That he answered seriously thrilled and vindicated her in the same breath. Carmelina nodded sagely. She knew at least something about desert sands and had heard of a few encounters with local bandits from her time in Egypt - although she was less familiar with bears.
“Oh, was she?” Carmelina echoed, barely able to suppress a faraway smile at the thought as she conjured up an image of the bandit lady, sheathed in swirling fabrics, knives in her pockets, perhaps galloping off on a horse. A rather... romanticised conjuration, she was sure, but what was the use of imagining anything if one couldn’t fill one’s head with the most alluring, ridiculous, sensational apparitions conceivable? “And where did you cross paths with these bandits?” She pressed, conversationally. “Somehow not Hogsmeade, I imagine!”
“Oh, was she?” Carmelina echoed, barely able to suppress a faraway smile at the thought as she conjured up an image of the bandit lady, sheathed in swirling fabrics, knives in her pockets, perhaps galloping off on a horse. A rather... romanticised conjuration, she was sure, but what was the use of imagining anything if one couldn’t fill one’s head with the most alluring, ridiculous, sensational apparitions conceivable? “And where did you cross paths with these bandits?” She pressed, conversationally. “Somehow not Hogsmeade, I imagine!”
