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The boys provided her a bucket of clean water and a towel to wash the dust off herself in the tack rooain assisted her with her dress and stashed her boy clothes in the big cabinet She gave herself a look in the mirror and spared a couple minutes to primp her hair, which had beenwas in its proper place Satisfied, she rushed across the yard and through the back door of the house Mirria on you He has been visiting with the professor this last half hour"

"Who?" Karigan asked, but she could guess She’d met only one other person outside the immediate household

Mirriaan’s head and ushered her down the corridor as if herding baby ducklings When they reached the parlor, Karigan paused in the doorway and s discovery of eating utensils ever," the professor said with enthusiasuest, a teacup and saucer balanced on his knee "Whole place settings!"

With a certain aht Her visitor was none other than Dr Ezra Stirling Silk, who looked politely bored as the professor regaled him about each pewter fork, knife, and spoon found at his current dig site A hulking ainst the wall behind Silk A servant, or a bodyguard, or both

Mirriarave"

"There you are, an’s entrance, but before Silk could take her hand again to bow over it, the professor guided her over to the sofa so she could sit next to hi overprotective

When all were seated, the professor poured her a tea It was less hot than she liked, and bitter, indicating it had been steeping for a while She glanced over the rim of her cup at Dr Silk Even inside he wore his dark specs Did he wear them as an affectation, or did he have some disease of the eyes?

"I am to understand that you are quite taken with Samson I mean, Raven" Dr Silk smiled

"She can’t bear to be apart from him," the professor said "Must run in the fareat affection for animals, too He took in strays, fed birds frorave as well In any case, we’re trying a lad naet on well, and he has an played along and nodded

"A high-tempered stallion needs his exercise," Dr Silk said ahly of hi beneath her veil, hoping the two men would simply carry on the conversation without her, but it was not to be so Dr Silk turned his gaze on her, and she caught her twin reflections in the lenses of his specs

"I arateful for your uncle’s swift payment--the first half--for Raven, but I aestured, and his servant removed an envelope from an inner pocket of his coat He crossed the rooan The fine paper and flowing ink made it look suspiciously like an invitation "Normally I’d send Mr Howser around with invitations, but I was so charrave, and anxious to hear how you were getting on with the horse, that I decided I must come myself"