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Ilasses, others by tearing into -ago offerings, there was no blood for ghosts Not any Not the herself that still re herselfinto aether

She wished she had studied more on the nature of the supernatural and less on the nature of the technological world She wished her passions had taken her into a learning that would allow her to tolerate the sensation of disaninity in death

And she was alone Perhaps that was not so bad, under such ignominious circumstances?

Still, where were the scientific paht a woman how to listen to herself die?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Wherein Haire

Lady Maccon accompanied her husband home to Woolsey Castle and saw hieons He shared a cell with Biffy, both of the into the walls of their impenetrable prison--and into each other They would do no pere, but still Alexia could not watch As with s in life, Lady Maccon preferred the civilized exterior to the dark underbelly (with the exception of pork products, of course)

"This is an odd world I have beco her back to the carriage to return to town Woolsey’s foralia: ribbons tied to the top rails, crest newly polished, a ave the nose of one a pat She liked the bays; they were steady, sensible horses with high prances and the general teormless newts "And I used to think olves were such simple, basic creatures"

"In so with eternity requires a certain coe

"Why, Ru the soul of a philosopher under that efficacious exterior?"

"What butler isn’t, naled the coachman to drive on

London at full moon was a different city entirely froht, out of default or desire, the valand hosted parties, but the biggest occurred in London proper Roves were at liberty to roam undisciplined and unmonitored It wasn’t that the olves necessarily kept vauaranteed olf absence, the vampires had the autonomy to be that little bit more toothsoht folk to dance the night away Or, in the case of the conservatives anted nothing to do with iht away Most of the Giffard fleet was afloat at fullshort-haul tourist jaunts above the city Some were rented out for private parties; others siht and the festivities to run special offers at high expense for the fashionable to display their latest floating attire A few airships were outfitted with firework display apparatuses, shooting off colorful explosions of red and yellow sparkles, like hundreds of shooting stars, into the sky

It was always a challenging night for BUR Several core staff olves--three from Woolsey, two froers also held commissions All were conspicuous by their absence Top that off with the va the revels, and full moon left the Bureau understaffed and unhappy about it There were a few contract ghosts paying very close attention to ent on during the extravagances, but they couldn’t exactly provide physical enforceents at the fore during moon tih, working-class er and an ear for trouble Of course, the potentate’s drones were also out and about, but they couldn’t be trusted to report their findings to BUR, even if the ru in Lord Akeldama’s closet

Lady Maccon liked fullirrepressibly celebratory about it London came alive with excites and blood and equally acriht with it blood-sausage pies, candy sugar wolves, and other tasty treats Lady Maccon was easily ruled by her stomach into approval of any event It was the poor quality of the comestibles, not the company, that caused her to continually refuse invitation to ht this snobbish and approved They did not realize it was solely based on the shabbiness of the provisions

Apart froibles silhouetted against the ht ruled by vampires meant everyone was in their best looks and tip-top manners While her own taste was, frankly, pedestrian, Lady Maccon did enjoy seeing what all the peacocks had arranged to drape themselves with In the better parts of London, one could run into al dresses to the extremes of practicality froinable One could witness a veritable cornucopia of visual delights h the crowded streets

If Alexia had not been so enthralled, with her face pressed fire , she would have missed the porcupine But she was and so she didn’t

She banged on the roof of the carriage with her parasol, sharp and loud "Halt!"

The coachht there in the es and Woolsey’s carriage was crested

Lady Maccon lifted up the speaking tube she’d recently had installed and belled through to the box

The coachman picked up his receiver "Yes, madam?"

"Follow that porcupine!"

"Certainly, madam" In his years of service to Lord Maccon, the poor e lurched to the side, causing Alexia to drop her end of the tube, which swung from its heavy h-speed chase--for which Alexia was grateful, as she’d had quite enough of those to last a lifetime, thank you very much!--because the porcupine, which happened to be on a lead like a little dog, wasat a sedate pace often interrupted by curious bystanders The creature was obviously out for a stroll for that purpose, to attract interest and attention on a night practically designed for such displays of eccentricity and ostentation

Eventually, traffic allowed the carriage to pull a little ahead of the porcupine and stop The coachman came around and let Lady Maccon down in time for her to accost the owner