Chapter 8

“May I talk to you tonight,Papa?”I ask.

He looks down at me with a strange expression on his face.

“Yes,”he says.“Yes,tonight we’ll have to talk about something important.”

I smile as Papa walks away.We’re going to talk about a courtship between Devlin and I,I just know it.What else could be more important?

That evening after supper,Papa,Mama,and I all go into the sitting room,accompanied by our personal slaves.Anna melts into a corner.I sit on a comfortable chair of mahogany,next to Papa.Mama sits across the room,an inscrutable expression on her face.

Papa clears his throat,and turns to me.“Did you have a good time at the ball last night?”

“Oh,yes.It was the best night of my life!”