Sex with Ivory had gotten better than sexing his wife. Herschel laughed with Ivory, cried with Ivory. They dreamt aloud together. Unlike Nikki, Ivory believed in him. Every man needed a woman who believed in him.

She wakened in sharp panic, bewildered by the grotesquerie of some half-remembered dream in contrast with the harshness of inclement fact, drowsily realising that since she had fallen asleep it had come on to rain smartly out of a shrouded sky.

She [the Herring-Buss] imployeth[…]at Land Viewers, Packers,[…]Couchers to make the Herrings lawful Merchandizes.

I pray you enforce youreselff at that justis that ye may be beste, for my love.