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Professor Lyal hung his hat and coat on a spindly hat stand crowded behind the door and took one of the chairs It was like sitting inside a bowl of Easter candy Ivy settled herself onto the settee The young ave the mistress of the house a quizzical look

"Tea, Professor Lyal , or would you prefer so, uh, bloodier?"

"Tea would be lovely, Mrs Tunstel "

"You are certain? I have soetting on to fulyou things about living olves, hasn’t he?"

Ivy blushed slightly "Perhaps a little I am afraid I have been terribly nosy I find your culture fascinating I do hope you do not think me impertinent"

"Not at alBut, real y, just tea would be perfectly fine"

Ivy nodded to her irl scuttled off, clearly excited

"We don’t get many visitors of your caliber," laentleman to remark that Miss Hisselpenny’s elopement, and consequent loss of what little status she’d had, made her a less than desirable acquaintance for inal, as Lady Maccon had been, could afford to continue such an association Now that Alexia herself had fal en frorace, Ivy must be a veritable social pariah

"How is the hat shop co hazel eyes lit up with pleasure "Wel , I have only had it under e for the one day Of course, I kept it open this evening as wellI know Madame Lefoux caters to the supernatural set, but you would not believe the things one overhears in a hat shop Only this afternoon, I learned Miss Wibbley was engaged"

Prior to Ivy’s e, Professor Lyal knew she had relied upon Alexia, as at best disinterested and at worst obtuse, for al her society gossip As a result, Ivy had been in a constant state of frustration

"So you are enjoying yourself?"

"Iht trade could be so very entertaining Why, this evening, Miss Mabel Dair paid us a calThe actress, you’ve heard of her?" Ivy looked to Professor Lyal inquiringly

The olf nodded

"Wel , she came by to pick up a special order for Countess Nadasdy herself I had no idea the countess even wore hats I mean to say"--Ivy looked to Lyal in confusion--"she does not actual y leave her house, does she?"

Professor Lyal highly doubted that a special order from Madame Lefoux for a vampire queen bore any rese transported inside a hatbox But he perked up with interest He had thought to ask Tunstel for inforiven the vampire’s affection for the theater and Tunstel ’s previous investigative training under Lyal ’s tutelage, but perhaps Ivy ly have some information to impart Mabel Dair, after al , was Countess Nadasdy’s favorite drone

"And how did Miss Dair seem?" he asked careful y

The maid returned and Ivy fussed with the tea trol ey "Oh, not at all the thing Dear Miss Dair and I have becoe She and Tunny have appeared onstage together She was clearlyAnd I said to her, I did, I said, ‘My dear Miss Dair,’ I said, ‘you do not look at all the thing! Would you like to sit, take a little tea?’ And I think she ht have" Ivy paused and studied Professor Lyal ’s careful y impassive face "You are aware, she is a bit of a, well , I hardly like to say it to a gentleman of your persuasion, but a, um, vampire drone" Ivy whispered this as if she could not quite believe her own daring at being even a nodding acquaintance with such a person

Professor Lyal set I work for the Bureau of Unnatural Registry? I am well aware of her status"

"Oh, of course you are How sil y ofthe tea "Milk?"

"Please And do go on Did Miss Dair relay the nature of her distress?"

"Wel , I do not think she intendedwith her coentle--Lord Ambrittle, I believe it was"

"Lord Ambrose?"

"Yes, that! Such a nice man"

Professor Lyal forbore to mention that Lord Ambrose was, in fact, a not very nice vaht the countess and soentle, whatever thatthis gentle fro Why would a potent man want to steal from Lord Akeldama?"

"Mrs Tunstel ," Professor Lyal said very precisely and unhurriedly, "did Lord Ambrose notice that you had overheard this?"

"Why? Is it a ared rose petal into her " Lyal took a cautious drink of his tea It was excel ent

"I hate to speak il of such a nice nize irl Shocking, I know, but I was standing behind a sales counter at the tiht find the inforave Mrs Tunstel a sharp look He wondered for the first time howeyes and ridiculous hats and how aze with a particularly innocent sht sil y, is that people forget and begin to think one ht also be foolish I may, Professor Lyal , be a trifle enthusiastic in my manner and dress, but I am no fool"

"No, Mrs Tunstel , I can see that" And Lady Maccon, thought Lyal , would not be so friendly with you if you were

"I believe Miss Dair was overset, or she would not have been so indiscreet in public"

"Ah, and what is your excuse?"

Ivy laughed "I am well aware, Professor, that my dearest Alexia does not tel me much about certain aspects of her life Her friendship with Lord Akeldama, for example, has always reeous But her judgment is sound I should have told her what I heard, were she stil in town As it stands, I judge you wil h in ard Besides which, I sio around stealing things from Lord Akeldama"