With a burst of laughter and chatter, a gaggle of young women suddenly stumbled out of the pub. Bastian and Jane both spun at the unexpected sound. Even as drunk as the woman appeared to be, they were able to recognize Bastian.
"Oh my God! It's him! The hot duke with the haunted mansion or whatever."
Jane could have slapped the girl. The women were American and sadly stupid. She silently prayed that Bastian wouldn't hold their idiocy against her. It wasn't even worth correcting them. The women suddenly flocked around them, like angry geese, squawking as they tried to get close to him.
"Excuse me, ladies." His words were a low, rumbling murmur that seemed to only heighten their fervor and excitement.
A red haze descended over Jane's vision as one of the women dragged a red-nailed hand
