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But she kneas lovely--she lived there Frannie narrowed her eyes at hi to flirt?

"My father started it before I was born I didn’t change much when he and my mother passed on"

"No clockworks?"

Her shoulders bunched as she poured hot water from the kettle into her mother’s old teapot Always the same question

"No clockworks I’ve always felt there’s a certain ic to the old ways Animals used to be everywhere Now they’re rare and special People ant clockworks can totter off to artificers and the h Street People armth and charm and quirkiness will always find me here"

"Charm and quirkiness, eh? Where I coe’ and ‘tihest cohed to herself So he was the sa fresh, even when she dressed in her s and didn’t paint her face as a lady should She looked down past the teacup in her hand to the thick, solid cloth of her tweed skirt

"Been told I look like a London sparrow" She poured the tea with a deft hand "Sets too close And brown hides the stains of the creatures, bless them"

Casper looked down, chastened "I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable I’ve only been in London for a feeeks, but you’re the first girl I’ve htest colors possible and who didn’t detach half of her wardrobe the moment she was behind closed doors"

"Is that a put-down or a compliment?" she said sharply

"Just an observation"

Frannie rolled her eyes--it was clear girls rarely dismissed his charms "And what’s your story, then? I saw your costumaster in the circus?"

He shuddered as if she’d stuck hione dark "I’ a bit famous, actually They call me the Maestro"

Taken aback, Frannie stared at hiic hands, who can invent songs that rival the angels’ choirs and play theers?"

"The very one"

She whistled through her teeth as she handed hilove-deep in cat litter I’ll be dahed "All I can say is thank you You found me half-dead in a puddle of sick and offered me your brother’s bed" Her eyes narrowed at him "I assume that’s his portrait, on the wall? The three of us look like triplets Will he one"

He flinched at her frosty tone "Anyway, I’ to cori "Lord knows I could use some"

She wasn’t sure how to act, now that she kneas fa in for a parrot once, she’d never met anyone remotely ih-profile pets sent their servants to handle the distasteful exchange of creatures for coin Still, it wasn’t as if she had forced hi that pressed overly close to old wounds, he hadn’t been too much trouble

"How’d you end up in the street, Maestro?"

He sipped, but she didn’t see his throat e

"Enjoyed the party too much, I suppose I was headed for thea friend’s flat, and then everything went black"

"You’ll not be up to such high jinks here, you know Puts the birds off their feed"

He chuckled "I proood to have a place where I’m hidden and not coddled But what’s your story? I want to know rinned at her, and she sidled away as she sensed his interest rekindle

Luckily, the bell rang just then She gladly left Casper behind, hurrying through the curtain to greet the stiff nanny and richly dressed little girls waiting, pink-cheeked, to pick out one of her darling kittens

"Such a fine, soft coat! And such bright eyes!" the nanny said, inspecting every inch of the kitten with a professional flair "This is the fourth establishment we’ve visited, and this is truly the most superior specimen in all of London"

Frannie just smiled Her patrons never knew her secret, but they paid handsoht her well

3

Frannie sold the kitten for a tidy price, of course She pressed a pae for a heavy purse that still wasn’t heavy enough Before they left, she irls promise not to tease the creature too badly

Her next custo of seed for the crow she’d sold hio They chatted politely about the new tricks and phrases the canny bird had entleman was one of her favorites, a puppeteer from Paris who ran a popular show in Piccadilly Circus The daiely colored skin, waving tails, and peculiar ood custo with the ones who fed on happy energy and laughter, and even Maisie, the innkeep next door, refused to offer lodging to the dark dais