"You?!" Arca jerked away so quickly that his hat tilted sideways. He hurriedly put it back in place. "What pit of Hell have you appeared out of, and how do I put you back? Can't you just see that I'm BUSY?"
"Signore Santangelo, is that really a way to treat a friend?" Arca's companion asked. "Please, introduce us."
She had a melodious voice that immediately caught Cael's attention. He looked at her properly.
That woman didn't suit Arca at all.
She was a high-born lady–that Cael knew from the first glance at the way she dressed and the way she held herself. She wore a striking white dress embroidered with roses, and a matching wide-brimmed hat that threw a shade over her face. Several strands of blond hair, so light it looked silver in the sunlight, fell from under it.
