"...but it mustn't be white," the debutante dictated from where she stood on the pedestal as one of the designer's seamstresses took her measurements. Camilla would almost certainly be wearing white—as would every daft deb who read the theme swan lake and swooned at the costumed potential. No, Bellona Zabini would stand out, and Marcus Lytton was precisely the man to help her do so.

(Besides, Camilla couldn't be the only one spending their father's money unannounced.)

"As soon as my sister revealed the theme to me," she added, a bit of conspiracy in her tone, "I knew that you were the only man in England up to the task."

Bella doubted that Mr. Lytton really needed buttering up, but did not wish to leave anything to chance.