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"No, I don’t believe he did"

Toives me a smirk "I’ve become a clinical assistant at Bethlem Royal Hospital," he parrots smartly

"Really, Thomas," Grandmama chides without enthusiasm

"Do you mean Bedlam, the lunatic asylum?" I ask

Tom’s knife scrapes his plate"We do not call it that"

"Do eat your peas, Gemma," Grandmama says "We’ve been invited to a ball hosted by Lady George Worthington, the admiral’s wife It is the most coveted invitation of the Christton?"

Ah, an excellent question Let’s seeShe kisses Gypsies in the woods and once lockedht of a pale moon, I saw her kill a deer and climb from a ravine naked and splattered with blood She is also, strangely, one of my best friends Do not ask me to explain why

"Spirited," I say

"I thought toers She is to have a program of music in the afternoon"

I take a deep breath"I’ve been invited to pay a call tomorrow"

Grandmama’s fork stops midway to her mouth "To whom? Why was no card left here for me? Absolutely not Out of the question"

This is going well Perhaps next I could hang myself with the table linens

"It is Miss Moore, an art teacher at Spence" There is no need to mention her dismissal from that same institution "She is tremendously popular and beloved, and of all her students, she has invited only Miss Bradshaw, Miss Worthington, and me to visit her at home It is quite an honor"

"Miss BradshawDidn’t we meet her at Spence? She’s the scholarship student, is she not?" Grand "The orphan?"

"Did I not tell you?" My newly discovered penchant for lying is fast beco a skill

"Tell me what?"

"It was discovered that Miss Bradshaw has a great-uncle, a duke, who lives in Kent, and she is actually descended from Russian royalty A distant cousin to the czarina"