“How do you know about that?” Divinity squinched her eyes at the triplets, who were hiding behind the dictionary table, across the library. Lilac fought back tears. The tenderhearted triplet was no match for Divinity’s icicle glare.

Violet reached for her sister’s hand and squeezed, sending along some of her own stalwart spirit with the motion. Emboldened, Lilac took Lavender’s hand, passing along the positive energy.

Bolstered by her sisters and with an only slightly trembling voice, Lilac bravely confessed to having overheard Divinity’s late-night revelation.

“I said nothing of the sort!” Divinity’s mouth wrinkled up as if she’d just eaten an entire lemon. She turned away from the other girls for a moment, pushing books around on the nearest shelf until all the spines lined up just so. “I mean, it was likely a bad dream.”

“I tried not to listen. But your voice does carry so.” Lilac twisted the hem of her pinafore. “A farm sounds lovely. Though the name is a bit sad: Woebegone’s Way.”

Divinity’s head jerked. “You heard … everything?” she asked.

Lilac hung her head, full of remorse.

“And you didn’t tell anyone?”

The youngest of the triplets slipped her hands into her pinafore pockets. “Only my sisters.”

Divinity paced back and forth on the large rug in front of the grand Dutch-tiled fireplace. She stomped so hard, Lilac feared she would wear a hole right through. “All right. So you know. What are you going to tell Miss Maisie?”

“Why, nothing!” Lilac looked up at the taller Wayward in genuine surprise. “It’s not our story to tell. It’s yours.”

To the triplets’ complete and utter shock, a tear bobbed up in Divinity’s eye. They had never seen her cry. No one had!

Their soft hearts could not bear such sorrow. The little girls rushed around Divinity, enveloping her in a hug. “It’s all right, it’s all right,” Lavender reassured with gentle pats on the back.

After a moment, Divinity cleared her throat and the circle eased apart, all four Waywards studying their boot toes in embarrassment.

When they had first gathered in the library, Violet had been determined to explain their plan to Divinity, but the moment of tenderness had derailed her.

It was Divinity herself who took the lead. “Why did you bring my—I mean the—farm up at this moment?” she asked.

The triplets exchanged glances. Violet was still so stupefied by the thought of Divinity having feelings like everyone else, that she was speechless. Uncharacteristically, Lavender took the lead. Out poured the whole story—as much as they knew it—from Audie.

“And so you see,” Lilac said, completing her recitation, “we need a farm. And you have a farm—”

“That I don’t need,” Divinity inserted, folding her arms across her chest. “Or want.”

Again, the trio exchanged glances.

“So—” Violet began. This seemed to be going very badly. Audie would be so disappointed in them. They might even be ousted from the Order of Percy! Her lower lip began to quiver.

“So.” Divinity retied the strings of her pinafore. “I’ll ride the bicycle into town right after lunch and send a telegram informing that lawyer to make all the arrangements.” She stood tall in the center of the room. “Tell Audie Woebegone’s Way is hers.”