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Mrs O’Cairre led her to a sa a wall of shelves and drawers, Mrs O’Cairre began to collect pieces of paper, card stocks, boards, binding canvas andsheets Pandora followed closely behind her, receiving handfuls of pages and dropping them into her valise

They both paused at a discreet knock

"It’s likely the warehouse boy," Mrs O’Cairre said, heading to the other side of the roo the shelves, the printer opened the door just enough to reveal a boy in his teens, with a cap pulled low over his forehead After a brief, e, Mrs O’Cairre closed the door "Milady," she said, "I beg your pardon, but I have to give instructions to a deliveryman Will it trouble you if I leave you here for one minute?"

"Certainly not," Pandora said "I’h water" She paused to lookbut distress had exerted subtle tension over her features like a drawstring bag being cinched "Is so?" Pandora asked in concern

The woman’s face cleared instantly "No, milady, it’s only that I don’t like to be interrupted when I’m with a customer"

"Don’t worry on my account"

Mrs O’Cairre went to a set of drawers and pulled out an open-ended envelope "I’ll be back sooner than you can take a hop, skip, and a juh the warehouse door, closing it fir fluttered to the floor in her wake A slip of paper

Frowning, Pandora set down her valise and went to retrieve the small piece of paper It was blank on one side and printed on the other hat appeared to be different saanized like the type-specimen sheets Had it fallen from the envelope that Mrs O’Cairre had just pulled from the drawer? Was it i the door, she went after the printer, calling her name When there was no reply, Pandora proceeded cautiously through a di space A row of seght that fell over lithographic stones and metal plates, rollers, hs and vats The heavy sency of wood shavings

As Pandora e with a man, next to the, with a square face and a broad, bunchy chin, as ifof it Fair-haired and ht as to appear nonexistent Although he was dressed in inconspicuous dark clothes, his stylish chientleht be, this was no delivery them, "I wanted to ask--" She halted in her tracks as Mrs O’Cairre whirled to face her The flash of undisguised horror in the wo that Pandora’s er, whose lash-less cobra eyes regarded her in a way that made her flesh creep

"Hello," Pandora said faintly

He took a step toward her So about the movement sparked the sa a spider’s articulated skitter, or a snake’s undulation

"Milady," Mrs O’Cairre burst out, quicklyPandora’s arm, "the warehouse is no place for youyour fine dressthere’s grime and oil everywhere Let me take you back inside"

"I’ the woallery and into the shop offices "I didn’t , but--"

"You didn’t" The wo me about a probleht away I hope I’ve given you enough information and samples"

"Yes Have I caused a problem? I’m sorry--"

"No, but it would be best if you left now There is h the office, snatching up the valise by its handles without stopping "Here is your bag, h the shop with her, toward the front where Dragon aiting

"I’m afraid I don’t kno much time it will take," Mrs O’Cairre said "The problem with the order, that is If it turns out that we’ll be too busy to print your gaill’s, in Marylebone They’re very good"

"Thank you," Pandora said, staring at her in concern "Again, I’htly, although her air of urgency reaze flickered to Dragon’s unreadable face "You’d best go quickly--the construction and street traffic worsens toward the evening"

Dragon responded with a short nod He took the bag from Pandora, opened the door, and whisked her outside uncere the wooden plank walk toward the waiting carriage "What happened?" Dragon asked brusquely, reaching out to steer her around a rotting hole in the planks