Neither Cecilie nor Dillydums seemed any the worse for their flight. Indeed, Cecilie kept insisting that it had been great fun, a capital adventure. She took every opportunity to extol the pleasures of balloon flight to her companion. Aggie nodded absently. Being very much a ground kind of person, she could not wax enthusiastic about hanging high above the city. Descriptions of tiny houses and people the size of ants left her cold. Besides, she found it difficult to erase from her mind that last scene with the Earl. If only there were some way she could leave this place. But he had made it clear that she could not, that to do so would mean being penniless and ruining any chance of her finding another position. She also puzzled over that look of pain in his eyes. It could not be accounted for; it seemed too deep and genuine to be caused merely by disappointed desire. But she could find nothing else to account for it. She pondered over his strange behavior, trying not to recall the sinking sensation of submission that had overcome her in his arms.
