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“I a to bed!”

And he was gone, the door sla behind him

“Mama,” Francesca breathed in ary What did you say?”

Amy looked shaken “I don’t know”

“I thought he ht throw us out into the street”

“I underesti to take to restore ourselves to races”

Francesca rose and slipped an arm about her “Poor Mama I don’t envy you”

“He is fa to fall out with one’s fa of which…Francesca, now don’t bite my head off like William, but you really should visit Aphrodite”

Francesca stiffened “No,” she said “I will enjoy seeing Aunt Helen again, despite Toby’s awfulness, but I do not wish to see Aphrodite I have nothing to say to her, nor she to me”

Ao But it would be polite to send a note and give her the chance to call on you She is your mother”

“No, she isn’t,” Francesca retorted “You’re my mother I don’t need two I don’t want two Now I think I will retire Good night, Mama”

Francesca closed the door, relieved to escape further probing and questioning If Vivianna and Marietta were here, they’d pester her to see Aphrodite, but she was determined to stand firm From the moment they discovered Aphrodite was their true mother, Francesca refused to have any sort of relationship with her, and over the years nothing had changed

Soft footsteps sounded from the head of the staircase Francesca looked up and saw Lil, cloaked and ready to go out The maid obviously hadn’t realized she was there, because when she saw Francesca she froze, her expression full of guilt and dismay

“Lil? Where are you going?”

“Nowhere,” Lil said quickly “I…It’s nothing”