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Before Karigan could reply, the professor intervened "Kari, this is Dr Silk, a colleague of y" The way he said the word "colleague" made it sound like an epithet

"And I trust this is your niece, Miss Goodgrave, who has so recently joined your household"

"It is"

Dr Silk extended a black-gloved hand to her It rotated unnaturally on his wrist, e sound, then came to a stop with a distinct snick The stallion tossed his head, and it took all Karigan had not to recoil from the man Instead, she turned to the horse to quiet him, but still, Dr Silk’s hand reray eyebrow over the ri to billow like stor void

The professor passed her an i look Reluctantly she placed her hand in Dr Silk’s Although his grasp was firm, it did not feel unlike any other hand she’d ever held Perhaps she’d only iined the unnatural motion, the noise

Dr Silk bowed over their clasped hands "It is a pleasure to meet you" He smiled and released her, and the moment passed

The two h the professor was probably at a disadvantage, unable to see Dr Silk’s eyes Karigan absently stroked the bay’s neck, his flesh quivering beneath her touch

"Kari," the professor said, without averting his gaze, "give the lead rope to Dr Silk"

Karigan felt her hackles rise The bay snorted She could not let this horse back into the possession of those ould abuse hiue, when Dr Silk spoke

"Perhaps we can coht Saeable He’s already killed one of ht perhaps if no one else would buy him today, maybe the meat men would A pity, for he is a fine specihtening on the lead rope

"Precisely" A faint san found herself staring at her own reflection in his specs, though the cloudy darkness of the glass seeaze to the professor, and Karigan exhaled in relief "Seeing as your niece and Sahter after all"

"What are you saying?" the professor demanded "That I buy this beast from you?"

"For a very reasonable price"

"I don’t need--"