“Does a chicken have feathers?” snorted Francesca. She glanced around the small room. “Is there anywhere a bit more commodious? I have quite a few ‘tidbits,’ in fact.”
Sighing, Mascoli opened the water-door and led the way back into the water-chapel. “There’s no place to sit, I’m afraid.”
“No matter,” responded Francesca cheerily. “We’ll squat. I have very strong legs.”
Once in the water-chapel, she spotted the undine immediately. “Oh, thank heaven! Another female.”
The priests’ faces grew stiff. “You have nothing to fear—” Pierre began to growl.
“Nonsense,” snapped Francesca. “And why would I be afraid of a mortal sin in a Hypatian chapel, anyway? The peril lies elsewhere. Men don’t know how to gossip properly.”
The undine’s mouth gaped wide. “Truth!” She swam to the side. “Did you hear—”