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Billie’sopen for a brief – but noticeable – moment before she said, "That’s what in a new, happier tradition"

"Is this really necessary?" George asked

"I knoill be difficult to re the cup down near Billie’s plate, "but I think it’s for the best As a name, Billie is so, well… I don’t know that I would call it mannish, but I don’t think it accurately represents hoish to portray you"

"It accurately represents who she is," George practically growled

"Goodness I had no idea you would feel so strongly about this," hisover at him with a flawlessly innocent expression "But of course, it’s not up to you"

"I would prefer to be called Billie," Billie said

"I’e’s fork came down heavily on his plate "Who the devil is it up to, then?"

His arded him as if he had asked just the stupidest question "Me"

"You," he said

"I kno these things work I’ve done this before, you know"

"Didn’t Mary find her husband in Kent?" George reained her polish in London"

Good God His one mad It was the only explanation She could be tenacious, and she could be exacting when it caed to weave the two together with such complete irrationality

"Surely it doesn’terton, anyway?"

"Of course," Lady Manston conceded, "but they will hear us speaking with you It’s not as if they won’t know your Christian narumbled

Histo Billie, "I know you did not co for a husband, but surely you see the convenience of it now that you’re here You’ll never find so entlemen in one place in Kent"

"I don’t know," Billie murmured over her tea, "it’s chock-full when all of the Rokesbys are hoe looked up sharply just as his hter "Too true, Billie," she said with a war that she meant to call her Sybilla), "but alas, I have only the one hoe said incredulously Apparently if one never went away, one wasn’t counted as being hoe"

Well, now he felt like a fool