The red herring was in place and had been for some time now.

The youthful lord of twenty slumbered heavily with a smile plastered on his unshaven face. Covers of the elaborate, expensive bed were in a great disarray from hours of activity with the courtesan in them with him.

"Younger than some and here he sleeps after only a few hours." Victoria's full lips turned just a enough to twist with distaste. There were as many sorts of men and women as there were sands on the beach. This one, though, was a pebble in her shoe. Wealthy, young, out of control with how he spent his father's coin, and sleeping like a child far too soon.

The courtesan stood at the end of the young lord's bed while one of the man's servants took her time in pulling the strings of Victoria's corset tight. As the girl tied the sleeves at the dress' shoulders, Victoria's words whispered to her. "Your master sleeps easily."

"Oh yes, mum. It is like that with any of the women he brings home. But you are gentler than the norm b'far." The girl gave Victoria a brackish, toothy grin.

"Does he now. I would never have guessed it." Though she smiled, she did nothing to hide her upset at the young lord's early slumber. "He could have at least stayed awake until dessert was brought to us." She breathed and tested the tautness of the severe corsett and nodded at the girl's work. "Well done. Now. I will be taking my leave. See that he is told that I had to leave, but it was with great regret and tears in my eyes." She smiled to the servant girl without a tear to show.

The draw-string velvet purse was added to her wrist along with the richly made hand-fan. "He will find me where I usually am. See that he is reminded of our luncheon tomorrow." Gloved fingers traipsed along the girl's cheek before her hand lowered to layers of heavy skirts to guide them out of the way as she left the lord's bedchambers and his home.

"Asleep. This had better hold more worth than coin." Painted lips murmured it to herself as she was helped into the carriage by the footman. The seed had been planted. The young lord would talk and it would find its way to his father's ear. It was the start and, if all went as she planned, it would be the father she would soon be having luncheon with.

She leaned back to feel the rich leather against her back while the carriage lurched gently forward. Even as mind worked on what to do with the lord and lordling, thoughts turned to Z'ev. Such thoughts were kept to herself and not even her chambermaid knew of them. He made her smile without scheme or ill intent.

The courtesan had intent though. And it was to see him again and finish their conversation from the night before. An ornate, lady's cane of fine wood inlaid with mother of pearl was tapped against the floor of the carriage and the horses pulled faster and forward.

As she woke from a much needed respite, she moved through her bedchamber in a lucid, ankle length gown. The light from oil laps penetrated the frail garments and bleed through it to reveal the curves of her breasts and hips beneath. Blond, curled locks of hair had lost some of the curl while she slept on them. She combed her ungloved fingers through them to try to calm the chaos of what the bed and pillows had done to earlier styling.

"Ileste!" Voice called out musically, but she hadn't meant it to be. The gossamer gown had a severe, plunging neckline that trailed from her shoulders down to her navel. Expensive lace decorated the "V" neckline and dripped from the angelic sleeves.

The servant to Victoria and house keeper of the home stepped into the courtesan's large bedchamber. She smoothed her hands at a crisp, white apron and followed her lady.

She sat down in the plush seated, backless chair before the dressing table laden with perfumes, powders, rouges, and comb and brush. Ileste stood behind Victoria and reached around the side of her to select the brush and a few pins. Bristles of the brush was slowly drawn through blond, thick hair.

"Did you sleep well, my lady?"

"Yes. Yes, I did." A cloth within cool water was wrung out into a bowl and wiped over her own face and neck. "Was there any word from him?"

Ileste bit back a smile but shook her head. "No, my lady. No word or visit. What does he look like? In the case that he makes such a visit?"

"Brush." Victoria firmly instructed Ileste as the young woman had stopped brushing the courtesan's hair. "He is ... taller than I. A bald head and a mustache. And his eyes are enough to take a second look." It was enough to tell the house servant before she continued. "Ileste, does your friend still have his mastiff pups?"

"Oh yes. One of them. Beautiful pup, he is."

"Good. I will send you today and buy the last. If he has been sold or given away, speak with your friend and let him know I wish to know where to acquire one."

"Yes, my lady. This afternoon if that is well with you."

"It is. I can be found at the Red Dragon or the marketplace this evening if you have word to bring me on that or anything else. Now. My green dress today. The one with the leopard fur about the collar and hems."

Courtesan.

Details were assumed that she was simply a Slattern. Idiots, uneducated idiots. But it did make her smile to think on even them in the midst of her irritation.

Magistrate Colbair had sought an audience with her. He was a repulsive man in his manner, despite how attractive he was. She would send him her chambermaid instead. And that was enough to make her smile.

As the fingers of her handmaider were tugging on the strings of her corset, drawing it so tight that it would cause most women, and men, to faint to have it done to them Victoria was thinking of the most unique of those she knew: Z'ev.

"Ileste. As we are now back from our travels and far-too-long company with Magistrate Colbair.. let us see if we can find our dear Z'ev."

The gift received some time back had not waned in the Courtesan's memory. Little with Z'ev ever had. Among those that sought her company, he held a special place. Even with princes and ladies of status and worth, it was Z'ev that struck cord and had presence.

The dame stretched and moaned a little with that last tug of her corset strings from Ilestre. Beauty was many times very painful, and most were oblivious of those efforts.

"Lady, do you wish him sent for?"

"Sent? Certainly not, Ilestre. If he is to be found, it will be at the inn or the city about it."

"Yes, my Lady. But word to him then?" Ilestre watched her Lady's face in the mirror. She smiled to that reflection over Victoria's shoudler then put her shin to rest there as some old friend or lover might, with much and intimate affection.

Victoria laughed aloud and reached back to gently move her fingers against her maid's cheek. "Let him be, Ilestre. We cannot let him know how..interesting..I find him, now can we? No overly much, anyway. I do not want to give any reason to frighten him off. And I do enjoy his company." A nod to her and smile to the mirror. "Now. Some perfume and powder. We have that one place to be today before I make an appearance at the Red Dragon Inn."