Ellory hadn't been working on her family's timeline either. At twenty-three, she was approaching spinsterhood before her family arranged her marriage. Her two eldest sisters had been married by age twenty.

She pondered on Claude's question. One thing she would have done differently was to marry someone for love, but she couldn't tell Claude that. It wasn't the sort of thing you told your husband, even if Claude probably wouldn't be offended.

‘‘I would have done changes to the guest list,’’ she said instead. ‘‘I wouldn't invite Antigone and I would invite some of my friends who aren't deemed proper company for me. Not pureblooded enough or wealthy enough, you see.’’ Evey would never allow her to invite February Umbridge, for example! ‘‘I don't suppose you'll filter out the company I'm allowed to keep?’’