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All argued closer to Rue and snapped open her fan, the better to whisper behind it "Oh oodness, are those kilts? I’ve never seen the fashion stateree – after all, how often did one get to adentleman’s knees in polite society? "Practical," she said "I suppose they allow for a certain breeziness in this heat"

Prireat admirer of the apparel "Don’t they just? Do you think they wear, uh, bloomers underneath?"

"I should think, as olves, they’d have my problem with bloomers"

"Tails?"

"Tails"

Prim’s fan fluttered excitably at the unspoken conclusion – nothing at all under kilts "My, but they do grow thee and handsome in the north now, don’t they?" Priotten in the face of this new invasion

Rue had thought never to encounter aas her father, but now she realised he was merely representative of the breed She felt alarden party seenore the newcoiven their size Mrs Godwit had said sorace, the loss of Mrs Featherstonehaugh and the taxes placed in their paws

The kilted masculinity rippled at a disturbance frohly through the sea of plaid There stood, feet braced, an ill-dressed older woman to whom the pack instantly deferred She was also quite tall and tough as old boots, her expression uncoreying hair was plaited like a schoolgirl’s, showing off strong features and a face that no one would ever call pretty

Without waiting for an introduction, the lady ht at Pri behind Prim’s fan

Primrose hastily closed the fan and tried not to stare at this odd fearded her with open interest She knew of Lady Kingair Who didn’t? The only feenerations Bitten into iend in person? To encounter the stuff of nightair was dressed in a way that suggested all sense of style had been sacrificed on the altar of practicality Her goas made of sensible muslin in deference to the heat, with copious pockets and a wide leather belt fronification lens, a air stopped in front of the two girls She was not confused by their si a pair of awfully familiar eyes Those eyes were the sa before breakfast Eyes that were such a pale brown as to be al, auntie We air

Rue played along "Niece!" she said, tempted to throw her ars were not acceptable conduct at garden parties, even a family members Maybe in the Ae of the e "What a pleasure to air seemed taken aback by Rue’s enthusiasm "My, but you are different fro to say!" crowed Rue, even -lost relation Because it seemed to unsettle her relation, Rue acted even more bubbly She bounced a bit on the balls of her feet and coloured her gestures with aard, barely supressed energy – like Spoo

Lady Kingair shook herself slightly "And how is old Gra for a little… old?"

Rue blinked at her What is she i? All olves were old, except the newly uess it to look at him"

"Of course not But I didn’t intend to ask after his appearance, more the state of his soul"

Rue didn’t understand the question and so ood spirits when I left London"

Lady Kingair tilted her head, asall direct questions

Rue accepted the unspoken accolade and said, "But I a companions This is the Honourable Primrose Tunstell and Mr Lefoux, and that is Professor Tunstell"

"Indeed? Fine coreat-great-great-great-niece, Sidheag Maccon, Lady Kingair I think that’s the right nureats"

Prim and Quesnel made politegrown up as happened to faot involved The Tunstell twins experienced siularly Their mother had been bitten to immortality when she was only a few years older than they were now Primrose and Aunt Ivy looked, in effect, like sisters Eventually, as Prier than she, like a daughter, and then a granddaughter Vampires and olves had all sorts of rules in place to stop such things, but Ivy Tunstell had been made vampire by accident And Rue’s entire existence was a air had been made olf under even more unusual circumstances