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what he plans to do with her once he gets her there. He might be the most infuriating person I’ve ever met.
    Violet stays in bed for several days after the miscarriage—Lucien does tell me about that, about why she was bleeding so much. I didn’t know being pregnant could be that dangerous. When she does leave her room, I only eversee her when she goes out into the garden. I watch her wander through the neat rows of shrubs from one of the upstairs windows. She seems to like the west wall, or at least she always sets out in that direction. Then she’ll disappear into the wilder parts of the garden or into the hedge maze.
    Meanwhile, my opportunities to watch her grow more limited. My wedding plans are in full force. Mother has decided that now I should be involved in every stage of the process, as if getting married weren’t punishment enough. I’m forced to sit through endless china showings (Coral would probably faint from delight), and food tastings (those actually aren’t so bad), and Mother insists I help her with the ever-changing seating chart.
    Coral and I are forced to attend various lunches and tea parties and dinners, sometimes with our mothers and sometimes without. It’s nice to get to know her a little before I marry her, but it’s also awful because she’s just not that interesting.
    Mother makes arrangements one afternoon for a tailor to come and begin work on my tuxedo. Obviously I wander around the library for a little while first, just to make sure I’m not on time. As I meander through the rows that hold all the dull histories of the various Electresses and Exetors, I hear two voices; Carnelian and another girl. My pulse speeds up and I move closer.
    â€œI’m not up to anything,” the other girl says, and I know it must be Violet. I’ve never heard her speak before, but something about the voice sounds like her. “I just . . . like books.”
    I hear Carnelian snort. “Right,” she says. “We’ll see.”
    I’m not going to let an opportunity to speak to the girl I’ve been watching for almost two months slip by.
    â€œIs there a problem here, ladies?” I ask. They both look startled as I emerge from the stacks.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” Carnelian asks. “I thought you were supposed to be getting measured for your tuxedo.”
    I put on my best surprised face. “Am I? Why, it completely slipped my mind.” I look Violet up and down. She seems jittery, though anyone cornered by Carnelian would be. “Are you tormenting the surrogate, cousin? Better not let Mother catch you.”
    It feels strange calling her the surrogate now that I know her name.
    â€œI’m not afraid of her,” Carnelian says, jutting out her chin.
    â€œYes, you are,” I say. “Hey, where’s that companion she bought you? I heard you never leave his side.”
    Her face turns red and she looks like she might cry. She shoots Violet a scathing look, as if it’s Violet’s fault the companion isn’t around, then turns on her heel and storms off.
    Somehow I’ve managed to speak to Violet alone. I’m quite proud of myself even if it was accidental. I wonder if she knows her fate, that she’s supposed to die giving my Mother what she wants. I wonder what she thinks about Lucien, if he feeds her only bits and pieces of information, too.
    But I can’t say any of that out loud.
    â€œShe always was a little sensitive,” I say, staring after Carnelian and shrugging. “Oh, I’m Garnet, by the way.”
    â€œI know,” she says, and I have to laugh.
    â€œOf course you do.” I give her one of my most elaborate bows. “Shall I escort you back to your rooms?”
    â€œOh, um, that’s all right,” she says. She looks even more frightened of me than of Carnelian.
    â€œI insist,” I say, taking her elbow. It feels just like any other