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"Oh, thank you" Sophronia actually hugged her sister

Petunia allowed it and then brushed her away "Really, Sophronia, I’m not accusto Now I s on I know you want to irls did as instructed Although ithow to hide deadly little knives in their hair, whether Sophronia’s favorite carnet de bal garrote was too much at a dinner party, and if Bumbersnoot could be decorated to h Sophronia could tell Diown turned out to be exactly the correct choice For while Lord Akeldas hih he appeared welcoent’s Park, his eyes were critical The vaative word, but Di too much jewelry Petunia realized that her condition was no secret to the discerning eye And Agatha, poor Agatha, was convinced she was a failure in all things fashionable, although her dress was à la mode and her hair had taken three hours

Sophronia’s subtle gown and understated pearls, however, host of a smile twitched at Lord Akeldama’s perfectly pouty lips as he evaluated her attire

"How lovely to see such beautiful butterflies My, but I do adore groups of ladies They always balance out my table so very decorously I blush to adentle of which, drones! Oh, where are my drones? You butterflies simply must have matched escort flowers"

Lord Akeldaold striped waistcoat, and a creaold-and-eave Dimity a small case of the vapors

"Now, that," she whispered to Sophronia, "is roup of stunning young men trooped down the stairs from their private chambers above They were all dressed as impeccably as theirof loss at having been forced to turn down Lord Akeldaht have lived a all this beauty The drones stood, untroubled, as the vampire evaluated the women--based on color, of course

Sophronia privately suspected that character was also taken into account Lord Akeldaht that way--but not so shallow as to sacrifice conversational flow on the altar of fashion Not for an entire evening, at least

"Mrs Hisselpenny, such a lovely rose pink, you would go ith Peanut here" Peanut proved to be tall, with a shock of thick carareen, which paired with Petunia’s pink to look very like a rosebush

"Miss Pluo ith Bolo Good evening, Bolo, my pearl" Dimity was in a froth of layered cream muslin, demure except that the sleeves were transparent and the hem had a band of lavender ereat deal of--supposedly--amethyst jewelry Bolo, a shorter, stouter individual with an angelic round face and the ray and no jewelry at all, not even a pin

"You are the ether

Sophronia sed down a sle stepped forward If being atha was an insult, his expression showed nothing but pleasure at her co suit of chocolate brown Sophronia had to adatha’s unfortunate ruffled orange gown, that was it Together they looked like a pumpkin patch

While the others were led away, the vampire turned on Sophronia "Which leaves you, my dearest kitten"

"Lord Akeldaain" Sophronia attempted to retain some of the conversational territory, which the vampire, in a remarkable imitation of a military invasion, had taken into his possession fro fang

Sophronia took it like a girl who had been educated by a va all her teeth andcertain it did not reach her eyes