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"India, infant, is going to take me most of our daytime repose," was her mother’s assessment before they took to their beds before dawn
"Oh, Mother!" It was nice to know her parents still enjoyed physical expressions of affection even at their advanced age, but also very much not nice to know
The matter was thus settled, as far as Rue was concerned She retired before her Paw returned hoe that plans would continue the next evening
Rue ca dress trimmed with black velvet and white beadwork to find Da for a trip The vampire, unlike his hive-bound fellows, often went out on the town, taking in the latest play or opera, occasionally calling upon his mortal acquaintances Every such jaunt was an event, for everyone and everything in conjunction with the expedition ht, Rue’s appearance in the grey dress occasioned a line-up, two drones on either side, as they were to make up a party of six in the landau
Winkle was instructed to go upstairs and change io with Rue’s e vest, carrying Rue’s hat Queen Ivy’s millinery influence dictated this accessory be a massive affair richly decorated in what looked like the flattened corpses of three seagulls Rue thought it rather detracted from the beauty of her dress but Uncle Rabiffano insisted it was the very latest thing, and Uncle Rabiffano was never wrong about hats
"Was Mother successful, do you think?" Rue asked Darey tassels at their bits and the coachle of little faith"
Rue sets her way"
"Mmm," said Dama "Except, of course, when you do" He made room for his four drones to join thehted with the entire outing She savoured the envious looks of the other ladies parading through Hyde Park Rue was acco h to enjoy the envy and notwo romantic hopes, these men could provide only decoration and conversation rather than alement They were, as far as any lady was concerned, like the fake fruit on Baroness Tunstell’s favourite hat – entertaining, pretty, and apparently delicious but not actually useful in the event of starvation or even an attack of the nibbles Rue, secure in this knowledge, was free to enjoy their company without expectations Which she did, to the h Hyde Park and out onto the Edgware Road towards Regent’s Park Far less popular and less populated by the supernatural set, Regent’s Park was quiet at night They drove along one side before turning in towards a dense plot of trees near Boating Lake There, in the centre of a petite forest, sat an abandoned cricket pitch now occupied by a small but cheerful family of squirrels and Dama’s latest acquisition
"Oh, Dama! She’s so beautiful" Rue was e both hands to her breast like the heroine of a romantic novel, for there in theairship she had ever seen
Rue was particularly fond of floating She’d spent many a summer’s day up in Dama’s personal aircraft, Dandelion Fluff Upon a Spoon He himself never used it of course, but kept it on the roof because it was the kind of possession that a man of means kept on his roof Da as proper and ht old-fashioned – that was for other vaht her to fly old Fluff Since then, Rue had never gles, pack a suitable picnic and take to the skies Prirew to enjoy it more than she would admit and had invested in a wardrobe to coht an outdoorsy sort of female," she initially objected
"Don’t be silly, Pri to the skies these days It’s not only the country set It’s not like we’re riding horseback or so passé like that"
"But, Rue, I’ as well, people will say I’m – oh, I don’t know – athletic"
"They will say no such thing The height of your heels alone belies any suggestion of brawniness"
That hadn’t helped – the h dint of cajoling and application of a very handsome drone to assist with lessons, Priible was utterly unlike such a poky little craft as old Fluff
"Da"
"She is rather, isn’t she? I coy was even ready Now she has all the very latest of everything, froation to habitation to hter, better, faster and , even Her Majesty’s floatforce And, les, she is yours to coesture "Mine?"
"Indeed I think you till get along swily?"