In the days after Theo first met James Ponder, they meet repeatedly, and Mrs. Gidley continues to greet James Ponder with open suspicion and hostility.

Theo finalizes terms as a tenant at Ponder House: he must maintain the apartment, report problems immediately, use the balcony carefully (no children due to an unsafe railing), avoid smoking, keep houseguests discreet, and enter only by the back stairs. James Ponder offers optional weekly cleaning and grocery delivery, and Theo pays six months’ rent up front to ensure he cannot be easily removed.

On Tuesday morning, Theo moves in, hauling his own suitcases up three flights, then unpacks and buys a small stock of food and wine, deliberately keeping the kitchen sparse so he will go out more and experience the town.

As James Ponder’s client, Theo provides emergency contact information and deposits $100,000 for James Ponder to hold in trust for potential expenses. Theo explains his plan to buy the Chalice portraits in batches and personally return them to their owners, using fountain meetings while James Ponder helps locate addresses and schedule appointments; James Ponder suggests a faster delivery method, but Theo insists the personal handoffs are essential.

Settling into near-daily walks around Broadway, Theo stops at the Verbivore to thank Tony for the referral and promises to become a regular customer, while Tony jokes about the shop’s financial trouble. Theo also gives James Ponder a folder of documents for safekeeping, intending to add more later, and feels reassured by the arrangement.