"Fine." He said. "The one who took her isn't going to get her back." He frowned. "Yes, we all know Meg's been worried." He paused and gave her a look. "I could go visit Lady Meg." He offered.

"You could," she said smoothly. "Meg enjoys being visited. But frankly, Meg's got inner resources the likes of which everyone else around here only wishes they had. If this castle blew up, Meg and the rats in the cellar and that one tubby chick-guard would be helping one another out of the rubble." She paused, frowning. "Maybe Judes too. If she wasn't the one who blew the place up to begin with."

"Judith could survive anywhere she wanted too and even in a place where she didn't. Where do you think Meg gets it from?" He asked, and took another sip. "I won't visit Meg. That brings us back to who took Acorn. Who should I go visit about that, do you think?" He asked.

"You are about as subtle as the hide on Judith's ass," she told him, deeply amused, almost charmed. "You'd be better off talking to Meg, honestly."

"I'm warming up. Do you think I'd be subtle with the sort of person who steals little girls?" He replied, with a smile, and looked at the door. "If we want to play subtle, then we can. I'll have to turn either left or right when I leave this room. Which way would you turn?"

"Go straight," she said, deadpan. "You'll crash into the wall and people will assume you're drunk. For fuck's sake." She rolled her eyes. "Is this the interrogation tactics they teach in the Navy? Go left," she advised.

He smiled thinly. "you answered, didn't you?" He replied. "If you stick around long enough you may get to see my real interrogation techniques, if I find the person that did it."

The bright-pink tip of her tongue poked out and ran over her lips. "Mm. Can I just say . . . if it happens I totally want tickets? Hate-fucks are the best fucks."

Davide looked shocked, and then resigned. "It's someone I've fucked? Please tell me it's Neely, and not Seth." He blushed. "Not that we've done anything like that with each other."

"Nobody you've fucked, which does slim the numbers down. And not Neely." She smiled. "Although--again--I would pay to see that happen. Nothing but flaming red hair and egos for miles."