Ladies and gentlemen

"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.