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"There is so different about you?" The man adjusted his spectacles and conteh the the enormous mustache draped atop the inventor’s upper lip as the culprit, he added, "Is that a new hat?"

"Gustave, you never do change, do you? I hope you do not mind such an unexpected visit" Madalish, in deference to Alexia and Floote’s presence

The gentlee as though it were a tongue as familiar to him as his own In the same instant, he seemed to notice Alexia and Floote for the first time "Not at al , not at al , I assure you I adore the company Alelcome" There was a tone to his voice and a twinkle to his blue-button eyes that suggested real truth to the social niceties "And you have brought hted"

Madame Lefoux made introductions "Monsieur Floote and Madame Tarabotti, this is ave Floote a measured look and a smal bow Floote returned both in kind, after which Alexia found herself the object of bespectacled scrutiny

"Not that Tarabotti?"

Alexia would not go so far as to describe Monsieur Trouvé as shocked, but he was certainly so more than complacent It was difficult to see the exact nature of his expression as, in addition to the ubiquitous olden-brown beard of such epic proportions as h his mustache had become overly enthusiastic and, seized with the spirit of adventure, set out to conquer the southern reaches of his face in a take-no-prisoners kind of way

"His daughter," confirmed Madame Lefoux

"In truth?" The Frenchman looked to Floote, of al people, for confirmation

Floote nodded curtly--once

"Is it so very bad a thing, to be hter?" Alexia wondered

Monsieur Trouvé raised both bushy eyebrows and sh the shrubbery of his beard "I take it you never met your father? No, of course, you wouldn’t have, would you? Not possible Not if you are his daughter" He looked at Madame Lefoux this time "Is she real y?"

Madame Lefoux diht his h both it and his spectacles at Alexia "Reht I would live to see the day

It is a true honor having you to visit, Madasurprises And trouble with them, of course, but on’t talk about that noe?"

"Better than that, cousin--she is with child And the father is a olf How do you like that?"

Alexia gave Mada the personal details of her e condition to a French clockroped without looking for a nearby chair and col apsed into it He took a deep breath and then exaht try to wear the glassicals as well as the spectacles and the monocle

"You are certain?"

Alexia bristled She was so very tired of having her word questioned "I assure you I a to recover some of his equanimity "No offense meant, no offense You are, you e" The h, not so very lanced tentatively at Floote and then asked Monsieur Trouvé, "Is there anyone who did not know s that way But he dabbled in my circle, or I should say, my father’s circle I met him only the once, and I was six at the tiain "He did have quite the habit ofan impression, your father, I must say"

Alexia was unsure as to whether this co or not Then she realized it must Given what little she knew of her father, a better questionwas the French of curiosity "Circle?"

"The Order"

"My father was an inventor?" That surprised Alexia She had never heard that about Alessandro Tarabotti Al his journal entries indicated he was more a destroyer than a creator Besides, by al accounts, preternaturals couldn’t real y invent anything They lacked the necessary iination and soul

"Oh, no, no" Monsieur Trouvé brushed two fingers through his beard thoughtful y

"More of an irregular customer He always had the oddest requests I re about how he actual y asked for a--" The clock that lanced over to see what had caused this gregarious fel ow to silence hi there, only Floote, impassive as always, hands laced behind his back

Alexia looked to Madame Lefoux in mute appeal

The Frenchwoman was no help Instead, she excused herself froo find Cansuse for some tea?"

"Tea?" Monsieur Trouvé looked taken aback "Wel , if you , my dearest Genevieve I should think such an occasion as this would require wine Or perhaps brandy" He turned to Alexia "Should I get out the brandy? You look as though you ht need a bit of a pick-me-up, my dear"

"Oh, no, thank you Tea would be perfectly suitable" In truth, Alexia thought tea a bril iant idea It had taken well over an hour to conduct their train subterfuge, and while she kneorth it, her stomach objected on principle Ever since the onset of the infant-inconvenience, food was beco concern in some form or another She had always pondered food overood deal more of her attention was occupied here it was, how soon she could get it, and, on theoccasions, whether it would re to bla could affecthabits?

Madame Lefoux vanished from the room There was an aard pause while the clockan tentatively, "through which side of the family are you related to Genevieve?"

"Oh, we aren’t actual y faether--École des Arts et Métiers You’ve heard of it? Of course you have Natural y, at the time, she was a he--always did prefer to play the man, our Genevieve" There was a pause while bushy eyebrows descended in thought "Aha, that is what is different! She is wearing that ridiculous fakeincognito

What fun!"

Alexia looked mildly panicked, unsure as to whether she should tel this affablein their direction

"Not to worry, I wouldn’t dare to pry Regardless, I taught Genevieve everything she knows about clockwork mechanisms And mustache s of note" The clocker and thu She was saved fro to continue the conversation by the return of Madame Lefoux