“Um, what?”
“It was late. The infirmary was closed.” Mortons seldom see doctors outside the family. We don’t want ordinaries keeping a catalog of our weaknesses.
“Damn,” Faraday sighed. “That boy can do anything.”
I nodded. When we were eleven, Sebastian cut his leg on some old barbed wire in the poppy field, where we weren’t supposed to play. Rather than confess, I tried to stitch him up. He took over halfway, already better with a needle than me.
“Sewing is a Morton addiction,” I said. “You should come out for Quilting Day next year. Everyone adds one square to our giant quilt. It’sbeen growing for decades.” Centuries. “Grandma gives us all presents. It’s our most proud family tradition.”
She smiled. “Isn’t pride a sin?”
“A Christian sin, a pagan virtue.” I put the glove back on. “Have you kissed Sebastian yet?”
Faraday stabbed at her chicken, giving me a little shrug.
I put down my fork and knife. “Does this shrug mean his prowess is overrated?”
“No, it means we haven’t yet. Which is Marlow’s fault.”
I waited for more.
“He’s being stingy,” Faraday explained. “Even thoughhe’sthe one who tried to give our company away. My spring wardrobe budget is basically zero, and he wants me to charge my roommates rent next year.”
I frowned. “You were paying for the whole house?”
“Jessica. Splitting the check is so middle class.”
“At a restaurant, yes. With housing, I think it’s the norm.”
“Really? Gross. Anyway, Salinger’s being weird about it—of course.” She hesitated. “Ireallyneed to replace him. Do you…”
I readied myself to say no yet again, but Faraday surprised me.
“Do you think Sebastian would live with me?”
“Sebastian?”
“Good-looking, profligate with his charms,” she said. “I think you’ve met.”
“We have, dear. But I must remind you, you have plans to kiss him.”
“Which is the whole point of this digression! Thanks to my brother, I clearly have to wait untilafterwe live together. It’s too brazen to kiss someone and then ask them to move in.”
“It might be awkward in either order.”
“Ugh, you’re right. Can you just fix my brother?”
And there it was, hardly a month after Faraday had signed—the need to assume control. Aunt Veronica had prepared me for this.
“We can,” I said. “But are you sure?”
“Sure of what? That I need new clothes?”
“That you want to play this card so soon. That you’re okay with everything changing between you and your brother.”
Faraday put down her fork and pushed her plate away.
“Changing how? Is he going to flee when he runs into me at dinner parties?”
