"Hello Taylor." She bowed her head slightly. "You look as though youhave been adapting rather well." Once I agreed that I had, shecontinued, "I fear t...hat by the time we are able to supply you with aguide who can be of use under the water, your vacation will be up." Theshe let out a faint laugh."Look," I started, gesturing down, "I ran into a bunch of mermaidsearlier and they started singing then ran away from me."Aelaeryn quickly verified my guess that they were trying to talk to me,finishing. "I am whipped as punishment occasionally if I do not please someone, and I am whipped for pleasure if the Master enjoys it," she replied, "but is whipping for pleasure no longer done in the stately homes of England?" Why do you ask that?" Surely the Earl of Bargoed is familiar with the habits of the nobility?" Not very, but I am sure it happens in some houses. How did you come to be in Kobekistan?" he asked her."I flew to Abu Dhabi on Air Emirates and then on the local Air Kobekistani flight to. Stay the night and I'll show you my real promise." Of course."She did. Brendan fell asleep with a smile on his face and a satisfied woman at his side. His dreams were sweet and gentle that night, without the fear and violence that had troubled his sleep previous nights.He awoke to a weak sun coming through the window and the sound of a phone ringing. Heavy footsteps stepped to the phone. A garbled, deep voice spoke several times and then there was silence. The footsteps came again and stopped. Nothing took his eye until he came to a travel agency. And there, in the window, was a big poster advertising the inaugural cruise of the "Gargantuan of the Seas", the latest (& largest) megaliner to ply her trade on the oceans. And, wonder of wonders, the price was 59 quid for 7 days.This stopped him in his tracks. He couldn't remember when he had had a holiday. The last twenty odd years were just a blur of country lanes, begging for small change and drinking when he had money and sweating out.