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"If only women could dress like this all the ti her balance, she fell dras in the air like an upended tea table "I feel so free without a creaky old corset"

Her lady’s arded her doubtfully "Ladies need corsets to support their weak backs"

"I don’t have a weak back"

"You should pretend to Gentlemen prefer a delicate lady" Ida, who had pored over hundreds of ladies’ fashion periodicals, continued with authority "Take my advice and find a reason to shen you’re at the beach, so Lord St Vincent can catch you"

"Swoon fro on the bed, Pandora began to laugh "It’s afterher hands like pincers

"Don’t snort, if you please," Ida said sourly "You sound like a trumpet-major"

Raising up on her elbows, Pandora regarded her with a crooked grin Ida had been hired at the beginning of the Season, when it had been decided the twins each needed her own lady’s erly for the position of attending Cassandra, who had lovely golden hair and a far more co, however, which had forced Ida to settle for beco Pandora’s maid Ida had made no secret of her disappointment To Pandora’s amusement, Ida had dispensed with most of the usual courtesies and pleasantries, and had remained surly ever since In fact, when the two of the However, Ida was efficient and hardworking, and deterths to keep Pandora’s clothing in perfect condition, and was proficient at arranging her heavy, slippery hair so that it stayed firmly in its pins

"Your tone lacks deference, Ida," Pandora said

"I’ll treat you with all the deference in the world,Lord St Vincent up to scratch Word ae for someone else to marry you, if you don’t suit Lord St Vincent"

Instantly annoyed, Pandora cli costuame of pass-the-parcel? With me as the parcel?"

"It wasn’t Lord St Vincent who said so," Ida interrupted She held up a hooded robe, which had also been brought by Seraphina’s lady’s "

"How do you knohat his servants are saying?" Fu, Pandora turned and thrust her arms into the robe "We’ve only been here for an hour"

"It’s all everyone is talking about belowstairs" Ida fastened the robe at the waist It ave the ensemble the appearance of a proper dress "There, you’re presentable" She knelt and guided Pandora’s feet into little canvas slippers "Mind you don’t beco His lordship’s sisters will notice everything, and tell the duke and duchess"

"Bother," Pandora gru, she jammed a low-briroup heading to the beach consisted of Lord St Vincent, Seraphina, Ivo, Phoebe and her son Justin, Pandora, and Ajax, who bounded ahead and barked as if urging the an assortment of tin pails, spades, and kites