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The sootie doffed his cap at the august personages "Evening, all I’m here for the chimneys Said I was to start with this room, if that suits"

"No, that certainly does not suit," said the countess

"But herkin, I aht Sophronia, picking up on Soap’s hint, we’ve got Pickle

Mild chaos ensued, with the countess’s staff trying to hustle Soap out of the rooed thely strident instructions

Sophronia and Sidheag took the opportunity to shift closer to Di here?" esture

Into the entlereen about it He was followed by three si a reticule shaped like a , and Felix Mersey

Sophronia thought, Noe’re really in the soup

The handso harried "I tried to stop them, Countess, but they insisted, and he is a duke"

The tall, reedy vampire placed himself before the countess protectively "Duke Golborne!"

"Duke Heht Sophronia, Felix took estion and involved his father, how remarkable I may owe him another kiss

The short lady, who Sophronia realized was Madauise, put her reticule on the floor The reticule puffed steam out its ears excitedly and trundled in Sophronia’s direction, tail wagging back and forth

The countess shrieked even louder "Mechani out ofSoap and dove for Bureater speed than Sophronia had thought hiorously with a gold lace fan Then she squealed a third tiainst her foot A lass shade

Duke Heht the lamp before it fell

This display of otherworldly prowess upset the head Pickleue the va them of all manner of dastardly deeds The chief offense of which seeuidance valve and its patents and production Although they irl who had been savaged That, apparently, was ordinary va the aether and using it against us!" the Duke of Hematol said in defense of the vay that can change the course of human transport! We will not permit you to maintain sole control Other possible applications for these valves are too dangerous" It was like a heated debate in the House of Lords

Soap, shrugging off all attean clattering up it, causing as ht expect

Bued about with Westave Dimity the nod

Diing them for salvation from imminent vampire doom She claimed all manner of mistreatment at the hands of the countess The tea was lukewarirl had been bitten to death right in front of her! She demanded she be rescued instantly and rounded out her co a ball!

Buantly draped skirts, pausing to nibble at a large purple bow, before dodging the grasping hands of a foot that, for being kidnapped, they had actually been treated fairly and the tea was excellent Sophronia wasn’t certain if he are of the plan, which currently consisted of causing as much pandemonium as possible, or if he simply had a brother’s objection to a sister’s fibs

Felix had spent the past few ape He looked like a fish A handsome fish, but a fish nonetheless However, Sophronia kneas only a ot his voice back and demanded to knohy she was dressed like a circus dandy SheThe Pickleo around kidnapping children and forcing the hand of perfectly respectable scientists The vay that excluded the supernatural ought to be banned outright

Meanwhile, Soap upended the entire coal scuttle onto the fireplace stoop with a tremendous crash

Bumbersnoot scalded a cha in agitation No doubt her well-run household had never before seen such chaos

Sophronia beganpotty,joined her, both of the to sound as up too far," insisted Sidheag, waving a handkerchief about her face "Coal dust, in a hive, can you believe it?"

Sophronia spoke through gritted teeth "Agreed It’s like the Marquis of Inkuppy and that dyed-blue poodle he will insist on carrying everywhere It can’t be perne?"

"Or leather waistcoats?"

"Leather waistcoats! Dingle, you go too far!" Sidheag chortled, slapping Sophronia lightly on the arm "Aren’t you a hoot?"

The Pickleman duke turned sharp eyes from his vampire foe to the oddly dressed dandies "And who, pray tell, are you?"

"Who we are is not iht that be?"

Sophronia flashed her hand up into the air in a flaesture "Who do you think?"

"Blast it Is he also involved?"

"You know he doesn’t like to involve himself You may think of us as mere observers"

"Oh?"