Page 25 (1/2)

Percy shook his head at the ridiculous politeness of it all and consulted his maps and timetables "That’s not ideal, but we could catch a lesser current and hook up with the loop over the , co them all

Pri else --?"

"Of course Very well Dis his hat and winking at Prim

Percy didn’t look up

Rue decided to leave hiplank and saw her back into her carriage There was so off about her friend’s attire An under-used part of Rue’s brain, the part that belonged to Dama’s drones, was bothered by her friend’s outfit But since Prinored her inner drones and returned to ensuring all was shipshape

Rue was at dinner in the staterooht when Primrose returned to the ship Footnote had found his way over froraced her lap with a purr This wasfrom her plate but Rue was disposed to be honoured by his presence She had thought to return hoht but with so much to do, and a cat in her lap, it seemed easier to stay aboard and test out the facilities in a dry run Kill two pigeons with one stone, as it were

"Oh, Priot you’d be back Would you like so for…?" She trailed off "What on earth is the matter?"

Prim’s face was a picture of distress

"Rue, it’s awful! My reputation… in tatters I may never recover from the scandal" She paced about in a veritable state A lock of her hair ht actually have fallen out of place

"My dear, what’s wrong?" Rue bribed Footnote to the floor with a bit of chicken skin Then she stood to console her friend with an aritation "I hardly dare speak of it"

Rue lowered her voice "Prirante?" Rue could hardly suppose this to be true – Primrose was a horrible flirt but she wasn’t a hardened flirt As far as Rue knew, Prientleman in private In this, Prim was the esticulating, and talking – likely to knock soitation "I wascompliments pour dire adieu, the rounds and such, as you do"

"You didn’t use the wrong size card, did you?"

"The very idea! I am not absent of all sense of decoruer format But you see, oh, it’s just too bad…"

"Primrose Tunstell, what has happened?"

"I ot to the duchess’s that I realised Oh, Rue, I can hard bear think – the sha annoyed Pris out for dra outfit"