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"You did very well, Percy, on that front And I would appreciate it if you were consistent in this matter," praised Rue

Percy looked at her sideways to see if she were hu him and then subsided onto a nearby deck-chair in a funk

Quesnel appeared above deck ave him a rakish look which Rue wished didn’t suit hi of hiy adorableness He cocked his head at her engagingly

With Pri to order "Let everyone under you know, please, that ill be departing from the tower in exactly one hour Staff and crew are allowed to explore, but they’d better be back in time Of course, security measures must be taken to protect the Custard, so half the personnel for each station must remain behind I don’t care how you make the decision of who’s allowed leave but you had better make it fast Also, one of our command chain should remained behind"

Not unexpectedly Percy said, "I’ll stay"

"Of course you will," said Quesnel, "but that hardly improves security" He didn’t await Percy’s rebuttal, instead lifting the speaking tube to engineering "Aggie? Draw lots for shore leave Three-quarters of an hour only, so pick a feith pocket watches What? No, I don’t care if you use it as a reward Why, has Spoo been acting up again? Well, if you don’t like the chit, reassign her, for goodness’ sake I’ood Of course you have to stay – who else will ht amount of coal and water? Yes, well, that’s the way it is" He put the tube down "Soenuine surprise "Only sometimes?"

Prim bustled off to consult the head steward and cook to deterht be allowed off-ship and what supplies they required She returned shortly, having so suit of black taffeta with a pattern of e black hat perched forward on her head, decorated in gold braid and tufts of burgundy feathers and carried a black parasol

"Very nice," Rue said enviously

"Thank you" Primrose twirled for full effect "Queen Mu-over-curry outfit She has odd notions about Indian foodstuffs,her own travels"

Rue nodded "Should I change?" Priave her a critical once-over "No, I don’t think it necessary"

Rue puffed under the praise She couldn’t help it – Priarner approval from her "Shall we, then?"

The ladies linked arms and, without further ado, left the ship Percy took that as peril at the helm Quesnel, after a moment, strode after Rue and Pri hasty repairs to his se white handkerchief She mourned the loss, and then repri ladiesspatula handle towards the centre of the docking port The whole toas illuas chandeliers and tubes of glowing orange fog to htly coloured paper lanterns Since they were clearly wo, the dockworkers parted before them by rote A few snide remarks were muttered as they passed but Rue and Prim stuck their noses in the air and pretended not to hear Quesnel followed a few steps behind, eyes wary The workers werepipes, carts of fuel, and other necessities towards it

Rue frowned, watching as the supply lines targeted her ship The Spotted Custard didn’t require all that ned off on any of this Where’s the tower steward?"

Only then did she register the fact that a group of her own staff and crew – including sooties, greasers, fires, stewards, and scullery maids – trailed in their wake like school children out for a jaunt in the park It was an odd spectacle and made Prim and Rue, at the head of the procession, feel suddenly conspicuous

Rue beca The workers parted before her to reveal an officious elderly gentle attire and a red sash across his breast like adouble-ended stylus He was using both, rather indiscriet out of his way quickly "Badthe lad’s ear with the stylus

Behind hi between them a stearaphic trans slates, and other necessities of bureaucracy Rue thought it a grave misuse of a perfectly nice tea trolley

The ether, and stood to attention, blocking their path He looked Rue and Pri the ladies as mere fripperies

"Your ship, sir?" he asked without introduction "Travelling gypsy barge? Circus troupe? I don’t have anything in the annals expected for today under entertainave hi his head at Rue, e the sir as a marker of the lack of proper conversational approach