Goodness gracious me, exclaimed Alexia, what are you wearing? It looks like the unfortunate progeny of an illicit union between a pair of binoculars and some opera glasses. What on earth are they called, binocticals, spectaculars? The earl snorted his amusement and then tried to pretend he hadn't. How about glassicals? he suggested, apparently unable to resist a contribution.

Soulless: Book 1 of The Parasol Protectorate (ed. Hachette UK, 2010) - ISBN: 9780748121489