‘Not at all!’ said Bess brightly. ‘Nothin’ could be more mysterious. I beg you will not trouble yerself with the idea that he might be tellin’ me anythin’ useful. Besides, there was nothin’ much to be said. An infant could ha’ put the pieces together.’
‘You underrate yourself, baggage,’ said Grunewald — or the King of the Goblins, as she was now certain was his true title. ‘Most people are frighteningly self-absorbed.’
‘How cynical.’
‘No doubt. I am entitled to a little cynicism, however. Do you have any notion at all what manner of life it is? See these energetic shoppers, now.’ He nodded at the streams of people passing them by upon either side. ‘This guise is well enough known, and if any of them were paying the smallest attention they would know that their liege-lord walks amongst t
