Mr. Selwyn looked the part of a gentleman as he stood there with an owl perched on his arm. She was well aware of her friends' views on Mr. Selwyn, but she had never really had a problem with him. Not that she voiced that to them, but he was generally polite and even kind to her. Last year he had certainly made a better dance partner than Cam had and he had helped her before school started this year. Besides, she had never really thought that because one's friends didn't like someone one shouldn't either. She tried to be nice and polite to everyone and really had only failed when it came to Holly Scrimegeour.

Well if Mr. Selwyn looked the part of the gentleman, Sisse would look the part of a lady. It was what her mother would have wanted after all. A brave face, polite words, a perfect mask. Internally Sisse took a calmly breath and then presented Mr. Selwyn with a small smile, "As well as can be expected." Given the circumstances that seemed the perfect line between truth and facade.

The chilly evening air brushed in from one of the windows and while normally Sisse hated the cold she found the autumn crispness refreshing and she adjusted her shawl around her shoulders, grateful she had exchanged her school robes for one of her gowns. It wasn't black, but rather the dark lavendar gown she had worn to Maddie's for the bunny funeral. Matthew had written that her aunt was ordering mourning clothes for her and that they would be there soon.