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The professor pushed her chair in and proceeded to his end of the table Once ensconced, he said, "Kari, these gentlemen are lanced at Cade He did not san rested the bonewood against the table, the silver handle clinking against wood This faint sound produced a subtle twitch in Cade’s cheek She thought, perhaps, she should a ways to irritate him He almost re his countenance cool and stony

The professor introduced the others If she were any judge, she guessed they were her age or just slightly younger They nodded politely in each one’s turn, their relaxed de careless confidence not so very different fro men she’d known from her own time

She hesitated, unsure of whether or not she was expected to carry on a conversation What if they started asking questions? What if they wanted to know so about her past? Did they know that she’d supposedly been rescued from an asyluma with his students? Did he tell any of them who she really was?

Gratefully she accepted a plate of steak and eggs from Lorine, with a stack of toast She spread jam on a slice and sipped at tea Lorine poured for her As she applied herself to breakfast, she observed the students trying to glance at her without her noticing, even as the professor told the," the stoutest of the four gru himself to another slab of steak His nay was?" another, Mr Ribbs, asked

Mr Stockwell an had a nice tender bite on its way to hermen boldly looked down her way He was, perhaps, the most nattily dressed of the students, his forelock neatly draped along the side of his head in a way she was sure that rave," he said, his tone both casual and cocky, "we are to understand you’ve recently arrived froood health in your uncle’s house How do you find Mill City?"

She observed Cade tensing as the professor watched her with interest

"I wish I could tell you, Mr--Mr Card, was it?"

The young man nodded

"Yes, well, I have yet to see the city"

"We have kept her confined," the professor explained, "until ere certain her constitution was strong enough to endure the city’s environs" He then se, for she is well and the air without is tolerable today Do you feel up to an outing today, Niece?"

Karigan nearly jumped out of her chair to shout a hurrah, but she kept deently set her teacup on its saucer

"Yes, Uncle I think I should enjoy an outing today"

AN OUTING

At thatherself at the professor’s chair