Page 25 (1/2)

"A gentle at her as if she'd suddenly sprouted a spare head

"And?"

Olivia stiffened at her nearly belligerent tone "There are gentlemen's bookshops, and there are ladies' bookshops It's the way of things"

Miranda's fists curled into tight little balls "It's a bloody stupid way, if you ask asped "What did you just say?"

Miranda had the grace to blush at her foul language "Do you see how upset he made me? Have you ever known me to curse aloud before?"

"No, and I' in your mind"

"It's asinine," Miranda fu I wanted to buy, and I had the money to pay for it It should have been a silanced down the road "Why don't we just go to the ladies' bookshop?"

"There is nothing I would rather do under normal circumstances I certainly would prefer not to patronize that dreadful man's store But I doubt they will have the saular item And worse - " Miranda's voice rose as the injustice of it all sank in ets worse?"

Miranda shot her an irritated look but nonetheless replied, "Yes It does The worst of it is, even if there were two copies, which I'm quite certain there are not, the ladies' bookshop probably would not carry one, anyway, because no one would think that a lady would wish for such a book!"

"They wouldn't?"

"No It's probably full of Byron and Mrs Radcliffe novels"

"I like Byron and Mrs Radcliffe novels," Olivia said, sounding vaguely affronted

"So do I," Miranda assured her, "but I enjoy other literature as well And I certainly do not think it is the place of that er toward the bookshop - "to decide what I may or may not read"

Olivia stared at her for a moment, then politely asked, "Are you quite done?"

Miranda smoothed her skirts and sniffed "Quite"

Olivia's back was to the bookshop, and she sent a rueful glance over her shoulder before placing a coet Father to buy it for you Or Turner"

"That's not the point I cannot believe you're not as upset about this as I ahed "When did you becoht I was meant to be the unrestrained one of the duo"

Miranda's jaw began to ache frorowled, "that I have never had anything to get this upset about before"

Olivia's head drew back, just a touch "Remindto get that book"

"Fine, we'll just- "