Phryne was certain of three things then: that the Nexus had the potential for adventures she had only dreamed of; that French champagne drunk by the bottle never failed to appeal; and that there was no reason in the world she need choose between the offer of a improving her swordsmanship and inviting the man to her room for other entertainments. She might have thought she had misstepped in her suggestion had the expressionary flash of confusion not dissolved almost immediately into the more welcome return of his grin.

There was an openness to his expression she quite enjoyed. Not simply the cut of his grin into his cheek or the pull of his scar across his eyebrow with each shift of emotion, but there in the way he seemed to all but broadcast his moods as if on a marquee.

"You did," she agreed. "I have heard it is very good form to begin with a sort of warm up activity. It really is only common sense we might start there."