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Thus the young ladies, outfitted in each other’s finest--and each other’s personalities--descended upon Bunson and Lacroix’s Boys’ Polytechnique for a winter ball a feeeks later There existed no little anireed on the subjects of politics, supernatural acceptance, techniques of instruction, and teatime provisions But they were linked by necessity Bunson’s toiffle-on-Exe, was the way station for Madeirls trained in espionage find at short notice, except boys trained as evil geniuses?
The boys always expected soirls, but they see Nevertheless, they soldieredladies Bunson’s was not a particularly attractive school, but they’d done up the ballrooenius-ness was like that--showy There were autoh above filled with a yellow-colored noxious gas, suspended on s Fourquartet in one corner, where they played a rotating series of five, yes, five whole songs, over and over Soood he’d been recruited directly out of school as a Cultivator-class Picklee brass trays loaded with nibbles and punch Sophronia was suspicious of some of the nibbles (they could be explosive), so she stuck with recognizable foodstuffs Soed to dump absinthe in the punch, and it took ten whole minutes for Professor Lefoux to discover it and order a new batch Things were jolly indeed, for ten minutes
The boys had cleaned up as much as could be expected from those inclined toward evil Civilities were observed to even Lady Linette’s standards Carnets de bal were requested and filled in Sophronia was proud of hers--it doubled as a garrote, aerly, as her coatha’s way She skulked to the back of the rooed chair hidden behind a razor-edged ed fronds There were a nuirls and Bunson’s boys, despite a school policy that insisted these boys were for practice, not per courtships for the youngwas unusual They approached customary objects of flirtation only to be confused when conversations deviated or did not occur at all The face was the same, but the dress and interaction were at odds with all previous encounters
Preshea--as Sophronia--was flirting outrageously Yet Lady Linette did not object Am I thatFelix Mersey and edging toward him Sophronia hid a sneer Preshea would have done that no matter what But it showed she was unaware of recent history It was true Sophronia o Not any
Felix hadn’t seen Sophronia yet, and if she had her way, he never would He looked older and tired His hair was too long and his eyes slightly sunken, without their custouilt? He still looked better than any other ht Instead she felt… what? A slight nausea at possible confrontation, ust Sophronia had cut off all correspondence with him last February She’d returned his letters unopened
"Crikey, Sophronia, what’s the ?" Of all people, Pillover had found her hiding spot
Di relationship of such casualness with Sophronia as to make him treat the boundaries set by polite society with brotherly disregard Sophronia had learned to accept this treath she found it uncalled for; after all, she already had more than her fair share of brothers Sophronia and Pillover were also, so far as Sophronia’slike sooodness’ sake?" Pillover must be ruffled Usually he never said more than one sentence in a row
Sophronia looked at her toes so as not to show interest in the dance She dearly loved dancing, but Agatha hated it Ordinarily she would have said, "Pillover, you’re positively loquacious Are you running a fever?" But Agatha wouldn’t, so Sophronia didn’t
He looked her over, head to toe "And I can’t spot Bumbersnoot on you anywhere" He plopped down next to her without waiting for an invitation He had shot up into gangliness over the course of their acquaintance, accidentally cultivating an air of dissolute idleness that ht he had a broken heart in need of repairs In actuality, he was conjugating Latin verse in his head As there was nothing Pillover dislikedthe object of feminine attention, he remained utterly unmoved by their interest This, of course, only made hi her Miss Temminnick shortly after she forced him to dress in her petticoat in order to escape Bunson’s Such inti, Mr Pluravely forh the crowd The Bunson’s professors thought this was nor, but the ladies knew better Sophronia suspected Sister Mattie--ordistance at that very oodness’ sake, snap out of it!"
"I assure you, Mr Plu like a wilted violet No, strike that, a wilted olive tree" Even Pillover didn’t like Sophronia in Agatha’s dress "My sister has nary a sparkle in sight And Miss Woosmoss looks like a"--words failed him--"chandelier in slippers!" He seemed atha He thought her restfully chatter free--the irl Sophronia suspected hiatha--as Diown suited her very well Her hair was a glossy pile of russet curls, dotted with silk flowers Draped about her neck was a string of pearls--her own and likely real Her round cheeks were rosy fro, and the e else, they had, indeed, had to cinch the girl in very tight to fit her into Die could be seen froatha had laentleued," vowed Dimity "And you can be certain if I had the assets I should do exactly that, so it isn’t at all out of character Siatha, nevertheless subnh mark So she cinched and took the consequences Much to Pillover’s disgust, his sister’s predictions were correct The gentle around in a white dress with royal-blue tri theto emphasize what she didn’t have She had ribbon rosettes of blue and white in her honey-colored hair, which was dressed fashionably but without fuss She wore one expensive-looking diale and no other jewelry at all The diamonds were fake, of course, but you’d never knoithout close inspection