Where /did /time go? "Mama-in-law wants me to wear my green," Vanessa said. "And will you?" Margaret settled in her chair again and for once sat with idle hands.

Vanessa shrugged and looked down at her gray wool dress. She had still not been able to persuade herself to leave off her mourning entirely. "It might appear that I had forgotten him," she said. "And yet," Margaret reminded her - as if she needed reminding, "Hedley bought you the green because he thought the color particularly suited you." He had bought it for the summer fete a year and a half ago. She had worn it only once - to sit beside his sickbed on that day while the revelries proceeded in the garden below.

He had died two days later. "Perhaps I will wear it tonight," she said. Or perhaps she would wear the lavender, which did not suit her at all but was at least half mourning. "Here comes Kate," Margaret said, looking through the window and smiling, "in more of a hurry than usual." Vanessa turned her head to see their youngest sister waving to them from the garden path.

A minute later she burst in upon them, having divested herself of her outdoor garments in the hallway. "How was school today?" Margaret asked. "Impossible!" Katherine declared. "Even the children are infected with excitement about this evening. Tom Hubbard stopped by to ask me for the opening set, but I had to say no because Jeremy Stoppard had already reserved it with me. I will dance the second set with Tom." "He will ask you again to marry him," Vanessa warned. "I suppose so," Katherine agreed, sinking into the chair closest to the door. "I suppose he would die of shock if I were to say yes one of these times." "At least," Margaret said, "he would die happy." They all laughed. "But Tom brought startling news with him," Katherine said. "There is a /viscount /staying at the inn.