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When she entered the shop, the girls stood sheepishly waiting for her. She asked the milliner’s assistant to allow the girls to try the bonnets they liked.

While Poppy put on the white bonnet and Violet a light blue one with lace, Hazel stood with a grim face and didn’t move.

Calliope quickly scanned the street through the window to see if the man had returned. “Why don’t you try one, too, Hazel?” she asked.

Hazel’s eyes darted to a yellow bonnet, but she stubbornly lifted her chin. “Because I have everything I need. Besides, Nathaniel won’t like you buying them bonnets.”

“Nathaniel doesn’t know what it’s like in our places,” said Violet.

“He does, actually,” said Hazel. “Why do you think he comes back home with cuts and bruises?”

Calliope went to Violet, who stood in front of a small mirror struggling with the bonnet. Calliope corrected the position of the bonnet on her head, and it fit perfectly. She tied a bow under her chin. “Why does he, Hazel?”

Violet looked at Calliope from under her lashes. “I heard Joshua tell Mrs. Nicholson that’s how he earns money.”

“What? What does that mean?”

Violet shrugged. “That’s all we know.”

Calliope looked at Hazel, who avoided her gaze, darted towards the yellow bonnet, and busied herself with touching the ribbons, the lace, and the ornaments.

“Hazel?” Calliope asked again, approaching her. “What do you know?”

“I’m sure I don’t know anything,” said Hazel, her cheeks reddening but her neck still straight.

“He doesn’t say anything to us,” said Poppy sadly. “All I know is he’s doing more for us than he wants to admit. He got the dogs to protect us, although from what, I don’t know. He goes to the balls he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t come home for days. And when he does, he reeks of perfume and appears so exhausted he seems in need of a week’s rest. But then he can pay Mrs. Nicholson and Joshua and tells them to order meat and sugar and finally good tea. Sometimes he can buy us new books.”

“Poppy!” Hazel gasped.

“She should know, Hazel,” said Violet. “She’s his wife. Our new sister.”

“Those are always our favorite days, Calliope.” Poppy said as she turned this way and that, looking at herself in the mirror. “Because that’s when Violet can read us new stories.”

Calliope’s heart did that lurch again. Nathaniel bore the weight of the whole world on his shoulders, and yet she’d called him irresponsible. Guilt gnawed at her as she thought about the hurt she’d seen in his eyes. Calliope’s eyes blurred with tears, and she swallowed a sudden knot in her throat.

She wished he could accept that he didn’t need to bear that weight all alone. That she was there to help.

“You know what,” she said with a smile. “Let us get all those bonnets and go to a bookshop. And you can pick any books you like. And then we’ll go to Sumhall and raid the library. What do you say?”

The twins giggled and nodded. Violet clapped her hands together. Hazel bit her lip but nodded reluctantly. She couldn’t fool Calliope. Even though she refused a bonnet, her eyes glimmered at the mention of books.

And Calliope would still buy her the yellow bonnet.

After Calliope paid and the shop assistant packed the bonnets into three round boxes, they left, Argos loyally trotting by Hazel’s side. They were chatting and giggling as they walked towards Calliope’s favorite bookstore, which was just six shops down the street. Calliope glanced up and down the street to see if the man who had followed them was there…

And froze just for a moment as her glance grazed the man’s figure. He was leaning against a carriage, looking straight at her.

Fear burst through her, but she pasted the smile back onto her face, looking away, trying to make sure he didn’t think she’d noticed him. Walking down the street with the girls, she thought about what she could do now to protect herself and Nathaniel’s sisters. It was good, she supposed, that they had Argos. The beast looked dangerous enough to spook some villains—hopefully, including that one.

They could scream for help; there were many people around, enough that the man, perhaps, wouldn’t try anything.

But Calliope had to know what he intended.

As they walked, chatting about what books the girls wanted to read, Calliope covertly looked over her shoulder. The man was nowhere to be seen, only well-dressed ladies and gentlemen. She felt safe enough now. The bookstore she had in mind was situated in a narrow side street, and she and the girls turned there. It was much quieter. The brick walls of the buildings flanked both sides with paned windows decorated with red and pink geraniums, and there, about fifty feet away, was the sign of the bookstore.

“There it is,” said Calliope.

They had stridden a few paces farther when she heard footsteps behind them. She turned.