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Miss Tarabotti pretended she was reht, however, she nipped furtively back down the front steps and round the side of the house

"You certainly kept a close watch," she accused thethere

"Good afternoon Miss Tarabotti," he said in a polite if mild voice--milder than usual, even for Professor Lyall, al

Alexia frowned in concern She tried to get a good look at his face under the ostentatious hat "How caht Lord Maccon required your expertise elsewhere"

The professor looked pale and drawn, normal in a vampire but not in a olf The lines on his face had deepened with strain, and his eyes were bloodshot "Miss Tarabotti, it is getting on to full uard you co ones are not very stable at this time of the month"

Alexia sniffed "I appreciate his concern for ht there were others in BUR who ht service When is the ht"

Miss Tarabotti frowned "Saall’s speech at the Hypocras Club," she said softly to herself

"What?" The professor looked too tired to be interested

Alexia waved a hand in the air "Oh, nothing of iet some rest You look absolutely awful He should not work you so hard" The Beta smiled "It is part ofave him a horrified look "I hardly think that an apt description" Lyall, who’d seen the crested carriage parked just the other side of the Loontwill house, did not reply to that

There was a pause

"What did he do?" Alexia asked

"Who?" replied Professor Lyall, although he knew perfectly hat she was asking about

"The man you pretended to stuey "It was more what he had"

Miss Tarabotti tilted her head and looked inquiring

"I wish you a pleasant evening Miss Tarabotti," said Professor Lyall

Alexia gave him an exasperated look, then marched back up the front stairs and inside her house

The fa for her in the foyer with a most un-Floote-like expression of perturbation on his face The door to the front parlor was open, a certain sign of visitors Alexia was shocked The Loontwills could not possibly have been expecting company, otherwise they would never have left the pre with her hatpin

The butler raised both eyebrows at her

Alexia sed, suddenly nervous She reloves and put them carefully on the hall table

She took a ilt hallwayfor daytime, but she had a bite h necklines She twitched several curls into place to better cover her bruise Her own face looked back at her: firm chin, dark eyes, all thinks you are lovely, she told her reflection

Then she set her spine as straight as possible and marched into the front parlor

Lord Conall Maccon whirled about fro the closed velvet curtains of the front , staring at theh the heavy ht of the room, his eyes looked accusatory

Miss Tarabotti paused on the threshold Without a word, she turned back around, reached out, and slaave the closed door a long, hard look

Outside in the street, Professor Lyall set his bone-weary self toward the BUR offices--just a few more records to check before bed With one free hand, he patted a new bulge in his many-pocketed waistcoat Why, he wondered, was aHyde Park? He turned back once to look at the Loontwills’ house A sudden sular face as he noted the Woolsey Castle carriage waiting nearby Its crest shone in the late afternoon sun: a quartered shield, two parts a ht He wondered if his lord and rovel

The Earl of Woolsey wore a suit of dark chocolate, a cravat of carauised iloves in one hand and slapping them rhythmically into the other when Miss Tarabotti entered the front parlor He stopped instantly, but she had noted the fidget