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Miss Hisselpenny gasped and stood up, scandalized But at least she was out of the way

Alexia helped Tunstell to turn over so he was on his knees She pointed a finger over the side of the dirigible autocratically She h as possible "Tunstell, this is your Alpha speaking Do as I tell you You itate now" Never in all her ti someone to throw up their supper

But the coer Tunstell stuck his head under the rail and over the side of the dirigible and tried to retch

"I can’t," he said finally

"You itation is an involuntary action You cannot simply order me to do it," replied Tunstell in a small voice

"I most certainly can Besides which, you are an actor"

Tunstell grie"

"Well, if you do this, you shall kno if you need to in the future"

Tunstell tried again Nothing

Mada a bottle of ipecac

Alexia lass of water," she ordered her friend, et her out of the way

In moments, the emetic took effect As unsavory as the supper had been to eat, it was even less pleasant going the other direction Lady Maccon tried not to look or listen

By the tioblet of water, the worst was over

Alexia lass They waited a full quarter of an hour more while his color returned, and he was finally able to attain an upright position

Ivy was in a flutter over the whole incident, agitating about the recovering or that Madame Lefoux was driven to desperate measures She extracted a small flask from her waistcoat pocket

"Have a little nip of this, my dear Calm your nerves" She handed it to Ivy

Ivy nipped, blinked a couple tiraduated from frantic to loopy "Why, that burns all the way down!"

"Let’s get Tunstell to his roo backward before the side to side like an iced tea cake with delusions of shepherding, Lady Maccon and Madaet Tunstell to his rooms and onto bed

By the time all the excitement had ended, Lady Maccon found she had lost her appetite entirely Nevertheless, appearancescabin with Ivy and Madame Lefoux She was in a mental quandary: why on earth, or in aether for that matter, would someone try to kill Tunstell?

Ivy walked into one or talls on their way back

"What did you give her?" Alexia hissed to the inventor

"Just a bit of cognac" Madame Lefoux’s dimples flashed

"Very effective stuff"

The rest of the nored Ivy’s evident inebriation, which occasioned two spills and one bout of hysterical giggling Alexia was about to rise and excuse herself when Madae ht take a little turn with me about the ship before bed, Lady Maccon? I should like a private word," she asked politely, dimples safely stored away

Not entirely surprised, Alexia acquiesced, and the two left Felicity to sort out after-dinner activities on her own

As soon as they were alone, the inventor got straight to the point "I do not think the poison was meant for Tunstell"

"No?"

"No I believe it was meant for you, secreted in the first dish that you turned away and Tunstell consuht"

"What a strange temperament you have, Lady Maccon, to accept near-death so easily as that" Madame Lefoux tilted her head to one side

"Well, the whole episode does make far ine Tunstell hasto exterely coht with the universe unless so to kill her

"Do you have a suspect?" the inventor wanted to know

"Aside from you?" Lady Maccon shot back

"Ah"

The Frenchwoe of hurt in her eyes Either she was a good actress or she was not guilty

"I am sorry to offend," said Lady Maccon, not sorry in the least She followed the inventor over to the rail, leaning on it next to her The to aether

"I am not upset that you think me capable of poison, Lady Maccon I am offended you should think I would be so ham-handed with it Had I wished you dead, I have had ample opportunity and access to numerous techniques far less cluold watch out of the pocket of her vest and pressed a little catch on the back A s out of the bottom

Alexia did not ask as in the needle