Rachel edged her hand out to meet Hobenson's cautiously, and almost flinched when his fingers snaked out to wrap around hers. "Yi qian shi ren he ren chang shi miao shu tai zi bi zi sha you yu qi que dian." Hobenson raised her arm higher, and planted a delicate kiss on the back of Rachel's hand. "Julius Hobenson at your service."

Rachel smiled coyly. "Rachel Wu. I must say I've heard some interesting things about you, Mr. Hobenson."

"All of them entirely false. I assure you, there's nothing interesting about me." Rachel forced herself to chuckle. "Do I know you? Are you that new girl Lord Folsom's been talking about? I can certainly see why he feels compelled to brag."

Rachel pursed her lips into a forced smile. "No, I'm here on my own. This is Saul Horton, an associate of mine."

Hobenson nodded absentmindedly to Saul, then turned back to Rachel. Before he spoke, however, his eyes flared and he looked back up at the cook. "Not Saul Horton…the Knight?" Saul grimaced and nodded curtly, as if afraid that anyone else there associate him with his title as a bounty hunter. "Well, this is quite a zhong da shi jian. Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Horton."

Saul smiled flatly. "So does yours, Mr. Hobenson."

Hobenson's smile curled into a sneer around the mustache of his thin, graying beard. "Then I suppose we should all be careful tonight, shouldn't we?" Saul forced a smile and Hobenson turned his attention back to Rachel. "Wu, Wu…you're not the one who's sitting in at my table tonight, are you?" Rachel nodded. "Well. It will be a pleasure to have you." Rachel didn't like the way he said that. He looked as if he was about to leave, but then turned back toward her. "Tell me, Miss Wu, why exactly have you come here tonight?"

Rachel shrugged dismissively. "Just trying to meet new people."

Hobenson stared at her for a moment, then nodded seriously. "Just be sure you don't try to break into the wrong conversation, hm? Some people don't take well to others showing an undue interest in their affairs."

Rachel smiled ic