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Page 402

| "I hope Crispin doesn't run into any problems with the adoption procedures," Sasha said, looking up at Ashton with wide and troubled eyes. |

| MELBOURNE |

| Crispin sat at the bar at York's Pub, a drunken smile smeared across his face. He swallowed another drink of ale, then reached inside his pocket and withdrew a piece of folded paper. Unfolding it, he held it out before his eyes and read it, then thrust it back inside his pocket again. |

| Carrying a mug of ale, a tall and muscled man with a guarded expression on his long, narrow face sat down on a stool beside Crispin. "Mate, what's your reason for smilin' so broad and drinkin' yourself blind?" he asked, motioning with a gesture of his hand and nod of his head to the pubkeep for a refill for Crispin. "If you don't mind, I'd like to join you." |

| Crispin watched the ale being poured into his mug at the expense of the man at his side, and turned a grateful smile to him. "Glad to have you," he said, lifting his mug and tapping the stranger's with it. "Here's to you." |

| The man smiled darkly and took a quick swallow of ale, then set his mug down and began turning it slowly around in the spilled alcohol on the counter-top. "You new in these parts?" he asked, challenging Crispin with a set stare. |

| "Naw," Crispin said, hiccoughing. He chuckled as he gazed over at the stranger. "You? I don't remember seein' you around Melbourne." He pat- |

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