i stood , holding my hand out to her . more aggressive than usual , '' she muttered . you 're the only one in this place who thinks so , so you 're it . she turned around in a swish of tattered black lace . she hooked her hands under my arms to help me stand . he gave her a gold guinea , which she bit . but what about all our friends ? he considered each of his past female companions , although none were recent . she was radiant in the warm june sunlight . 