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"And yet you cling to clean-scrubbedto fall in love with the evil landlord and end up throwing yourself off a cliff"

Eleanor thought about the i around in a melancholy daze," she stated

"It’s as if Gideon stole all the life out of you, those years ago" Anne reached in her net bag and brought out a thin silver box, flicked it open and displayed a row of cigarillos

"I can’t think that tobacco is good for you," Eleanor observed

"This isn’t forto offset Lisette’s pallid brand of perfect Englishwo absolutely wicked Lusciously licentious"

"Wicked? Me?"

"The only way to stay young is to try new things," Anne said "God knows virtue never shaved off anyone’s years On second thought, I’ll wait to give you a cigarillo until after supper But then you, Lady Eleanor, are going to have a glass of wine and smoke tobacco I shall tutor you myself"

"Pah!"

"You don’t have to sarillo catapults one fro Here’s my point, Eleanor Gideon the Godless stole inity when he turned his back and o downstairs? I need so spirits beforeher

"Ratafia promotes mental instability: that’s why there are so many silly women in the ton Ru room, paused for a moment on the threshold so as to draw all eyes, and thenEleanor forward

Lisette beamed at them, of course Lisette was always happy to see her friends Their mother opened her mouth and snapped it shut, for all the world like a beached fish Villiers said nothing, nor did his face change

Anne tucked her ar, everyone" She turned to Popper, as proffering a silver tray "Is that ratafia, Popper? And orgeat? Absolutely not We know exactly e’d like Rum punch, if you please"

Lisette came to her feet as if she had just reown of creaet-me-nots Her bosom was chastely covered, and her panniers equally modest Eleanor felt like the Whore of Babylon by comparison, dressed in crimson and painted to match

Her mother appeared at her side "Why?" the duchess whispered, horror in her voice "Why?"

"I aown, precisely as you bade uilt "You instructed ards men, Mother You said that I must learn from her experience"

"But--But--"

"Doesn’t Eleanor look absolutely ravishing?" Anne put in

"She does!" Lisette crowed, joining them Lisette had never expressed a stick of jealousy, as far as Eleanor knew "I wish that we had more visitors to admire you" The smile fell from her face "We never seeuerite, tends to discourage our neighbors fro us for dinner Oh, I know!" She wavedrum punch at the sideboard

"Popper! Popper!"

The butler turned around "Yes, my lady?"