“I don’t know,” said Thomas. “I don’t know how much Henry—” He caught himself. “Lord Henry has embellished it.”
“Not too much,” said Richard, “though he did linger on the description of George’s sister dressed in breeches.” He smiled at George. “Begging your apologies.”
“Oh, it’s not his you’re going to have to beg,” said Henry.
“I swear, Henry,” snapped Eileen, “have you not seen a pair of legs before?”
“It wasn’t the legs he was talking about,” said John. He turned to Thomas. “I assume she cleans up well?”
“Henry,” said Richard while Thomas was still formulating an answer, “what is she doing here? Or her brother, for that matter?”
“It’s a long story,” said Henry. “I’ll tell you everything when I speak to Father. Where is he, by the way?”
“With the city council,” said John. “They’r
