbed her toe on one of the many dusty bricks piled around the place.Naughty-naughty" Twinkle said.Oh shut up!" Sophie said , standing on one leg to hold her toe. "Why don't you grow up?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” he said hastily. He gestured for Sophie to come closer. “Lance, this is Sophie. She helped me out when you and the others ran out on me, and she’s been travelling with me ever since. Sophie, this is Lord Lance the Lazy. You’ll never meet a person lazier than him. Watch as he asks you to come forward so he can kiss your hand.”“Don’t be ridiculous, Oliver, I wouldn’t ask her to come forward,” Lance scoffed. And then after a momentary pause, he added to Sophie, “Incidentally, if I do ask you to come forward, would you oblige?”

“Howl has been very kind to me.” And this was true, Sophie realized. Howl showed his kindness rather strangely, but, considering all Sophie did to annoy him, he had been very good to her indeed.“Do listen. He’s not wicked at all!” There was a bit of a fizz from the grate at this, where Calcifer was watching with some interest. “ He isn’t!” Sophie said, to Calcifer as much as to Fanny..”