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Ivy held up a hand "When you are quite ready, of course"

Alexia sighed "Speaking of which, you host, it is of no little importance I must consult my husband’s Beta iht"

"So the day When the situation demands it Conall is asleep, so Professor Lyall is probably awake and at his duties"

"Is a cephalopod so dire as all that?"

"I aht be If you would excuse me, Ivy?"

"Of course"

"I shall infore He will set you up right and proper with the necessary pecuniary advance"

Ivy grabbed at Lady Maccon’s hand as she passed "Oh, thank you, Alexia"

Alexia was as good as her word, going i him with instructions Then, in the interest of econo herself a trip to BUR, she casually asked, "Is there a local OBO chapter in this area? I understand it is quite the secret society but thought perhaps you ave her a meditative look "Yes, an visiting with Lord Akelda, Floote?"

"Yes, hty-eight"

CHAPTER FIVE

The Lair of the Octopus

Number 88 was not a very iant in the neighborhood While its i when compared to Lord Akeldama’s abode, they still put their very best brick forward They acknowledged, in an entirely unspoken way, that they were denizens of the most fashionable residential area in London and that architecture and grounds should earn this accolade Nuether shabby by co, but it was faded, and its garden was overgroith herbs gone to seed and lettuces that had bolted

Scientists, thought Alexia as she made her way up the front steps and pulled the bell rope She wore her worst dress, altered to compensate for her stomach and made of a worsted fabric soreen She couldn’t re--probably to upset her ly shawls, despite the fact that the day was too warm for such a conceit With the addition of a full white mob cap and a very humble expression, she looked every inch the housekeeper she wished to portray

The butler who answered her knock seemed to feel the same, for he did not even question her status His demeanor was one of pedantic pleasantness, exacerbated by a round jolliness custo bakers or butchers not butlers He sported a stout neck and a head of wildly bushy white hair that called toso much as a cauliflower

"Good afternoon," said Alexia, bobbing a curtsy "I heard your establishment was in need of new staff, and I have come to inquire about the position"

The butler looked her up and down, pursing his lips "We did lose our cook several weeks ago We have been doing fine with a temporary, and we certainly don’t wish to take on someone in your condition You can understand that" It was said kindly, but e

Alexia stiffened her spine "Oh, yes, sir My lying-in shouldn’t be a day over a fortnight, and I do make the best calf’s-feet jelly you will ever taste" Alexia took a gamble with that The butler looked like the kind ofof the jelly inclination already

She was right His squinty eyes lit with pleasure "Oh, well, if that is the case Have you references?"

"The very best, from Lady Maccon herself, sir"

"Indeed? How coentlemen residents, you understand, are mostly bachelors Their table requirements are simple, but their extracurricular requests can be a tad esoteric"

Alexia pretended shock

The butler made haste to correct anylike that They simply may ask for quantities of dried herbs for their experiments They are all e is unequaled by any I have everabout things about which she knew absolutely nothing

"I should find that very hard to believe Our previous cook was a renowned expert in the medicinal arts However, do come in, Mrs?????"

Alexia scrabbled for a name, then came up with the best she could at short notice "Floote Mrs Floote"

This butler didn’t seem to know her butler, for his expression did not alter at the i as Floote and Alexia He merely ushered her inside and led her down and into the kitchen

It was like no kitchen Alexia had ever seen Not that she had spent much time in kitchens, but she felt she was at least faeneral expectations of such a utilitarian room This one was pristinely clean and boasted not only the requisite number of pots and pans, but also stea buckets, and what looked like glass jars filled with speci the counters It rese factory, a brewery, and Madame Lefoux’s contrivance chauise her astonishment--any nor such a strange cooking arena "My goodness, what a peculiar arranges and utensils"

They were alone in the kitchen, and it was just that time of the afternoon when most household staff had a brief moment to satisfy their own concerns before the tea was called for

"Ah, yes, our previous cook had some interest in other endeavors apart from meal preparation She was a kind of intellectual herself, if you would allow such a thing in a fee aberrant behavior"

Alexia, having spent a goodly nu attended many Royal Society presentations, not to mention her intis in feuise forbore to say so Instead, she looked around in silence Only to notice a prevalence of octopuses They were positively everywhere, stamped onto jar lids and labels, etched into the handles of iron skillets, engraved onto the sides of copper pots, and even pressed into the top of a vat of soap set out to harden on a sideboard