Page 3 (1/2)

Sophronia could feel herself flushing It was a fair assessood Better thancould beat her in physical combat, Dimity and Preshea were races, but Sophronia was the best at espionage Nevertheless, she held her tongue and stared at her hands, forcing herself not to clasp theencers were male Perhaps once in a while there was room for a female

"Thank you, Miss Temminnick You are dismissed"

Sophronia bobbed a curtsy It was just shy of being too high and too brief and thus rude But before Lady Linette could corand that no teacher at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s would critique the action

RESULTS DISORIENTATED

Sophronia found Di in the hallway Her friend’s face hite, and her lower lip trehastly?"

She’s getting ht Sophronia Overexposure to Madeift for understateift for overstatement

"I poured the cold tea," admitted Dimity "Did you?"

Sophronia nodded

"Oh, good, I thought you s"

"Not always"

Dimity was crestfallen "Oh, dear Your assesshtened "Really? Neither was ht you wanted to be sent down I thought you wanted to be put into a real finishing school, to become an ordinary lady with a respectable parlia the next dinner party"

"I did I mean, I do But Mummy would be so very disappointed, and I would have to leave you And Sidheag And Buic "True"

"Speaking of which, I must talk with you about this letter I received" Dirabbed for it

Dimity was faster "No, you can’t see it until we are with the others"

Sophronia stuck her tongue out but waited obligingly until after luncheon Due to the presence of Monique and Preshea in the drawing roo joined Sophronia and Diossip

Dimity produced the letter, both eleproops!"

"Di private correspondences froentleman friend?"

"No, but this is the first I didn’t write to him! And it can’t be that bad; our faatha was properly concerned "Has he peratha Woosmoss was small, round, and redheaded, with a freckled face that wore a perpetual expression of distressed confusion, not unlike that of a damp cat

Dimity flushed even redder "No, but I’ the hastily scrawled note "It’s worse than simply a letter He wants to meet with you, in private and secretly!"

"Dimity!" Sophronia said "Why didn’t you tell me?"

Dimity was truculent "Because I knew you’d be all Sophroniaish about it That’s why It’s not that bad, is it? He probably only wants to chat a bit about the weather or so missive, said, "Since it says here that he intends to co Maccon was an overly tall young wo, proud face and a general attitude of indifference to both manners and dress that drove their teachers to distraction

Sophronia was having none of it "Dihy and then try to find us I’ve no idea where we are over Dartmoor, do you? I’hies The whole idea is foolhardy"

Diht and was disposed to think well of him "It must be important, then, mustn’t it? Perhaps it’s a declaration!"

"Oh, Diatha

Sophronia added, "You’re only just fourteen, and he’s what, sixteen?"

Di, the blunt one, said, "He isn’t even holding yet He can’t declare without his parents’ per been raised by men, or Scots, or soldiers, or olves, or all four Since she was also Lady Kingair, her crassness would have been an accepted eccentricity--in a arity was as odd and uncomfortable as last season’s hat

Sophronia took the ’s hand and exaave it a certain weight But she did wonder what the son was doing with his father’s stationery Probably using it to write angry letters to poor trades ladies like Dimity

"He wants to meet with you on the back squeak deck in a week and a half?"