I hate to admit it, but, as the four of us sit at the table, books on the walls, and delicious chocolate gateaus in front of us with tea and biscuits, Karen has a good eye. Neatly polished wooden floors, large windows with birds and flowers etched in the borders, soft tablecloths... I can imagine that even after it officially opens, and becomes loud with customers, it'll be a place of beauty, somewhere to bring people together.

And the separate rules for book tables and eating tables are just good sense. Paper isn't expensive in this world, but it certainly isn't cheap, so limiting the types of food that can be eaten when you're reading, and having closed containers for drinks... I smile broadly at the owner, standing nearby with a mildly anxious look on their face.

"Miss Donovan, you've really thought this through, and I think I'll be regularly visiting from now on!" She beams, and, feeling the stink eye from close quarters, I turn my smile to Karen "Thank you for inviting us, you've found somewhere really nice!"

"W-well..." She rubs the back of her head, looking away "It's... It's nothing."

Oh, how precious! See, she can be nice when she wants to be!

A perception that lasts all of two minutes before she starts devouring the gateau. Not nibbling. Not eating. Devouring. Miss Donovan excused herself soon after we started, but I have to wonder... Did she see this when Karen was first invited? Does she do this with her family? Her part of the table is more crumb than table, and her mouth...

By contrast, Jennifer is eating heartily, but cleanly, I'm savouring it (ohhh, it's so good, I'll order one to take home... Maybe two, and only tell mother and father about one of them), and Elizabeth... Is frowning.

"Karen, could you slow down? We're trying to enjoy the food, and this display is... Unsettling."

Karen looks up, brow furrowing. "Well, I'm enjoying the food, what's stopping you from-" The room becomes a few degrees chillier, and Karen freezes, transfixed by the sudden, baleful stare.

Even I've got the willies. And Karen gently puts down her fork, and reaches for a handkerchief. "Wh... What's the problem with enjoying things? We're alone, we can stop all this fussy-eep!"

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Karen's stare has become less frigid, but her voice... Her voice is very cold indeed, and we all shiver. "Lady Meldrew-Fotherby... We are examples. We have to be, because of our names, and the titles attached. Even in private, we have limits. And we have responsibilities." She stabs her fork into the cake, slowly bringing up the neat little slice, and we're focused on it, and on her. "Do I want to have not just one slice, but the whole cake, and to eat it and feel sick afterwards and not regret a damn thing? Yes. And maybe I'll order that cake. But I'll treat that cake, and the place I bought it, with respect because they worked hard on both." She delicately closes her lips around it, and her look briefly softens. But she's by no means done with her lecture.

"We are lucky. Nothing makes you appreciate that fact more than seeing someone else put in the same amount of work... And still have less than you do. Lettie was lucky to have me as her tutor. I had seven, and I still have three. They are lucky that I wanted to learn. But they're not as lucky as me, because even after educating me, and likely several others, they each have... A house. A single house, even the wizard. What do we have?"

Karen looks down, slowly dabbing the handkerchief at her face. Jennifer's eyes are bright, and I can certainly understand why. Liz gets it. Jennifer's lucky too, but... She isn't as lucky as the three of us.

"I'm sorry." Her voice is small, and it takes a while for Liz's stare to calm down. Everything is quiet. And Elizabeth is equally quiet when she answers.

"I'm also sorry. I was too harsh, and I've ruined the mood." She brightens a little, and pulls out a pouch. "So we're having seconds, on me."

That lightened the mood some. But Karen lingers over her second cake, thoughtful.

----------------------------------------

It becomes less awkward when we get outside, having thanked Miss Donovan for her kind invitation, given her congratulations, and all of us promising to come again. How could we not, the cake was delicious, and she even let me borrow the latest volume of "The Prince of Shadowed Waters."

I pretend, in front of my parents, that I don't actually understand the spicy parts. And somehow, this has worked.

The hubbub, the bustling life, really helps ease the mood. The town is enjoying ourselves, why shouldn't we? I turn to Karen, smiling. "So, what's our next stop?"

She blinks "Nex- OH! Oh yeah, we should get you some new ribbons, those ones you have are rather sho-" She brings herself up short, and visibly controls herself "It would be nice for you to have new ribbons as a gift, all of you!"

I let out an inward sigh of relief. Karen may not be smart, but she's behaving. This time, it's her hand I hold as we walk along, and she only flinches for a moment before holding it tightly. She's still kind of down, but I hope this helps her some. She is, after all, still small. Oh, how unfair it must seem, to have this weight while you're young!

I don't count. I'm just la-

I blink. There's no hand in mine, and Jennifer and Liz seem to have vanished too. There are people all around... How the hell did I lose everyone? Stay calm. Stay calm... Maybe they're here? No? Here? No? Damn damn damn damn-

As I pass by a side street, I feel a hand around my chest and mouth, and everything goes dark...

Shit.