As if I couldn’t tell, Estelle thought about sneering as her sister explained she had a morose subject in mind to match her morose expression – but she didn’t, because she was putting into practice her new tactic of keeping her mouth shut and smiling. So she busied herself by laying out her embroidery beside her, and carefully feigning concentration on threading her needle.
Were Victoire’s prospects dreary, then, or would it all be fine? Her sister couldn’t have it both ways, and she was not inclined to imagine it was the former. “Go on then, I’ll bite –” Estelle declared, matter-of-factly, “what’s on your mind?” She affected a commiseratory frown. “What terrible tragic news did you receive in your letter?”
Were Victoire’s prospects dreary, then, or would it all be fine? Her sister couldn’t have it both ways, and she was not inclined to imagine it was the former. “Go on then, I’ll bite –” Estelle declared, matter-of-factly, “what’s on your mind?” She affected a commiseratory frown. “What terrible tragic news did you receive in your letter?”
