"And die somewhere in between those two extra years," is all Childermass can imagine coming from that. The last thing he needs is to wonder if he's waiting for someone who's never going to reappear which does, unfortunately, put a damper on trying not to ruin Lambert's evening. He takes a drag off the cigarette and looks skyward as well, breathing the smoke back out into the night air.

"I've already offered that, by the way. To pick up a contract to bring Hurtfew Abbey and both magicians back," he adds idly, backtracking to that thought as it's somewhat more amusing. "He forbade it, of course. Said if I did that, he would just find a reason to contract another year on my behalf."

Which leads to a conundrum...

"I imagine the same would apply to you, so if you stay, he stays, in which case I'll have to stay."