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Madae-Wilsdorf here has been studying the preternatural state for many years now"

"It has been difficult, most difficult, indeed, ya, to find a live specimen My little trouble with the church, you understand"

"Coe in favor of curiosity Here was a scientist who

The Ger cap about with both hands "A little

--how do you say?--spot of bother Had to move to France and leave much of my research behind A travesty"

Alexia looked to Madame Lefoux for an explanation

"He was excorave, hushed voice

The little man blushed even redder "Ah, you heard of it?"

Madah htfemale preternatural You wil al owlady, ya? Perhaps, a test or two?"

A tap ca a tea tray

Mr Lange-Wilsdorf accepted the tray and then waved theand redolent of the scent of bergamot Alexia didn’t much like Earl Grey; it ell out of fashion in London and was never served in any of the establishments she frequented Vampires were not fond of citrus Which, she realized,the tea and a smal pile of kumquats on the austere Floote

"The snuff!"

Everyone looked at her

"Ah, you decided you wanted to try some, ya, Female Specimen?"

"Oh, no I simply realized You made Floote take snuff as a olf check They hate snuff And now you’re using the Earl Grey and the kumquats to see if he’s a vampire"

Floote arched one eyebrow, took a ku e-Wilsdorf, that va citrus? They just don’t like it"

"Yes, of course, I’ood--how do you say?--initial check, until sun cohed "I assure you, sir, I am not of a supernatural inclination"

Alexia snickered Poor Floote looked extremely put-upon

The little Geruarantees He kept a jaundiced eye on Floote and maintained proprietary control of the bowl of kumquats For future use as projectile weaponry, perhaps?

"Of course, you could stil be a claviger or drone-type person"

Floote huffed out a smal puff of annoyed breath

"You already checked him for bite marks," pointed out Alexia

"Absence of the er You did h he had never beenover the "Fee of mood that seemed to characterize the little man’s paranoia, the German looked with sudden new suspicion at Alexia "The verification" He muttered to himself "You understand, ya? Of course you do Must verify you as wellAh, if only I had eist problem Perhaps you could see your way to an exorcislanced at a smalto one side of the roo dawn "Before sunrise?"

Alexia sighed "This could not possibly wait until toht I suppose you could cal it traveling"

The little ood host would have

"Real y, Mr Lange-Wilsdorf, we have only just arrived," Madame Lefoux protested

"Oh, very well " Alexia put down her tea, which wasn’t very good, anyway, and half a croissant, which was buttery and delicious If it was necessary for this odd little et sohed, angry once more at her husband’s rejection She wasn’t entirely certain how just yet, but she intended to blame this latest nuisance on Lord Conal Maccon as well as everything else

The dog, Poche, led the way down several flights of stairs and into a tiny cel ar, barking with unwarranted enthusiase-Wilsdorf apparently did not notice the racket Alexia resigned herself to the fact that it was the creature’s normal mode of operation--when its eyes were open, so, too, was its mouth

"You must think me the terrible host, ya" The Ger to the require actual re to say in response, as, so far as it went, it was perfectly true Any host worth his blood would have seen theentleuest perfor accommodations first, let alone a decent meal So Alexia simply clutched her parasol and fol owed the German and his frenzied canine down into the bowels of his cramped and dirty house Madame Lefoux and Floote seemed to feel their presence was not required on this jaunt and re at the vile tea and consu, very probably, al of the excel ent croissants Traitors

The cel ar was glooht to be and included, just as the eist phase

Above the little dog’s barking ca wail of second-death As if that were not bad enough, the poltergeist had gone to pieces Alexia could not abide clutter, and, having lost alhost was veryabout the dark musty interior as pale wisps of body parts, entirely dismembered--an elbow here, an eyebrow there Alexia started and let out a little squeak upon encountering a single eyebal , al intel igence gone fro at her from the top of a wine rack The cel ar also smel ed badly of fore-Wilsdorf" Alexia’s voice was cold with disapproval "You ought to have seen to the unfortunate soul weeks ago and never let it get this bad"