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"Oh, stop it! Both of you The infant is si up a fuss over such sudden activity No, Biffy dear, we must stay in contact, however indecorous you find it" Biffy offered her his hand instead of his foot Alexia accepted the exchange of prisoners

"Shall I ring for Floote?" suggested Biffy, blushing slightly less now that he had so to be worried about that wasn’t his own shame

Alexia hid a smile "You should find that rather difficult, as you seem to have chewed up the bell rope"

Biffy looked around, blushing again He covered his face with one hand, peeking through open fingers as though he couldn’t stand to look, yet was unable to drag his eyes away "Oh my ruffled bacon! What have I done? Your poor parlor My lord, ive me I was not myself I was in thrall to the curse"

Lord Maccon was having none of it "That’s the problem, pup You were yourself You continue to refuse to accept that"

Lady Maccon understood her husband’sand tried to phrase it in a in to accusto a olf, Biffy dear Even attempt to enjoy it This continued resistance is unhealthy" She looked around "Mainly to my furniture"

Biffy looked down and nodded "Yes, I know But, nified IAnd then after???" He looked down at his Lord Maccon took sympathy on him and tossed hiratefully Alexia noted her husband took no such pains himself

Biffy’s blue eyes ide "Thank you,ain"

"Yes, but the question is, how are we to get you dressed while I maintain contact?" Alexia wanted to know, ever practical

Lord Maccon grinned "Soed I shall call Floote in, shall I? He will kno to e" In the absence of the bellpull, Conall strode out into the hall, yelling for the butler

Mere moments later, Floote appeared He took in the wretched condition of the room, furniture everywhere, and the entirely unfurnished condition of two of its occupants without even the flicker of an eyelid

"Sirs Madam"

"Floote, my man," said the earl jovially "We will need so of the chaise, I think; repairs to the wallpaper and curtains; and a new bell rope Oh, and Biffy here needs to be dressed without letting go of my wife’s paw"

"Yes, sir" Floote turned to see to the fully at her husband, up and down and then up again

"What? Oh, yes, and send one of the clavigers next door for some kit for arht"

Floote vanished and then reappeared in due ti olf looked as though he would like to object to the butler’s selection but didn’t want to cause any more of a fuss It did seem that Floote had chosen the most somber attire possible out of all of the dandy’s peacocklike closet Biffy’s bottoested the young e and Lady Maccon touch the back of his head while shirt, waistcoat, jacket, and cravat were su with consummate skill, an ability Alexia attributed to his many years as valet to her father Alessandro Tarabotti, by all accounts, had been a bit of a dandy himself

While Floote, Alexia, and Biffy perforaer arrived with apparel for Lord Maccon The earl threw it on in an arbitrary way, showing all the attention to detail a ferret ht employ if called upon to decorate a hat Lord Maccon believed that if his trousers were on his legs, and so else was on his torso, he was dressed The less done after that, the better His wife had been startled to find that in the summertime, he actually went around their room barefoot! Once--and only once, mind you--he even attempted to join her for tea in such a state Impossible man Alexia put a stop to that posthaste

Professor Lyall stuck his head in to see if everything was sorted

"Ah, good You’ve rumbled her husband

"Yes, Professor Lyall?" asked Alexia

"I thought you should know, my lady, those results you wanted came in from our laboratory at BUR"

"Yes?"

"On those little vials you, uh, found?"

"Yes?"

"Poison All of them Different kinds, different effectiveness levels Some detectable, soht put even a supernatural under the weather for some time Nasty stuff"

CHAPTER SEVEN