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"Bonny, she is" The edly handsohter, with broad shoulders and huge hands Another predator I battedlips curled into a knowing so there to watch a Blud Baron’s spawn, and they’ll eat you right up Wouldn’t you rather be a lord’s oeekly allowance, pretty dresses? I won’t use ye too hard Eh?"
I heard a cracking noise and looked over to find Casper’s hands flexing, his teeth bared Before I could decide how to extricate myself frominto his ear
"Perhaps another time, lass" The man scooted his chair back abruptly and found a different seat at the other end of the table
"What did you say to hioddah
"Exactly, yes," he said in a dignified voice as the table went quiet
Miss May posed draered into the room and to the head of the table She was dressed as a lady pirate, with theone booted foot up onto her chair, letting the fluttering petticoats drip froh and look away
"Welcome, all, to the Airship Maybuck, the world’s first and best floating pleasure ship Everything on this boat is for sale, at a price You know the rules, or you wouldn’t have made it past the dock Pay for what you take Mind yourBreak a rule, and you’ll find yourself in the brig or thrown overboard Until then, enjoy yourself We’re here for your pleasure"
Her grin made it very clear that it was somewhat for her pleasure, too Everyone cheered, and the le their lih to raise a toast of wine to the ship’s captain She raised her glass in return, and the little girls in their white gowns filed in through the door with platters of food that I couldn’t identify It was all meat or trash to me, but there was a lot of it
Just then, I noticed that the pretty girl carrying a soith her hair and face washed, she was like an angel, all huge brown eyes and long lashes and that rin thatso foolish
Casper stiffened beside let with a chaste curtsy
"What are you playing at?" he hissed
She yanked her arm back "I make my own choices And you’re notsmile and scampered out the door A hand from the crowd reached out to ser beside me
"What’s a dad?" I whispered
He put his head in his hands, speaking quickly and so low I had to lean close to hear him
"Dad means father She thinks I act too erous world this is She’s too young to be here I shouldn’t have brought her along"
"Where are her real parents? Why is it your business, what she does?"
"You have no idea what you’re talking about"
"I know that if she’s over fourteen, there’s nothing you can do"
"There’s always so I can do"
He reached into his waistcoat and pulled out a silver flask, which he slopped into his red wine in such a way as to obscure the contents Stronger liquor, perhaps? Laudanum? A potion? But he didn’t have the eyes of an opium addict--our old butler had had that look, shortly before my mother staked him for incompetence There were so many smells in the room, so much skin scent in the air, that I didn’t have a hope of puzzling out his secret ingredient
"Oi, Maestro!" Miss May lounged back in her chair and grinned at Casper She held up her own glass of deep burgundy wine "To an excellent bargain"