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She stood there, looking at her brother's tre so hard to keep his upper lip stiff and not show his disappointid sticks at his sides, and his chin was jutted out, as if keeping his jaw still would somehow stem his tears

Elizabeth looked at him and saw the price of her pride

"I don't know about Eton," she said, leaning down to embrace him "Maybe we can still make it work"

But Lucas pulled back "We can't afford it You try so hard to hide it, but I know the truth I can't go I'o"

"That's not true Maybe this"--shedifferent" She smiled weakly Her words were utterly without conviction, and even an eight-year-old--especially an eight-year-old-- could tell she was lying

Lucas's eyes fixed on hers for the est mooing to bed"

Elizabeth didn't even try to stop hi she could say

Jane folloithout a word, her little blond braid so decidedly limp

Elizabeth looked at Susan "Do you hate me?"

Susan shook her head "But I don't understand you"

"We can't accept this, Susan We'd be indebted to our benefactor for the rest of our lives"

"But why does it matter? We don't even knoho he is!"

"I won't be indebted to him," Elizabeth said fiercely "I won't"

Susan drew back a step, her eyes groide "You knoho it is," she whispered "You knoho sent this"

"No," Elizabeth said, but they both knew she was lying

"You do And that's why you won't accept it"

"Susan, I won't discuss this further"

Susan backed away, grasping the doorfra to comfort Lucas," she said "He needs a shoulder to cry on"

Elizabeth winced

"A rather direct hit," Blake murmured, once Susan was up the stairs

Elizabeth turned She'd co your pardon?"

He shook his head "It doesn't bear repeating"

She sank against the back of the sofa, her legs refusing to hold her up a single second longer "It see"

"Not all"