"Victories?"
"Husbands. And I was to be seen escorting the singer around the nightclub circuit."
"A fate worse than death? But, truly, why did you turn him down?"
"I wanted to spend the time with you."
She made a moue. "So as to carry on our never-ending argument over the value of status?"
"No."
Her eyes dropped and there was a slight frown on her forehead. Joe interpreted it to mean that she took exception to one of Mid-Middle caste speaking to her in this wise. He said, flatly, "At least the tune is somewhat applicable tonight."
She looked up quickly, having immediately caught the meaning of his words. "Oh, Joe, you haven't taken another commission?"
"Why not? I'm a mercenary by trade, Nadine." He was vaguely irritated by her tone.
"But you admittedly made a small fortune on the last fracas. You were one of the very few investors in the whole country who expected Vacuum Tube Transport to boom, rather than go bankrupt. You simply don't need to risk your life further, Joe!"