[missile]

Naked before the mirror once more, Dara heaved a sigh of relief. Her body was as it always was. Everything was in proportion. Well, to itself, anyway.

Behind her image in the glass, the rest of the room loomed over her. She turned to her aunt, wringing her hands on a couch. She?d never seen, nor expected to see, such indecisiveness on her aunt?s part.

?It?s not my spine,? Dara pointed out as she wrapped a towel around herself as a robe. ?My torso is exactly the shape it?s always been, and so are my limbs.?

?Oh, yes, dear, I know that,? Sally said, reaching across to put an arm on her niece?s shoulder. ?I know that Doctor Hawthorne was wrong. But I fear that no doctor could help you now.?

Dara nodded. She was half the height she?d been on moving to London. There were rumors of witchcraft being spread around the household.

At least they seemed to see Dara as a victim of some malevolent spell, rather than the practitioner. She got looks of sympathy rather than fear, for all the good it did her.

?Oh, what are we going to do, Aunt Sally??

?Well, we?ll look for a specialist when we can, but we have a more pressing problem.?

?More pressing than my shrinking?? Dara asked with surprise. Then another thought occurred to her. ?And what sort of specialist would we look for??

?We?ll find one,? Sally said, waving the problem away. ?But there is something else we absolutely have to do tomorrow. If we do it, that is.?

?We have to do it, if we do it??

?What I meant, dear, was that if you choose to perform me a service, it must be on the morrow.?

?What is it?? she asked, stepping closer to take the woman?s hand in hers.

?Dear, your aunt is in debt.?

?Well, of course, you need merely tell me, and I?m sure Daddy-? Sally interrupted her with a number. A very large number. Dara blinked, stunned.

?That?s a sizeable number. Is that an account number for the debts you owe?? she asked, hopelessly.

?No, dear. I owe that much money. Your father would have to embezzle more than an entire ironclad to help me there.?

?Then whatever shall you do??

?This?? the older woman said hesitantly, ?this is where you come in.?

?Are you going to sell me into slavery, Aunt?? Dara asked, horrified at the suggestion, and more horrified to note a slight thrill at the thought.

?DARA!? Sally grabbed both of the tiny girl?s shoulders to look deeply in her eyes. ?I would not do or ask you to do anything that you do not wish. But the fact is that an opportunity has arisen. If it meets with your approval, you could be a great help to me.

?If you do not wish, you need not comply. And I shall think no less of you for refusal. Do you understand me??

?Yes, dear, I think I take your meaning quite well. So tell me what this opportunity is??

?A man, someone you?ve never met, is holding?a party.?

?I take it there is significance in that pause??

?Yes,? Sally sighed. ?There is. This man?s parties descend to a level of decadence that often has the power to shock even me.?

?Oh,? Dara replied, feeling that little thrill again.

?He has seen you about in the last few, and felt that you would be a wonderful addition to his guest list.?

?And this helps you, how??

?A large part of my debts are in his hands.? Sally stood to start pacing across the floor. ?If you attend, and participate, he has offered to graciously forgive me of most of my obligations.?

?Participate? How??

?I don?t know, girl. It varies by the party, by the hour. But merely attending to stand against the wall would be insufficient.?

?I suppose I can try,? Dara mused. ?But only to solve your debts.?

?Oh, that won?t quite solve them, merely knock them down to within human grasp. But there is something else.?

?Speak on, dear lady, I am aquiver with curiosity.? It wasn?t quite a lie, she was curious, but anticipation was the greatest part to inform her quivering.

?I have received offers. Two men have expressed an interest in arranging marriage to you.?

?Williams, of course,? Dara said knowingly, ?and probably that Army or Naval officer, what?s his name??

?Don?t come the innocent, now, dear. You know perfectly well,? Sally snorted, her typical mood starting to reassert itself.

?True, I do,? she admitted. ?But how does THAT help? They?re not offering to pay a dowry to the bride?s family, are they??

?No,? Sally replied, returning to the couch and lifting her diminutive niece to her lap, ?but they have both offered a large sum if I could be persuaded to put in a good word for you, sufficient to close the contract.?

?How romantic,? Dara mused. ?But would THAT solve your fiscal woes??

?Only if you could marry both of them?? she said wistfully.