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She paused to consider that When it ca her above the rim of her bone china teacup

"I think I’erton choked so hard tea caht, really, and not one Billie had ever expected to see in her lifetiiana said

Billie flashed a scowl at her sister that was, all things considered, rather ierton," came her mother’s brook-no-dissent voice "You are a perfectly nice person"

Billie opened her ent to say

"If you’re not," herinto the -me punch of volume, "it reflects badly upon me, and I refuse to believe I am so derelict a mother as that"

"Of course not," Billie said quickly Very quickly

"Therefore I will repeat my question," her azed upon her elder daughter with remarkable impassivity "What do you plan to do today?"

"Well," Billie stalled She glanced over at her sister, but Georgiana was no help She just lifted her shoulders in a helpless little shrug that could have ot-into-her to I-a-your-discomfort-immensely

Billie scowled Wouldn’t it be lovely if people just said what they thought?

Billie turned back to herher with a deceptively placid expression "Well," she stalled again "I ht read a book?"

"A book," her mother repeated She dabbed at the corner of her htful"

Billie eyed her cautiously Any nu to leam in her eye that told Billie she’d be wise to keep her erton reached for the teapot She always drank more tea at breakfast than the rest of the fa, if you like," she said to Billie She also generally read more books than the rest of the faht," Billie replied, cutting her sausage into rounds "Father bought the latest voluriculture when he was in London last month I should have already started it, but the weather has been so fine I haven’t had the chance"

"You could read outside," Georgiana suggested "We could put down a blanket Or drag out a chaise"

Billie nodded absently as she stabbed a sausage disc "It would be better than re in, I suppose"

"You could help iana said

Billie gave her a condescending look "I don’t think so"

"Why not, darling?" Lady Bridgerton put in "It ht be fun"