"Yes. Do you know him?"
"Only by correspondence. He did some research work on my house."
"Your house. Do you inhabit a prehistoric ruin, that Alderson should take an interest in it?"
"I call it mine. It isn't really—yet. It doesn't belong to anybody."
"Then why not just go and grab it? Squatter sovereignty, I believe they call the process."
"I thought it was called jumping a claim. Somebody has a claim on it. But that doesn't count. I always get what I want."
"Without trying?"
"Yes," she purred.
"Unfortunate maiden!"
"What?"