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"Mada old I don't blame her She ht my eye"

"If you likelove to a corpse," Skye said with a toss of her head

Austin grinned "It seems the pussycat has claws"

"Very sharp ones, and I'd love to use them on your lady friend I

don't knohy you were so worried I'm bored to pieces"

Austin had been watching the arrival ofmen had slipped quietly into the ar in or out of the great chamber

"Sit tight," Austin in"

CAVENDISH WAS superbly intoxicated The Englishman had shoved his raven's beak onto the top of his head to allow his rosebud ling wine throughout the ae disposal Austin picked at his food to be polite, took an occasional sip of wine and advised Skye to do the same They would need clear heads if his instincts were on the mark

As soon as the dessert dishes were reered to his feet and tapped the side of his water glass with a spoon All eyes turned in his direction He raised his goblet "I would like to offer a toast to our host and hostess"

"Hear, hear," his fellow guests replied in boozy acknowledg their drinks as well

Encouraged by the response, Cavendish smiled "As o back centuries We all kno the Fauchards, ah, borrowed the Cavendish

process for forging steel on atheir own rise while my people faded into the sunset"

"The fortunes of war," said the ape from The Murders in the Rue

Morgue

"I'll drink to that" Cavendish took a swig froiven the tendency of Fauchards to meet fatal accidents, we never married into their family"