“We are going to pick up our instruments and play Mozart,”Honoria announced. “And we are going to do it with smiles on ourfaces.”“I have no idea what any of you are talking about,” Daisy said.“I will play,” Sarah said, “but I make no promises about asmile.” She looked at the piano and blinked. “And I am not pickingup my instrument.”Iris actually giggled. Then her eyes lit up. “I could help you.”“Pick it up?”Iris’s grin grew positively devilish. “The window is not far . . .”“I knew I loved you,” Sarah said with a wide smile.”

“Listen to me,” Iris said again. “If we attempt this piece, we willbe massacred.”“By whom?” Daisy asked.Iris just looked at her, completely unable to articulate a reply.“By the music,” Sarah put in.“Oh, you’ve decided to join the discussion, then,” Honoria said.“Don’t be sarcastic,” Sarah snipped.“Where were the two of you when I was trying to picksomething out?”“They were moving the piano.”“Daisy!” all three of them yelled.“What did I say?” Daisy demanded.“Try not to be so literal,” Iris snapped.”

“It’s because she doesn’t have eyelashes,” Daisy said.Iris turned to her with complete calm and said, “I hate you.”“That’s a terrible thing to say, Daisy,” Honoria said, turning onher with a stern expression. It was true that Iris was extraordinarilypale, with the kind of strawberry blond hair that seemed to renderher lashes and brows almost invisible. But she’d always thought Iriswas absolutely gorgeous, almost ethereal-looking.“If she didn’t have eyelashes, she’d be dead,” Sarah said.Honoria turned to her, unable to believe the direction of theconversation. Well, no, that was not completely accurate. Shebelieved it (unfortunately). She just didn’t understand it.“Well, it’s true,” Sarah said defensively. “Or at the very least,blind. Lashes keep all the dust from our eyes.”“Why are we having this conversation?” Honoria wonderedaloud.Daisy immediately answered, “It’s because Sarah said shedidn’t think Iris could look venomous, and then I said—"“I know,” Honoria cut in, and then, when she realized Daisy stillhad her mouth open, looking as if she was only waiting for the rightmoment to complete her sentence, she said it again. “I know. It wasa hypothetical question.”“It still had a perfectly valid answer,” Daisy said with a sniff.”

“Honoria Smythe-Smith,” Sarah said, positively grinning, “I amso proud of you.”“I would ask why,” Honoria replied warily, “but I’m not sure Iwant to know the answer”

“Marcus’s appearance theday before had been discussed, dissected, analyzed, and—by LadySarah Pleinsworth, Honoria’s cousin and one of her closest friends—rendered into poetry.“He came in the rain,” Sarah intoned. “The day had been plain.”Honoria nearly spit out her tea.“It was muddy, this lane—”Cecily Royle smiled slyly over her teacup. “Have youconsidered free verse?”“—our heroine, in pain—”“I was cold,” Honoria put in.Iris Smythe-Smith, another of Honoria’s cousins, looked up withher signature dry expression. “I am in pain,” she stated.“Specifically, my ears.”Honoria shot Iris a look that said clearly, Be polite. Iris justshrugged.“—her distress, she did feign—”“Not true!” Honoria protested.“You can’t interfere with genius,” Iris said sweetly.“—her schemes, not in vain—”“This poem is devolving rapidly,” Honoria stated.“I am beginning to enjoy it,” said Cecily.“—her existence, a bane . . .”Honoria let out a snort. “Oh, come now!”“I think she’s doing an admirable job,” Iris said, “given thelimitations of the rhyming structure.” She looked over at Sarah, whohad gone quite suddenly silent. Iris cocked her head to the side; sodid Honoria and Sarah.Sarah’s lips were parted, and her left hand was still outstretchedwith great drama, but she appeared to have run out of words.“Cane?” Cecily suggested. “Main?”“Insane?” offered Iris.“Any moment now,” Honoria said tartly, “if I’m trapped heremuch longer with you lot.”

“Why is everyone complaining?” Daisy asked impatiently. “Thisis exciting! We get to perform. Do you know how long I have beenwaiting for this day?”“Unfortunately, yes,” Sarah said flatly.“About as long as I have been dreading it,” Iris muttered.”