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"I realize that they are hardly more than a yard apart, but my stability is not what it once was It see in the one abode while sneaking into the other I refuse to be hurled willy-nilly between houses, nohe would find the atteh of a barrier to preternatural contact, and I should hate to be the victi"

"Perfectly, madam I shall see to the builders directly" Floote kept a re heard such a preposterous statenant aristocrat

Boots reappeared wearing a look of mild shock under his sculpted topiary of muttonchops "The caller is for you, Lady Maccon"

"Yes?" Alexia held out her hand for a card

There was none forthco, only Boots’s shocked statement "It is a lady, what!"

"They do happen, Boots, much as you would prefer to deny it"

"Oh, no, sorry ’bout that I mean to say, how’d she know you were here?"

"Well, if you told ht be able to elucidate"

"It’s a Miss Loontwill, Lady Maccon"

"Oh, fiddlesticks Which one?"

Miss Felicity Loontwill sat in Lord Akelda room in a dress of sensible heathered tith only one layer of triray knit shaith a ruffled collar

"Oh,her sister in such a state "Felicity, are you quite all right?"

Miss Loontwill looked up "Why, yes, of course, sister Why shouldn’t I be?"

"Is there so amiss with the family?"

"You mean, aside fro in flabbergasted shock, lowered herself carefully onto a chair "But, Felicity, you are wearing last season’s dress!" She lowered her voice, in genuine fear that her sister ed "And knitwear"

"Oh" Felicity wrapped the ghastly shawl tighter about her neck "It was necessary"

Lady Maccon was only further shocked by such an unexpected statement "Necessary? Necessary!"

"Well, yes, Alexia, do pay attention Have you always been this frazzled, or is it your unfortunate condition?" Felicity lowered her voice conspiratorially "Necessary because I have been fraternizing"

"You have? With whoht for an un about unchaperoned, especially one who kept daylight hours and whose parents shunned association with the supernatural set

"I a tweed With whom else? Some poor unfortunates of the middle class"

Lady Maccon would have none of it "Oh, really, Felicity, you can hardly expectwhatsoever to do with the lower orders"

"You may choose to believe it or not, sister"

Alexia wished for a return of her ability to stride about and loo was several months behind her, and should she attempt to looraceless splendor She settled for glaring daggers at her sibling "Very well, then, what are you doing here? And how did you know to find me at Lord Akeldama’s residence?"

"Mrs Tunstell told me where to find you" Felicity looked with a critical eye at the goldenher

"Ivy? How did Ivy know?"

"Madame Lefoux told her"