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"Useful," was Madame Lefoux’s only comment

"How on earth did he knoould choose Italy?" Soed to surprise Alexia She pursed her lips "Embroidery?" Lord Akeldama was never one to prioritize one vital factor, such as murder, over another, such as fashion "I’m worried about him Is it safe for him to be away fro a rove detaches him from the hive, but I was under the impression roves also becahosts"

Professor Lyal tugged on one earlobe thoughtful y "I wouldn’t concern yourself overly,ability than hive-bound vath of soul to break the queen dependency to begin with, and the older the rove, the more mobile It is their very capacity for movement that keeps most roves in favor with a local hive They are untrustworthy but useful And since the rove needs the queen to convert his drones, they are vested in each other’s survival Have you seen Lord Akeldaed nonco about her husband’s office, but she did not think Lyal needed to be made aware of that little fact

"Wel , it is quite substantial We’ve no record of his original hive, which suggests he has been a rove some considerable time I should think he could easily travel outside London city liical or physiological consequences He is probably notthe water out of England, but he is certainly capable ofhi about the sa qualities--admirable taste in waistcoats and an acerbic wit to na therinned "I should rest easy if I were you, Lady Maccon Lord Akeldama can take care of himself"

"Somehow I do not find a olf’s reassurances on behalf of a va about your own problems?"

"What enjoyment is there in that? Other people’s are always far "

With that, Lady Maccon led the way back into the hal way, up in the ascension rooh the hat shop, and out into the street There she supervised the re coach back toward the comparative sanity of the Loontwil household, where excitable members of the aristocracy did not hurl mechanical beetles at him

Professor Lyal hailed a hansom and directed it to BUR headquarters to continue on hat looked to be a e to return to the castle and col ect his own ed to meet the ladies back at the Chapeau de Poupe in under four hours They agreed that they should depart as quickly as possible, thus traveling under the coht Madame Lefoux, of course, was already packed

Lady Maccon i her ht there in the s had been hastily and rather upsettingly packed by the petulant Swilkins, and Alexia couldn’t seeht require for a trip to Italy Mindful of Lord Akelda afflicted by the presence of e about with her hats, putting them in order in anticipation of their abandonreeably occupied when an enthusiastic rat-tat-tatting at the door interrupted the in her eagerness, waving lass

Madame Lefoux went to let her in

Ivy had taken to both married life and a considerable fal in social station with unexpected gusto She seeenuinely enjoy her new role as wife to an actor of asp-- rented apart poets on a regular basis Poets, of al things! She even ht this ht kind of pleasant, animated face and inordinately melodramatic temperament to suit life as a thespian She certainly needed little help in the wardrobe departeous hat in her unmarried state, her taste, cut free of her s, now extended to the rest of her attire Today’s offering was a bright apple green, pink, and white striped visiting goith ahat that boasted feathers of such epic proportions that Ivy actual y had to duck slightly upon entering the shop

"There you are, you wretched pie," was his equal y warm response

"In my favorite hat shop" Ivy tapped Tunstel coquettishly on the arht you here "

Tunstel looked desperately at Lady Maccon, who flashed him an unhelpful sht want to pick out some new frippery or another, on the occasion of our"--he scrabbled wildly--"ht nod, and he let out a sigh of relief

Trust Ivy to see nothing but the hats and not notice Lady Maccon’s copious luggage strewn about the place, or, for a few moments, Lady Maccon herself When Ivy final y did, she was quite forward in her questioning

"Alexia, good gracioushere?"

Alexia looked up "Oh, hel o, Ivy How are you? Thank you kindly for the hat you sent over this "

"Yes, well , never mind that now Pray tel , what are you about?"

"I should think that was perfectly obvious, even to you,back and forth "In theamiss with such a situation"

"Needs must, Ivy Needs must"

"Yes, I can see that, but what one must need to know at this juncture is, not to put too fine a point on it, why?"

"I should think that, too, would be perfectly obvious I a"

"Not because of this upsetting business with the ood an excuse as any It went against her nature to be seen fleeing London because she was thought adulterous, but it was better than having the real reason known to the general public Just iers would say if they knew va Look at her, they would say Oh, la, multiple assassination attempts, indeed! Who does she think she is, the Queen of Sheba?

And real y, wasn’t that what al disreputable ladies did in the end--escape to Europe?

Ivy knew nothing of Alexia’s soul ess state She did not even knohat preternatural meant Lady Maccon’s affliction was a not-very-wel -kept secret, ith BUR and al the local olves, ghosts, and vanorant of the fact that there was a preternatural in residence in London It was general y felt, by Alexia and those intimate with her, that if Ivy knew of this, al attempts at anonymity would be nul and void within several hours Ivy was a dear friend, loyal and entertaining, but circu qualities

Even Tunstel acknowledged this flaw in his wife’s nature and had refrained fro the new Mrs Tunstel of her old friend’s real eccentricity

"Yes, well , I suppose I can understand the need to absent yourself fro, Alexia? To the country?"