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"To be fair, you’re an uns," I say, and Miles s it with a tilt of his head, which-sister sensors clearly on high alert, and I get up fros over ently, I feign a sudden case of deafness

• • •

I spend the rest of the daynot to think tooin this afternoon, and I was definitely trying to stay out of her way after our lastI’d done what she’d asked, sure, but it seemed smartest to keep my head down

The rain clears up by that afternoon, and when Glynnis co out the , liking the way the light moves over the hills, how it is never the sa or even photography so I could catch it so I could try out next? The pictures onit justice, so I finally decide to enjoy the view for what it is

"Wool-gathering?" Glynnis asks, s on the door of urative or literal sense?" I ask, and when she frowns at et it What’s that?"

Glynnis s in the sunlight "Your dress for tonight! Just arrived froh, and when Glynnis unzips the bag, I see that gorgeous tartan gown I’d drooled over in the catalog Glynnis had showed us, back when I was getting my new-and-iet choked up over a dress, but this is a really, really great dress, and also, it means that El still listens to me a little Still sees me

"It’s perfect," I tell Glynnis

• • •

A few hours later, I’ that statereen and purple and black looks pretty with low Yes, I feel a little bit like a princess, and okay,

Just a little twirling

But after an hour or so in it in a crowded ballroos, and I keep surreptitiously tugging at the bodice, afraid ht Plus El let ht on my temples, and I’m very, very aware that I not only have several thousand dollars on my head but also several hundred years of history This tiara had belonged to some ancestor of Alex’s, no one that important--Alex’s mom has a firm hand on all the stuff that actually matters, the fa’s aunt’s or so up at Sherbourne Castle

And if she’d wanted to toss this particular tiara from the tallest tower

I’m out on the stone patio that overlooks thethis heavy piece of silver, diamonds, and aod, they’ve gotten to you, too"

I turn around, s about throwing this priceless tiara in the duck pond," I tell hine flute of club soda to irl"

Dad ambles over to my side, and for a little bit, we stand in the soft-purple evening, looking down at the party

Ellie is also in tartan tonight, although hers is the official Baird tartan It’s pretty, and the diaain, it’s clear to me that El was meant to be a princess