" "Yeah yeah, I know! It's always 'Babe, you're so blessed'. 'Babe, it could be worse'. Well, you know what? I'm tired of that shit. Even if it could...be better, that doesn't negate the fact that my life sucks sometimes. Henry the VIII's wives loved the lives they lived, and what happened to them? That bastard had most of them killed. Sometimes I feel as if I'm on death row." Bailey understands his pain. She hugs him from behind in a warm, reassuring embrace. "I know Roman. I know. Life is. "Corvus laughed. "Not you. I just met my first Colonial and my first professional spy ... as far as I know." He slid the paper he'd been given across the table. "I need you to witness that, please."Crispa signed it. "What is it?" A writ of manumission." To her surprised look, he went on to explain.Crispa nodded slowly. "Clever. A slave might be the perfect spy. It certainly wouldn't occur to me. I probably told Clover far more than she would ever want to know about my childhood last night.". Go and lie face down on the couch in the corner, would you?"I did as instructed. She came and stood beside me. "May I roll your right trouser leg up please?" Of course, nurse."Gently she folded the cotton slacks up my leg. Then I felt a lovely cool hand stroking my thigh. "How does that feel?"I wanted to say 'delicious,' but instead replied tamely: "It's okay." And there?" Same."I felt her sliding my slacks back into place. "Right, come and sit at the desk again, please." I awaited the verdict.. Fortunately the B&B had more than just adequate beef stew. The vegetable were very large chunks and were well cooked. That is the secret to a good stew, veggies you actually want to eat. Most of the time they are just fill dirt.We stayed listening to music and drinking beer till midnight. I didn't feel the beer at all, which was another indication I wasn't imagining things. "So Wilson, how you gonna slip the camera into the joint?" I asked as we hit the parking lot. I think I'll use the air.