SHE DANCED ALONE IN THE EMPTY BALLROOM AFTER MIDNIGHT-UNAWARE THE DUKE WAS WATCHING

to the back halls.”

“Good girl.” Vivien drank her tea and ate a piece of dry toast. She smelled the wax on the sideboard where the maid had polished lines lines choices, and listened to the small clink of her aunt’s spoon in her cup.

She thought about the dance in the empty ballroom, folding lines thought up small, like a letter, and putting lines away continue reading …