The girls arrived back at school in time for tea.

Mrs. Smith had decided to expand her catering repertoire this term, with themed dinners once a week from countries around the world. Tonight she had whipped up butter chicken with rice, naan bread and a mild beef vindaloo curry. Dessert was a delicious sweet dumpling dish.

“What’s this muck?” Sloane pushed her food around the bowl. “It’s disgusting.”

“Don’t you like it?” Alice-Miranda asked. “I think it’s scrumptious. Last year, when Mummy and Daddy took me to visit their friend, Prince Shivaji, I fell in love with Indian desserts. But I can tell you this gulab jamun is the best I’ve ever tasted. Mrs. Smith is so clever.”

“She’s certainly improved, that’s for sure.” Jacinta nodded. “You don’t remember, but her food used to be awful.”

“All that time with Mrs. Oliver must have improved her technique. Now, there’s a great cook.” Millie rubbed her tummy and shoveled another spoonful of the sticky treat into her mouth.

“Your brother’s lovely, Sloane.” Alice-Miranda set her spoon down inside the empty bowl.

“My brother’s a pig,” Sloane replied.

“I wish I had a brother,” Alice-Miranda said. “But at least I’m getting a cousin.”

“So, when’s the wedding?” Sloane asked.

“I’m not sure. It will depend on Uncle Lawrence’s film schedules and Aunt Charlotte’s work too.”

“Will there be lots of famous people there?” Sloane didn’t want to sound desperate, but she simply had to get an invitation.

“I don’t know, really. I mean, Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Lawrence have lots of friends, but I’m not sure if they’re famous,” Alice-Miranda said thoughtfully.

“Of course they’d be famous. Don’t famous people only hang out with other famous people? I mean, look at your mother, Jacinta. She’s always with beautiful people doing important things in interesting places,” Sloane informed the group.

“I don’t really know what my mother does or who she’s friends with.” Jacinta’s lip quivered. “And it’s not really any of your business either.”

“You’re kidding, aren’t you? Your mother is in every edition of Women’s Daily and Gloss and Goss I’ve ever seen. She’s practically their poster girl for famous people doing fun things with other famous people.”

“I don’t care.” Jacinta glowered. “What my mother does is entirely up to her.”

“If my mother was as famous as that, I’d talk to her every day and I’d tell everyone where she’d been and who she was with.”

“Good, I’ll tell her to adopt you. Perhaps we can trade mothers.”

“Now you really are kidding, aren’t you?” Millie laughed. Jacinta smiled too. That was a terrible thought.

“What’s wrong with my mother?” Sloane fizzed with anger. “She’s beautiful and she was a famous model too. What does your mother do, Millie?”

“Millie’s mother is a vet,” Alice-Miranda contributed. “And she’s awfully good. You know, Chops had a mystery virus and he could have died, but Millie’s mother solved the puzzle and cured him. And she started an animal shelter for unwanted pets.”

“Wow,” said Sloane sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “And what’s your dad? A lion tamer?”

“He’s a farmer,” Millie replied.

“Double wow,” Sloane drawled.

“Well, at least my father doesn’t peddle vacuum cleaners on the home shopping channel for a living.” Millie couldn’t help herself. It was out of her mouth before she had time to think.

“Why, you little brat!” Sloane screamed, and stood up. She picked up her bowl of gulab jamun, marched around to where Millie was sitting and tipped the entire contents over her head.

Millie bellowed. She grabbed Sloane by her long blond ponytail and yanked as hard as she could.

“Ow, you brat!”

The chinking of cutlery died down as the other girls turned to see what was going on.

“Sloane Sykes, and Millicent Jane McLoughlin-McTavish-McNoughton-McGill, come here, NOW!” Miss Grimm bellowed across the room. Her general demeanor may have changed for the better, but she could still silence an entire dining room in a second.

Millie lifted the upended bowl from her head and set it back on the table. She turned to face her attacker, then marched toward the head table, where Miss Grimm stood with her arms folded in front of her. Sloane followed at a distance.

Miss Grimm lowered her voice and glared at the culprits. “What was that?”

“She started it.” Sloane began to sob. “She said awful things about my mother and father.”

“I did not,” Millie retorted. “She’s a bully, Miss Grimm.”

“Bully is a very strong word, Millicent, and not one we throw around willy-nilly.” Miss Grimm was inclined to believe her redheaded charge, but she had to keep an open mind. From where she and Miss Reedy were sitting, it did look as though Millicent had pulled Sloane’s hair. But there was the indisputable evidence of the upended dessert. Millie was dripping dumplings onto the floor right in front of them.

Ophelia realized that the room was still silent. She looked up and addressed the girls. “Please go on with your dinner. Talk among yourselves. This is now a private matter and I will settle it with Millicent and Sloane. I will see both of you,” she said, staring them down, “in my office, tomorrow morning at seven a.m. Do not be late, and remember, I will find out what happened, so it will be much easier if you tell me the truth. Off you go. You can sit at your table until the end of teatime.”

Millicent glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was only a quarter past six. They didn’t go back to the house until seven p.m. Her hair was beginning to set like concrete on the side of her face. She opened her mouth to speak.

“I would also suggest that you remain silent,” Miss Grimm commanded.

Ophelia thought it was probably punishment enough that the girls had to stew on things for the night. She wasn’t planning anything especially severe—perhaps some additional gardening duties with Charlie or mucking out the stables. She had a niggling feeling about Sloane Sykes, though, and after what had happened with Alethea Goldsworthy, she didn’t plan on being fooled again.