"I must explain," Hilary said to the rather startled Annabelle. "Zoe was naughty today, so she has to serve us all dinner as a punishment."

"Oh," Annabelle said, still ill at ease.

She could understand Zoe's sulkiness now as the girl got out the silverware and began to lay the table in the other room. Hilary urged her to talk on, but something was bothering Annabelle and she even made another attempt to leave, but it was brushed off by Hilary.

Then the front door opened and there was the sound of men's laughter. That made Annabelle even more nervous and she was scarlet with embarrassment as four of them came in. Three of them were in business suits. The first one was a tall man in his forties and Hilary went up to him and kissed him before she introduced him.

"All of you," she said, "this is Annabelle, our librarian. Annabelle this is Antony, my husband. This is Patrick, a business associate, and his friend, Kirby, and this is Lee, another business friend of Antony's."

Annabelle almost ran out of the room as the introductions were made. Not only was it terribly embarrassing, but she realized that Kirby was the young man she had almost bumped into in the library and who had stared at her. He grinned as he shook her hand, his casual jacket swinging open.

"Well," Hilary said, "dinner."

Annabelle didn't say much as the meal progressed, even though Hilary and Kirby tried their best to bring her out. Zoe served them all, still looking sulky and aggressive, but she didn't make any mistakes.

It was over the coffee that Annabelle got the shock.

"Now, clear the table, Zoe," Hilary said.