“No—we got them,” Beatrix said. “The full fifteen hundred, thanks to your contribution. That should get us to spring.”
Joan beamed, then frowned. “Then what’s wrong? Something’s obviously wrong.”
Beatrix glanced at Ella, but Ella’s eyes were squeezed shut as she concentrated on undoing the illusions on them.
“We saw the vice president’s son at the shop,” she said cautiously. “Was a bit of a shock …”
Joan grimaced. “Freddie Draden is always a bit of a shock. Be glad you were disguised as men so he didn’t try to feel you up.”
That was one surprise too many. Beatrix sat heavily on the edge of the tub. “Don’t tell meyouknow him, too?”
“We go to some of the same parties,” Joan said, shrugging—as if to suggest it was nothing of consequence that she was invited to parties the vice president’s son deemed worthy of attending. “He’s lived in Baltimore for almost a year, you know.”
Beatrix leaned forward, propelled by a surge of hope: “Do you have any idea whom he’s dating?”
“Sure.” Joan rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask me whyshe’s dating him, though.”
“He came to the shop to purchase an abortifacient that could endanger her life. Can you tell her not to drink a thing he gives her?”
Joan frowned. “But Betty’s not pregnant.”
“You’re—you’re sure of that?”
“Certain. Maybe he was ‘entertaining’ someone on the side, or—oh.” Joan groaned. “Oh,Betty.”
Ella, without opening her eyes, said: “She’s taken wizard hunting to the extreme?”
Beatrix gripped the tub. “Please tell me she’s not pretending to be pregnant in hopes of forcing an offer of marriage.”
“I think that’s exactly what she’s doing,” Joan said. “Sheadmittedit, all but—‘Oh, I can get him, don’t you worry about that.’ I thought it was a joke. I was in the middle of ticking off themanyreasons she ought to stop seeing him, and I’d just said he was playing around with her.”
“Wizard hunters aren’t quite as bad as wizards,” Ella said, opening her eyes and surveying her back-to-normal face in the mirror, “but I have nothing but contempt for those sorts of women.”
“Betty isn’t that sort of woman,” Joan said. “No, really! She graduated top of her class at Smith. She’s always struck me as someone who wanted todothings.”
“Ambitious?” Beatrix asked.
“Yes, just like us.”
“If you narrow someone’s options to nurse, schoolteacher, secretary or wife,” Beatrix said, “you’ll getBettys who aim their ambition at powerful men, or in this case the son of one.”
Ella looked decidedly unsympathetic. Joan sighed.
“So what do we do?” Beatrix said, glancing between them.
“Sounds like they deserve each other,” Ella muttered. “Let them sort themselves out.”
“Maybe I can talk some sense into her,” Joan said.
“Tell her that people who get in the Dradens’ way tend to regret it,” Ella said.
Beatrix swallowed, dread spreading its tendrils in her chest. WhatdidDraden—Vice President Draden—have in store for them? Even if the cameras were a sign that he preferred ruining their reputations to more drastic action, what would he do when months went by with no material?
“Hold still,” Ella said to Beatrix, “and I’ll put your face back to normal.”
As she waited, Beatrix listened to Joan count out a quarter of the leaves and tried to put the vice president out of her mind. What filled it instead was Betty, attempting to trick a man who didn’t love her into a marriage built on a lie, and Frederick Draden, attempting to solve his problem by endangering her life. It made her feel so tired and sad. No wonder Garrett had been charmed by her dislike of his profession.
When all the illusions were gone, they drove slowly on still-slushy roads to deliver leaves to other Plan B lieutenants: first Marilyn Zuckerman, then Clara Daniels. They’d have to wait on Dot Yamaguchi, due back in town at the end of the week for spring semester.
