I stood to one side where I could keep an eye on the two obvious bodyguards while the dandy talked to Bob. I'll have to say this for the dandy: he was...real subtle when he offered the bribe to let the prisoners go. He was willing to pay $50 each for the men, and that was a passel of money!Bob was real polite when he turned down the offer, even when the offer was raised to $75 per man. Bob also said that he wanted the protection racket stopped before somebody else got hurt. At this point, the. But I could tell that they both had their hearts set onthisnow, that there was nothing I could have said which would change theirmind. So I gave my blessing too."Helen: "And there was never any doubt in your mind that you wanted tostay with Jessica and Daisy? As married couples I mean. For a lot ofwomen this would perhaps be too much to accept in terms of carrying onwith their marriages."Erin: "There was no doubt whatsoever."Sophie: "No, none. I fell in love with Jamie, but when I met Jessica,. .. pretty body art. Please show me your right arm.”Emo Girl held out her arm and pulled up the short sleeve to her shoulder. The arm had a colorful wrap-around design from her shoulder to just above her elbow – reds, blacks, and greens. The more I looked; the more I deciphered what it was.I exclaimed, “Ah, I’ve met a girl with a dragon tattoo.” I said it in a nice way, not to tease but to acknowledge.Emo Girl said, “Yeah. I couldn’t afford the whole body dragon. I’ve got a couple of others too,. But so... Not pretty; attractive, lovely, vulnerable? Somebodyin need of a friend?Venus got to hear all about her. She watched me with her big greeneyes while I tried to explain about Jocelyn. Then she turned in theway that cats do and started washing her backside.Dad got to hear as well, when he phoned the day after I'd had lunchwith her."How are you, honey?"Good, but confused, Governor." (That was my nickname for him, it's aPG Wodehouse thing.)"What's confusing you, Tink?"He calls me.