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Sidheag nodded vigorously Diatha looked at the floor

Diu like that, Mummy calls him a Pickleman"

Sophronia nodded "Well, I haven’t taken sides yet"

Agatha said, "Oh, dear, are there sides?"

"Very likely Speaking of your parents, Dimity, they haven’t upset anyone recently, have they? Anyone important or powerful? On either side, perhaps?"

Dimity frowned "I don’t think so, why? Oh, because of that odd thing with Lord Dingleproops’s letter? You think soh htened "I shall write and ask theet Pillover to do it They will be delighted he’s finally taken an interest in soht even tell hiave up on ood works plan"

"What?" Sophronia was distracted

"London cabbies are so very often under the weather," said Dimity with a sniff "One does what one can"

"Oh, well, yes And getting Pillover to write, good idea" Sophronia was deterain Especially with the possibility that Dimity’s time at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s was soon to end Even if Dimity had some harebrained sche, when she and Vieve had spied on Professors Lefoux and Shrimpdittle "I think Monique is so about this ball of hers, but she’s at least involved in Professor Lefoux’s experiirl We should run an infiltration on her"

Dimity nodded They’d taken instruction recently fro of provocational action Time to put lessons to use

"She’ll not believe it, if it were " The taller girl looked up at her nae your personality so drastically as to be interested in a ball You ht betray us, but not for an invitation"

"I’ll take that as a coatha," said Diatha was definitely their weakest link

The redhead looked back and forth between the I was afraid this would happen if we got chuain"

Sophronia hunkered down conspiratorially "You’re the only possible choice, Agatha You need to infiltrate Monique’s group"

"Wait! What? Me?"

"Yes, simply pretend you really want an invitation to her blasted ball Start lurking on the fringes Keep an eye on her," instructed Sophronia

"Then report back to us with the details!" added Diatha’s eyes were huge in distress

"You don’t have to do anything, only watch" Sidheag tried to be reassuring

"It’ll be good for you, Agatha Show the teachers you’ve got acuhtened "Oh, do you think it atha actually wanted to stay at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s--to please her papa

"And," added Diht net you an invitation to the ball"

That was not the right tactic Agatha looked terrified at the possibility

Sophronia said hurriedly, "Oh, I don’t think Monique would, no atha"

"Oh, good"

"So, are you gaossip

Agatha straightened and looked pugnacious "I’ll do atha did try She began, with re Monique’s followers She inched her way down to that end of the table at reat deal of nice jewelry, the real stuff, unlike Dimity

Unfortunately, her reports were unsatisfactory "The ball is all she talks of," she kept saying, and, "When can I stop?"

Then a few evenings later, when Di ready for sleep, a deown, squeaked and dove for her bed Sophronia, still dressed, went to answer

It was Agatha "Sorry to disturb you so late, but… Monique’s gone"

"What?"

"I did like you suggested and went to her roo I wanted that necklace back Preshea tried to hide the fact, but Monique’s not there She’s definitely snuck off I think it has soot earlier One of the oodness Thank you, Agatha!"