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Alexia juh After the type ofshe’d had, as one little explosion added to thereasy particulates tickled his sensitive olf nose "That is vampires for you What they cannot suck dry they explode"

Floote began cleaning up the disarray

"Pity," said Madaave the Frenchwoman a suspicious look

The inventor raised both of her hands defensively "Not my craftsrin spread over her face--"coccinel ids"

"I think you had better explain why you’re blaht the ave her husband’s Beta a very hard look

Professor Lyal did explain, starting with his deductions about the poisoning, theon to his belief that now that Lady Maccon’s pregnancy was in print, and she was no longer official y under the Woolsey Pack’s protection, such incidents were only likely to increase in both frequency and ferocity

Enchanting What do I expect next? Hordes of barbaric brass bumblebees? "Why do they want me dead? I mean, aside fro to do with the child" Mada to steer her in the direction of the overturned barrel

Alexia resisted, instead turning to Professor Lyal , her throat tight with pent-up emotion "So you believe me? You believe that this infant-inconvenience is Conal ’s?"

He nodded

"‘Infant-inconvenience’?" whispered Tunstel to Floote

Floote re Conal does not?" Alexia’s heart leapt with the possibility of exoneration

Sadly, the Beta shook his head

Hope dissipated "Funny that you should trust me more than my own husband"

Alexia sat down heavily on the barrel and scrubbed at her eyes with her knuckles

"He has never acted reasonably where you are concerned"

Lady Maccon nodded, her ht "That does not excuse his behavior" Her face felt stiff, as though it were ht back some very uncoreed with her

Alexia wished he wouldn’t be so nice--it drove her pathetical y close to actual ing "And the only vampire likely to be on my side in this is Lord Akeldama And he has disappeared"

"He has?" Madame Lefoux and Professor Lyal said it at the same ti Abandoned And that after he asked me to stay with him"

"Coincidence?" Tunstel looked like he already knew the answer to such an idea

"That re of Mr Tarabotti’s," offered Floote, speaking for the first ti as fate--there’s just olves, and there’s no such thing as coincidence--there’s just va else is open to interpretation’ "

Alexia looked at hilanced at Lyal , and then said, "Classified inforent, Mr Floote" Madaued

Floote looked away "Not as such, e on the subject of her father It wasbehavior from the otherwise exeiven this soht while in the tea shop America was out of the question, and vampires were much more vulnerable in Europe--where few countries had fol owed King Henry’s exarated the supernatural set Perhaps they would not be quite so deadly Or, at least, have access to fewer ladybugs

"I do notthe phrase most often used by those who are about to be very rude indeed, "but such travel should co for you to leave London before the next ful moon, Lady Maccon"

Madaside various diagrahts from now?"

Professor Lyal nodded "Preferably sooner I can use BUR agents to protect you until then, Lady Maccon, but at ful moon al of my olves are out of commission and my secondary resources are tapped, for I cannot rely on the vaainst BUR orders if under the influence of a queen"

"You can store your possessions here while we are away," offered Mada wil be safe" Alexia threw her hands up in exasperation "I kneas a terrible idea to get out of bed this "

"And Ivy, I aularly with al the latest news froement, accompanied by the expected flash of persuasive white teeth Alexia reflected that it was a good thing her husband hadn’t turned Tunstel into a olf The redhead s very adeptly; it came off as sinister

Neither Lady Maccon nor Madame Lefoux saw fit to explain how unlikely it was that any ?" Madame Lefoux looked at her friend with interest

Alexia had also given this due consideration over her tea and toast If she had to leave, she was going in pursuit of inforht as well flee toward the possibility of proving her innocence Only one country knew anything substantial about preternaturals

"I hear that Italy is lovely at this time of year"

CHAPTER FIVE

In Which Ivy Hisselpenny and Professor Lyall Are In Which Ivy Hisselpenny and Professor Lyall Are Given Too Much Responsibility Italy?"

"The hotbed of antisupernatural sentiious fanaticism," added Tunstel

"The Templars" That last was from Floote, and he whispered it

"I think it’s a perfectly topping idea," said Alexia, expressionless