My dad leads the girls down the sconce-lit hallway toward the…ballroom? I can’t believe I’m calling it that now—or more accurately, that I even have a room like that in my house. As I pass the painting that I’m convinced has changed, I scowl at it.

Susannah glances back at me, and I pull my eyes away from the woman’s face. “This place is huge.”

“Perfect for a party. We love planning parties,” Mary says.

“Some of us more than others,” Alice says.

Mary ignores her and pats her stomach. “I just wish I wasn’t so full. I think I ate a loaf of garlic bread by myself. And those chocolate-dipped cannoli…wow.”

“You were eating like you’ve been starved half your life,” Alice says, even though she did the exact same thing. “And I know your mother keeps your refrigerator full.”

“Correction: she keeps it stocked with organic vegetables and granola parfaits, and no cannoli.”

“You’re welcome here anytime. We have enough sweets to feed the whole town,” my dad says as we enter the ballroom. It’s obvious he’s thrilled they showed up to eat a meal with us and even more thrilled they asked for a tour of the house.

Mary smiles.

“I’d be careful with that offer, Mr. M,” Alice says. “Mary may look small, but she’s got the metabolism and food capacity of a Tasmanian devil.”

The girls stop as if on cue and take in the room.

“This is like a time capsule from the eighteen hundreds,” Susannah says. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Well, feel free to have a party in here anytime you like,” my dad says.

Mary walks to the middle of the room and turns around twice. Her eyes widen. “What if we all meet here before the Spring Fling? It’s ideal for pictures.”

My dad lights up. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“I wasn’t going—” I start to say.

But Mary cuts me off with a squeal. “Is there a way to play music in here?”

My dad grins. “Sure thing. There’s an old record player over there, and we could easily bring in a stereo with some speakers.”

I cringe, remembering my fight with Jaxon. On impulse I pull out my phone and check my texts, but there are none. I usually hear from him ten times a day. I type a text and press send: Can we talk?

Mary walks up to the old gramophone. She lifts the lid and places the needle on a record. Scratchy classical music fills the room, and Mary bounces on the balls of her feet. Something about the music feels oddly familiar, and not good familiar. She picks up the needle and the room goes quiet.

The doorbell chimes. Jaxon?

“I’ll get it,” I say. Would he really come over that fast?

I speed-walk down the hall to the foyer and peer through the brass peephole. No one’s there. I open the door and squint into the darkness. A long glossy white box with a black bow sits on our steps with a card tucked into the ribbon.

I step outside and look around. “Hello?” But there’s no answer, and no delivery truck leaving from the curb.

I pull the box inside and open the card. It’s written in beautiful cursive, not as loopy as Elijah’s calligraphy, but close. It reads:

Niece? Myra H.H.? “Daaad?”

My dad comes down the hall so quickly I feel bad for having yelled his name. The girls are right behind him.

“Sam?” he says, and looks down at the pretty box. He’s on edge about every little thing. It’s almost like he’s waiting for something bad to happen the same way I am.

I hand him the card.

His brow furrows. “Huh. Well, that’s odd, considering your mother and I were only children. And I don’t know anyone named Myra. I suppose ‘aunt’ could be loosely referring to someone from my mother’s extended family? I just didn’t think we had any Haxtun relatives left.”

“Haxtun?”

“Your grandmother’s maiden name was Haxtun. That could be what one of the H’s stands for. No other H names in the family that I can recall. Maybe this is one of her second cousins I don’t know about?” He looks at me. “Come to think of it, that painting we talked about in the hallway—she might have been a Haxtun. Was this all that was in the envelope?”

“Yeah. No address or phone number of any kind.”

Alice steps past Mary to get a closer look at the card.

“Go on. Open it, Sam. I can’t take all the suspense,” Mary says.

I untie the elaborate bow and slide the white lid off the box at arm’s length, not entirely convinced something won’t jump out at me. Inside, there is rose tissue paper and an emerald-green silk dress with short white lace sleeves. My dream! That green dress on the deck!

I rub my thumb against my palm and avoid looking at my dad.

Susannah lifts it up, and the skirt falls all the way to the floor. The fabric hangs in complicated folds, and the lace looks fragile.

“Why would someone send me a fancy dress?”

“This isn’t just a dress,” Mary says. “It’s an Edwardian evening gown.”

Alice’s eyebrows go up. “Like Titanic Edwardian?”

Mary nods, and we all stare at the gown.

“Isn’t that the theme of your school dance?” my dad asks.

“Yeah, maybe our Haxtun relative sent this for the dance?”

“I don’t know the Haxtuns. It does seem odd for one of them to send you a dress out of the blue like this, though.” My dad laughs. “And we were just talking about you girls meeting here for pictures.”

I swallow. Does he have any idea how weird this is? Or does he just think it’s a strange coincidence?

“My mom’s sisters do this constantly,” Alice says quickly, and I’m extremely grateful to her for normalizing it. “I think I had seven different dress options for my tenth birthday.”

“If this Myra knows about your school dance, she must live nearby. Want me to ask Mae about her?” my dad asks.

I shake my head. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask her. That way I can send a thank-you card or something.”

“Whoever saw someone look so gloomy after getting a beautiful dress.” He smiles at me. “You used to love them when you were little.”

My shoulders relax. “They’re uncomfortable and I always trip,” I say. I couldn’t be more thrilled he thinks I’m upset only because it’s a dress.

“Here.” He hands me back the card. “I’ll check outside for a delivery slip.”

Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe he does think it’s weirder than he’s letting on. My dad opens the door, steps outside, and closes it behind him.

The girls move in so close, all of our shoulders touch.

“I saw this dress in my dream. The very first dream I had. It was on the deck of the ship,” I say fast and nervously.

Alice rubs her forehead. “And we were talking about the dance when it showed up. Another item appearing out of nowhere. And I don’t believe in coincidences. I think Redd was right that we started something. Don’t mess with this dress until we decide what to do with it.” Even in a whisper she sounds bossy.

“We need to track down this Myra H.H.,” Susannah says. “I’m gonna ask my mom. Mary, you do the same.”

“I’ll look in my grandmother’s study. Maybe she has some sort of record of our extended relatives. And not to change the topic, but as far as meeting here before the dance goes…Do you really think we should be going anywhere near something Titanic-themed?”

“We can’t be sure the dance is even connected. But if it is, there’s no question that we have to go. We need all the information we can get.” Alice gives me a warning look. “And I’m serious about not touching that dress, Sam.”

If Alice is right that the dance is inevitable, I need to talk to Jaxon. Everything’s changed since this morning. The door opens, and we all jump a foot apart.

“No delivery slip,” my dad says.

“Yeah, I’ll give you a call later with the homework assignment,” I say to Susannah.

Mary picks up her bag, which was resting near the mail table.

“You girls get home safe,” my dad says. “And come over soon so we can plan what to do for those pictures.”

“Sure thing, Mr. M,” Mary says.

The door shuts behind them, and it’s just me, my dad, and the awful dress.

My dad wraps his arm around my shoulder. “That was fun.”

I look up at his chin, which has a little bit of stubble on it. “You’re just basking in the fact that you’re hosting the pre-dance get-together, Mr. M.”

“That was all your friend Mary’s idea. I’m only the hired help around here.”

“Uh-huh.”

He smiles. “It was nice having them over, though, wasn’t it? You’ve finally met a group of people who avoid brightly colored clothing the way you do. I better not take you girls anywhere at night. I might lose you.” He winks at me.