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The girls produced handkerchiefs fro books atop their heads for balance and posture

Lady Linette, blonde curls bobbing, ood, Monique Perfect, as always Next ti, smaller handkerchief A lady carries embroidered muslin, not--what on earth is that? A square of tweed? Really, girl! Dimity, watch your balance, and red? Dear, not red You’re not ready for red Red is only for the advanced deployment of handkerchiefs Preshea, why the discoloration? Have you been experiood handkerchief Agatha!"

Poor Agatha lost her balance while waiting, causing the books atop her head to tuirls fell over backward

Sophronia giggled

Agatha looked both terrified and mortified

Lady Linette tsked "Ladies Ladies!"

So the lessons continued, with Monique garnering theexcused froood behavior It was all very vexing

Once a week, the after-breakfast lesson was deceit with Madeetting-to-know-you session" and which the girls kneas really training in the fine art of engaging in conversation without actually saying anything

In the afternoon came tea and social discourse After tea, they practiced various parlor ga hall while the teachers either joined in or circulated, offering critique Sophronia learned quickly that Sidheag was particularly adept at cards and that Agatha was no good at all Preshea knew by heart all the different flavors of sherry and what ought to be stocked for gentlemen to i this, they had the history of social discourse from one of any number of teachers, which see in the library

Then caly endless round of dancing, drawing, es with Lady Linette, Sister Mathilde--who to as Sister Mattie--or, after the sun had set, Professor Braithwope Incorporated into these lessons were the fine arts of death, diversion, and the ht Then there was a small spate of spare time, which, due to the aned throughout the day, Sophronia soon deduced was purely as was turned off at two

Sophronia came to realize that despite a near-constant exhaustion inherself She loved the lessons in espionage and deceit--so e disturbed by the analytical approach tothan the one she had ih she couldn’t quite determine why she was there It occurred to her that perhaps all finishing schools were like this--after all, Preshea discussed poisonings as if they were commonplace--but she rejected that idea Shea proper lady, but she was sh to realize that her sisters wouldn’t putschools were they all this subversive

After teeks of such lessons, Sophronia drue to ask Lady Linette about the matter of her unusual education She waited patiently until after their lesson with Sister Mathilde on butter the stomach--in order to catch the teacher alone Lady Linette had just finished with a group of the advanced students on so technique that had even the oldest of the girls red-faced and tittering as they left the room

"Lady Linette, may I have a moment of your time?"

"Oh, Miss Temminnick Certainly How may I help you?"

"Would it be terribly forward of me to ask quite a direct question?"

"Well, it would certainly be against your training thus far We haven’t yet covered theprovocateur diploht excuse an uncontrolled query this once"

Sophronia took a deep breath "What, precisely, will I be expected to learn here?"

Lady Linette twirled one curl of blonde hair around the tip of one finger "Infor and object retrieval, of course But mostly, you should learn how to finish"

"Finish what, exactly?"

"Why, anything or anyone who needs finishing, my dear"

Sophronia shuffled her feet When Lady Linette’s forehead creased at the movement, Sophronia stilled and said, "Ah, yes, you see, it is not that I ah I haven’t the connections of the other girls, but…"

"Go on"

"I’m not certain I could do it"

"Do what, dear?"

"Kill someone in cold blood"