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Lord Maccon, exhausted, as only a e of an infant, said, "To what could you possibly be referring, my dear?"

"The parasol, of course! Who did you order ood hard look at the available options, since Madaht we needed so of your character and requirements So, I approached Gustave Trouvé with the cooodness, that’s rather outside his preferred practice, is it not?"

"Most assuredly, but out of fond regard, he took the order anyway He has, I am afraid to say, encountered some difficulty in execution Hasn’t Madame Lefoux’s touch with accessories"

"I should think not, with a beard like that Are you quite certain he is up to the task?"

"Too late now--the finished product was supposed to arrive just before we departed I left instructions with Lyall to send the article on as soon as it appeared It wasMonsieur Trouvé’s taste, I’htful I have felt quite bereft these past few years Although, thank goodness, I have had very little need of it"

"Comparative peace has been nice" Conall moved Prudence, who had dozed off, to drape more artistically over one massive shoulder and shifted closer to his wife They stood at the rear of the ship, watching the cliffs of England retreat into therestless, my harridan Don’t think I haven’t noticed You wanted to co else"

Alexia smiled and leaned her chin on his vacant shoulder "You’d think Prudence would be exciteh"

"M after soyptian interests?"

"Ah, Alexia, how do you knowto tell me?"

"Not yet"

"I loathe it when you do that"

"It’s only fair You practice the sa to tellto hiracious me, how could you possibly know that? Biffy has far tooto you"

"I know, htness about him He fit correctly into the pack, a role he has been reluctant to fill heretofore What did you do?"

"I gave hi that hat he needed"

"But I tried that with the hat shop"

"I guess it had to be the right purpose"

"And you aren’t going to tell ypt"

"My love, now it is you who knowsPrudence quite violently Fortunately, much like her father, she was difficult to awaken

It was a gray, wintry day, and there was little to see now that they had taken to the open ocean

Alexia was beginning to feel the chill "So long as we understand each other And now let’s get our daughter inside It’s a mite cold out here on deck, don’t you think?"

"Indubitably"

Biffy felt the absence of his Alphas as a kind of odd ache It was difficult to describe, but the world was rather like a tailored waistcoat without buttonholes--h he could not function without buttonholes; it was si felt a little unfastened without theood tier at the door to his hat shop A well-rounded stranger with a narroooden box tucked under one arm, an indifferent mode of dress, and an abnormally proactive beard From the quantity of dust about his person, Biffy sur Without spats, he noticed in alarreatcoat that suggested France, and froarment, Biffy deduced he reen, on the Channel Dirigible Express out of Calais

"Good evening, sir," said Biffy "May I help you at all?"

"Ah, good evening" Theand a French accent

"Are you looking for Madame Lefoux, perhaps?"

"Cousin Genevieve, no Why would you think…? Ah, yes, this used to be her shop No, I am in search of Lady Maccon I have a delivery for her This was the address given with the co for the London Pack perchance?"

"No, no For her specifically, at Lord Maccon’s request"

Biffy unlocked the shop door "In that case, you had best come in, Mr…?"

"Monsieur Trouvé, at your service" The French, apparently at theasked to introduce himself