sniffed the air. 'These Lutetians know
a thing or two about food.'
'It's a way of life,' Aubrey said. He stood on tiptoes and
tried to see over the heads of the crowd. 'Buy some
cheese, if you like. Have it sent back to our rooms.'
'Excellent idea. Any preferences?'
'Not for me, thanks, George. I'm making preparations.'
George raised an eyebrow. 'What are you expecting?'
'It's the unexpected I'm preparing for, not the
expected.'
'Splendid, old man. What if I take responsibility for
buying edibles so you can concentrate on your stuff?'
'Excellent idea.'
In truth, Aubrey wasn't sure what he was after. 'Useful
Purchases' was how he thought of this sort of provisioning.
With George ploughing a way through the crowd,
he ignored the shouts of the stallholders, instead drifting
along and letting his gaze roam over the offerings from
across Lutetia.
After seeing all manner of fruit, vegetables, cheese,
meat and fish, they pushed into the part of the market
that was dominated by garment and cloth merchants.
He stopped at a stand with second-hand clothes neatly
hanging from racks. 'Wait here a moment,' he said to
George.
'Certainly. Would you like a peanut?'
George held out a paper bag. The aroma of warm nuts
rose from it. 'I didn't see you buy these,' Aubrey said as he
took a few. They were fresh, salty and very good.
'You have to be quick around here.' George shook the
bag into his hand and then threw the nuts into his
mouth.
'So I see. No more left?'
George crumpled the bag in his fist and shook his
head. 'Sorry, old man.'
Once Aubrey had inspected the clothes and convinced
himself they were clean, he bargained his way into a
reasonable price for an assortment of vests, trousers and
caps. Then he negotiated a fee to have them delivered to
their rooms. The gnome of a stallholder grinned broadly
when they were finished and Aubrey realised this was a
sure sign he'd paid much more than he needed to.
The stalls became more various. Books, bric-a-brac,
flowers, more clothes, second-hand musical instruments
– the market was a treasure trove of stuff both useful and
useless. Aubrey made some considered purchases, but a
number of things he bought on impulse, simply because
they caught his eye. Some cheap costume jewellery.
Skeins of wool. A tuning fork. A bag of glass beads.
After parting with a handful of coins for a pair of
brightly coloured spinning tops, Aubrey took stock.
'Done?' George asked. He was finishing a strawberry
ice-cream.
'I think so.'
'So, you're now prepared.'
'If I have to distract a small child while tuning a piano
and mending a pullover, I'm all set.'
'Marvellous.' George scratched his nose. 'Promises to
be a ripping holiday, this.'
T HE B OULEVARD OF W ISDOM LED TO THE UNIVERSITY. Intrigued by Lutetia's street names, Aubrey consulted
his guidebook. After the revolution in the eighteenth
century, Louis Gant, one of the senior committee members,
had been fanatical about renaming all the thoroughfares
in the city. The old street names were remnants of an
oppressive past when the monarchy ruled, and the liberation
of the people would only be complete when their
addresses were liberated too.
Thus, many streets were renamed after admired revolutionary
qualities such as equality or fortitude. The
move met with little resistance, particularly since arguing
against the reforms of the revolution usually ended up
with more names added to the list of those about to be
executed for anti-revolutionary sentiments.
Some of the old street names survived, however. Louis
Gant's program had faltered after he went on to express
the view that cheese was inherently anti-revolutionary
and needed to be stamped out. He was quickly promoted
to the head of the 'To Be Executed' list and wasn't missed
at all.
George kept up an admiring commentary as they
strolled, extolling the virtues of the architecture and the
young ladies with equal verve. Aubrey, however, had
his mind on sorting out his priorities. Which of
a thing or two about food.'
'It's a way of life,' Aubrey said. He stood on tiptoes and
tried to see over the heads of the crowd. 'Buy some
cheese, if you like. Have it sent back to our rooms.'
'Excellent idea. Any preferences?'
'Not for me, thanks, George. I'm making preparations.'
George raised an eyebrow. 'What are you expecting?'
'It's the unexpected I'm preparing for, not the
expected.'
'Splendid, old man. What if I take responsibility for
buying edibles so you can concentrate on your stuff?'
'Excellent idea.'
In truth, Aubrey wasn't sure what he was after. 'Useful
Purchases' was how he thought of this sort of provisioning.
With George ploughing a way through the crowd,
he ignored the shouts of the stallholders, instead drifting
along and letting his gaze roam over the offerings from
across Lutetia.
After seeing all manner of fruit, vegetables, cheese,
meat and fish, they pushed into the part of the market
that was dominated by garment and cloth merchants.
He stopped at a stand with second-hand clothes neatly
hanging from racks. 'Wait here a moment,' he said to
George.
'Certainly. Would you like a peanut?'
George held out a paper bag. The aroma of warm nuts
rose from it. 'I didn't see you buy these,' Aubrey said as he
took a few. They were fresh, salty and very good.
'You have to be quick around here.' George shook the
bag into his hand and then threw the nuts into his
mouth.
'So I see. No more left?'
George crumpled the bag in his fist and shook his
head. 'Sorry, old man.'
Once Aubrey had inspected the clothes and convinced
himself they were clean, he bargained his way into a
reasonable price for an assortment of vests, trousers and
caps. Then he negotiated a fee to have them delivered to
their rooms. The gnome of a stallholder grinned broadly
when they were finished and Aubrey realised this was a
sure sign he'd paid much more than he needed to.
The stalls became more various. Books, bric-a-brac,
flowers, more clothes, second-hand musical instruments
– the market was a treasure trove of stuff both useful and
useless. Aubrey made some considered purchases, but a
number of things he bought on impulse, simply because
they caught his eye. Some cheap costume jewellery.
Skeins of wool. A tuning fork. A bag of glass beads.
After parting with a handful of coins for a pair of
brightly coloured spinning tops, Aubrey took stock.
'Done?' George asked. He was finishing a strawberry
ice-cream.
'I think so.'
'So, you're now prepared.'
'If I have to distract a small child while tuning a piano
and mending a pullover, I'm all set.'
'Marvellous.' George scratched his nose. 'Promises to
be a ripping holiday, this.'
T HE B OULEVARD OF W ISDOM LED TO THE UNIVERSITY. Intrigued by Lutetia's street names, Aubrey consulted
his guidebook. After the revolution in the eighteenth
century, Louis Gant, one of the senior committee members,
had been fanatical about renaming all the thoroughfares
in the city. The old street names were remnants of an
oppressive past when the monarchy ruled, and the liberation
of the people would only be complete when their
addresses were liberated too.
Thus, many streets were renamed after admired revolutionary
qualities such as equality or fortitude. The
move met with little resistance, particularly since arguing
against the reforms of the revolution usually ended up
with more names added to the list of those about to be
executed for anti-revolutionary sentiments.
Some of the old street names survived, however. Louis
Gant's program had faltered after he went on to express
the view that cheese was inherently anti-revolutionary
and needed to be stamped out. He was quickly promoted
to the head of the 'To Be Executed' list and wasn't missed
at all.
George kept up an admiring commentary as they
strolled, extolling the virtues of the architecture and the
young ladies with equal verve. Aubrey, however, had
his mind on sorting out his priorities. Which of
Similar Books
![Knight, Kayla - Her Long Hot Surrender [Raw Texas Heat 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)](https://fs.collectorofbookboyfriends.com/598849/thumbs/152x264/knight-kayla-her-long-hot-surrender-raw-texas-heat-3-siren-publishing-menage-everlasting.jpg)
