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"Ah, yes I thought the hive’s range extended only to parts of London proper"

"Praetoriani has soleam of pure mischief in her brown eyes, Lady Maccon remembered her manners "You are certain you won’t stay? Take a drop of port? My husband keeps a sencies"

"No, thank you kindly Perhaps at so, I hope? I should like to put that well behind us"

Lord Ambrose actually s a house in town You will be in our territory noon’t you?"

Alexia blanched Westminster Hive did hold sway over the most fashionable parts of London "Why, yes, I suppose I will"

Lord Aood evening, then, Lady Maccon"

With that, he let hie, tossed her parasol in, and vanished into the night Merenone the worse for his porcupine-herding activities, let himself back inside and unceremoniously swept Alexia into his arms He was naked, of course, and Alexia had no ti before he shifted form Yet another jacket ruined

"Where e?" he ru on it He slid his arms about her, as far as they would reach, which admittedly wasn’t far these days, and rubbed up and down her back

Lady Maccon’s increasing girth had rendered most bed sport impossible, but this did not stop the Despite Alexia’s protestations that she was in perfect health,the finalHe had, Alexia discovered much to her distress, unanticipated powers of resistance

She slid her gun out froh to tell her husband about Lord Aet all flustered and distracted At theand his distraction

"No lasting har the silkiness of his skin just there and the way he writhed under her touch

"Never" He kissed her mouth in a heated embrace

Alexia wondered that even after so et utterly lost in kissing her husband It never beca, revitalizing, and delicious Though she wasn’t certain hoould take such an analogy, Alexia Maccon was very fond of tea

She touched his chin with both hands, encouraging hiht Lady Maccon,

She, of course, was not being allowed to physically help, although she did toddle about pointing at objects and indicating where they should go She was enjoying herself i sallied off about their own business several days ago, she felt littery battle, directing ato mediate a head-to-head between Boots and Biffy over the efficaciousness of velvet decorative pillows, she suspected generals had it easier Conall and Professor Lyall had arranged for her dominion over the relocation operation in order to distract her, but as she ell aware of the manipulation and, as they ell aware that she ell aware, she ht as well have fun

What made it particularly pleasant was that it had to be covert They didn’t want it known that Lord and Lady Maccon were actually taking up residence inside Lord Akeldareed to the Maccons htened that a olf and a preternaturalof a child, even one under Lord Akeldaed Thus, they had e froings were moved into the rented accommodations adjacent Alexia’s personal effects were taken up one flight of stairs, down a hall, and out onto a balcony They were then tossed over to Lord Akelda a short distance apart and conveniently hidden by a large holly tree Her private possessions were then carried down another hall, up another flight of stairs, and eventually into her new residential closet This involved a good deal of ruckus, especially when it was furniture being tossed Thank goodness, reflected Alexia, watching Biffy catch her favorite arth

Lady Maccon’s er members of Woolsey’s pack: Biffy, Rafe, and Phelan (Biffy as catcher and the other two as porter and chucker, respectively); the ever-efficient Floote; and a positive bevy of Lord Akelda just so

After overseeing the tossing, Alexia repaired tochamber Lord Akeldama’s third closet was quite spacious, almost the size of her bedchamber back at Woolsey Adratuitous hooks, shelves, and rails covering the walls But there was also enough rooe bed (specially commissioned by Lord Akelda table, and several other bits and bobs Conall would have tocha around underdressed, anyway, Alexia suspected this would not affect his habits detrimentally The lack of a proper valet concerned her for about five seconds before she realized no drone of Lord Akeldah their hallways in anything less than tip-top, wrinkle-free condition

Biffy was in his element, free to wander once more the luxurious, colorful, and somewhat effervescent corridors of his former master Of all Alexia’s acquaintances, Biffy was the most thrilled by the new cohabitation sche Alexia’s hats on hooks than he had been for the last five ht even have described hihed down by the sport destiny had made of his afterlife

The drones couldn’t have beenthem with her presence A female in their midst, a baby in their future, and a room to decorate in the interi the walls, it was decided, wholly without Alexia’s say-so, that a new carpet and sohten up the closet

Once Covert Operation Fling Furniture was concluded, the two other olves jumped easily from one balcony to the other and ca further their Alpha feood deal more, as she readily inforht and her arain Also the drones wished to inquire as to the olves’ opinion on theLady Maccon’s hatboxes, and the correct order in which to hang Lord Maccon’s cloaks

By the end, Rafe wore the long-suffering look of an eagle being ordered about by a flock of excited pigeons

Floote heralded co in with the last of Lady Maccon’s most prized possessions: her parasol, dispatch case, and jewelry box

"What do you think, Floote?"

"It’s rather glossy, madae for several days, and Floote had taken charge of leasing the house adjacent to Lord Akeldah not,it), but Alexia had not found the time to consult with hirave and very much the butler He was ostensibly Lady Maccon’s personal secretary and librarian now but had never been one to let go of good training "It is a unique solution, s differently,is possible, madam," was Floote’s noncommittal answer Very diploer quite the ti the supernatural set, when Lord Akelda Alexia’s conversation and the drone’s bustling

E Lady Maccon when she forgot herself, called Boots--trotted off in a flutter of green velvet frock coat to see ould call at such an hour Lord Akeldama didn’t always keep a butler; he said his drones needed the practice Whatever thatshe had better see dealt with before it slipped her mind and became inconvenient "Floote, would you please see about soe between the balconies?"

"Madam?"