Chapter 12
The Spirit of Bester
The Hodgkinson International Line
The Gramarye Region
Grand Quillia
June 1856
Nothing says civilised like a long hot bath. It’s not about the cleansing of the body. That can be done with a cloth and a river, perhaps a little soap. Having a long hot bath is about opportunity. It is about being in control of your life, having the money to afford decent plumbing and the time to stay still for as long as you want. To ruminate or vegetate. Bliss.
Laurel closed her eyes and lowered herself further in the bath, feeling the bubbles tickle her face before she submerged her whole head. As her ears filled with water, she found herself counting the times she had heard the pop of raw Wonder in the last thirty-six hours. Raising her head again, she heard the murmur
