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He stood "I will call Billie what she wishes to be called And I will see you at Wintour House as promised, when the ball is underway If you will excuse me, I have much to attend to"

He didn’t actually, but he didn’t think he could listen to another word of his mother’s on the topic of Billie’s debut

The sooner they all got this wretched day over with the better

Billie watched hi, honestly she wasn’t, but even as she dipped her spoon into her porridge, she heard herself call out, "Wait!"

George paused at the door

"Just a quick word," she said, hastily setting down her napkin She had no idea what that quick wordwas there inside of her, and it obviously needed to get out She turned back to Lady Manston "Pray excuse e stepped out of the s room and into the hall to afford them a spot of privacy

Billie cleared her throat "Sorry"

"For what?"

Good question She wasn’t sorry "Actually," she said, "it’s thank you"

"You’re thankingup forme Billie"

His mouth curved into a wry half-smile "I don’t think I could call you Sybilla if I tried"

She returned the expression in kind "I’m not sure I would answer if it came from any voice other than my mother’s"

He studied her face for a moment, then said, "Don’t let my mother turn you into someone you’re not"

"Oh, I don’t think that’s possible at this late stage I’e of three-and-twenty?"

"It’s a very grand age when you’re an unmarried female," she retorted Maybe she shouldn’t have said it; there were too e proposals in their history (One, Billie thought, was too many Two practically ret saying it She couldn’t regret it Not if she wanted to turn one of those al real

And she did She’d been up half the night – well, twentyherself for her practically ensuring that he would not ask her to marry him If she’d had a hair shirt (and any inclination for useless gestures), she’d have donned it

George’s brow furrowed, and of course herwhy she’dto decide how to respond? Debating her sanity?