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"Likely no better than she should be," Tobias concluded "Aren’t you tired of sitting in all that dirty water?"

The truth was that he was used to Finchley handing him a towel He stood up and plucked it off the back of a chair "It’s not dirty water It’s clean bathwater"

"Once you’re in it, it’s dirty Better get in and out quick" He said it with the tone of a boy who had never bathedto Villiers’s house and had taken to the practice only reluctantly

Finchley slipped back through the door with the wounded look of so "It is time to dress, Your Grace The pale rose or the black velvet?"

"The rose," Villiers said at the same moment Tobias said, "The black"

"Why the black?" Villiers asked

"Because you look a proper fright in those fancy coats," Tobias said "Even if you decided on Lisette--and I’ like that"

"Like what?"

"A posy You look like a bloo"

"My what?"

"Your potato-finger Your holy thistle!"

Villiers are that Finchley had stopped feeling insulted and was trying to suppress a smile Finchley never s that e in the rose coat"

"Not if you’re talking about that pink one, no" Tobias pointed at the offending garment "Only a man who had a withered pear would wear that"

Finchley snorted, and Villiers cast hi withered abouton the rose-colored coat over his sleek, skintight breeches

"I’m not the one you need to convince of that," Tobias said, plopping down into his chair again "It’s your ho’s going to wonder if you’re a molly or not" He turned back to his book

Villiers felt his lips twitch No one had ever called hier

Finchley looked at him sympathetically and, quite wisely, kept his mouth shut

Chapter Ten

"You look exquisite," Anne said, popping into Eleanor’s bedchamber "The color suits you better than it does me The woven silk is beautiful And the lace accents…" She kissed her fingers "Exquisite!"

Eleanor looked down at her skirts The fabric was rose-red silk, with trails of white flooven throughout The bodice and sleeves were edged with a splash of rose lace seith tiny spangles "The bodice doesn’t fit properly" She gave it an irritable pull

"Don’t touch it," Anne gasped "You’ll tear the lace Look, there are gold threads aown alone You shouldn’t do more than breathe on it"

"My breasts are almost entirely exposed Maybe you haven’t noticed, but the only thing between the open air and my nipple is a mere inch of lace!"

"I did notice," Anne said happily, "and more to the point, so will everyabout Mother"

"She ordered you to wear "

"Yes, but what looks merely saucy on you looks utterly debauched onthat’s a disadvantage? Believe me, you should thank God for every inch you have Where’s the dog?" Anne said, cautiously dusting off a chair before she sat in it

"Willa took hi him up the back stairs later"

Anne wrinkled her nose "He sleeps with you?"

"Yes" Eleanor was unapologetic about that "He’s a puppy He’s lonely at night"

"Are you planning to wear sohost of Lady Macbeth"