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The Beta put down the now-useless newspaper and dished himself a fine piece of fried sole from a silver platter "Lord Maccon left at the crack of dusk"

"That was not what I asked"

On the far side of Lyall, Major Channing chuckled softly into his soup

Alexia glared at him and then turned a sharp look onto the defenseless Tunstell, seated at the other side of the table aers If Lyall would not talk, perhaps Tunstell would The redhead lare ide eyes and quickly stuffed his face with a largeto look as if he knew absolutely nothing

"At least tell me if he was dressed properly?"

Tunstell chewed slowly Very slowly

Lady Maccon turned back to Professor Lyall, as cal into his sole Lyall was one of the feolves she had met who actively preferred fish tothe earl ht have business at his club before work

Professor Lyall shook his head

"I see Are we to play at guessing gah his nose and finished his bite of sole He put down his knife and fork with great precision on the side of his plate and then dabbed, unnecessarily, at his mouth with the corner of his serviette

Lady Maccon waited patiently, nibbling at her own dinner After Professor Lyall had put the damask serviette back into his lap and shoved his spectacles up his nose, she said, "Well?"

"He had aI’m not privy to the particulars He then swore a blue streak and set off northward"

"Northward to where, exactly?"

Professor Lyall sighed "I believe he has gone to Scotland"

"He did what?"

"And he did not take Tunstell with him" Professor Lyall stated the obvious in clear annoyance, pointing to the redhead as looking everrather than participate in the conversation

Lady Maccon worried at that inforer? Shouldn’t you have gone with him, then?"

Lyall snorted "Yes Picture the state of his cravat without a valet to tie hiance, winced in ireed with this

"Could not take o in wolf forineer’s strike Not that I should ; my play’s finished its run, and I’ve never seen Scotland" There was a note of petulance in his tone

He, one of the resident pack meroithout looking up from his meal

"Where, precisely, has my husband taken himself off to in Scotland?" Lady Maccon pressed for details

"The southern part of the Highlands, as I understand it," replied the Beta

Alexia recovered her poise What little she had Which adhland area was the vicinity of Conall’s previous abode She thought she understood at last "I take it he found out about his for’s turn to be surprised The blond man practically spat out his mouthful of fritter "How did you know that?"

Alexia looked up fro’s pretty mouth twisted at that

Professor Lyall said, "His lordship did say soency"

"Am I not family?" wondered Lady Maccon

To which Lyall "

"Careful there, Professor Only one person is allowed to say insulting things about h to be he"

Lyall actually blushed "All apologies, ue" He emphasized her title and pulled his cravat down to show his neck ever so slightly

"We are all his fa seemed to be even more annoyed by Alexia’s husband’s departure than she was "Pity he didn’t talk to iven him reason to stay"

Alexia turned hard brown eyes on Woolsey’s Ga over souessed What did they get up to those uide them?"