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give them to him on his own dish.”
    Lorna agreed. “I promise to save something extra
special for you, Romeo.”
    “Remember,” Cassie said to her dog, “you stay
right there until we return” Romeo lowered himself
to the floor, giving every indication that he was staying put.
    The two empty plates Mrs. Upton had placed upon the table waited for Cassie and Lorna. The sideboard
stood brimming with various meats, vegetables, and
other savories. All the dishes were overlooked when
Lorna spotted two packages on the table before them.
She opened the accompanying letter and scanned its
contents.

    “It’s from Edward! He says, `To My Dear Ladies, I
would like to think you have been blue-deviled since
my departure. However, I suspect my little rival has
been keeping you two in high spirits and running you
to near exhaustion throughout the countryside.’ ”
Lorna looked up at Cassie. “He must be referring to
Romeo”
    Lorna dropped the missive on the table and studied
the parcels a bit closer. “This one’s for me”-she
pulled the package marked with an L closer-“and
that one”-Lorna pointed at the remaining package,
marked with a C-“is for you” With the letter set
aside, she eagerly tore at the wrapping. “He is forever
sending presents!”
    “Is he?” Cassie wasn’t used to receiving gifts unless there was a special occasion. She took up the letter to read the last bit.
    I pray that his activity will not prevent you
from our sharing a dance or two this evening.
Please accept these gifts as a token of my
affection.
    Yr humble servant, E. Stewart

    “Oh, it’s beautiful.” Lorna twirled the closed parasol, shaking the ruffles free from their confinement.
Opening the Alice blue-colored parasol, Lorna set it
to rest upon her shoulder where she made a slow turn
to allow Cassie an unobtrusive view at her latest treasure. “Quick, open your package!”
    Had Cassie not have moved swiftly enough, Lorna
might have shred the wrapping from the remaining
gift as well. The package had the same dimensions as
Lorna’s and it would have surprised Cassie if something other than a parasol lay within. She laid the letter on the table and unwrapped a dark rose-colored
parasol.
    “Isn’t that lovely?” Lorna reached out to finger the
ruffled edge. “Will that not match your new pucecolored walking dress?”
    “Since I am not in possession of that dress it would
be difficult to tell. I shall pen a `thank you’ after we finish our meal” Cassie thought that would be the proper
thing to do.
    “Goose. There is no need” Lorna laughed. “We
shall see Edward tonight at the ball!”

B y the time Lorna had finished her meal, she had
saved Romeo a considerable amount of food on a
very small plate. Cassie had to insist he be limited to
a morsel or two. If he was allowed to consume the
entire plateful of food, not only would it make him ill
but her once compliant pet would become irreversibly spoilt.
    Thank goodness Lorna did not object. While she
agonized over the choices, Romeo licked his chops
with anticipation and Mrs. Upton descended the stairs
behind them.
    “Lady Cassandra, your gowns for tonight have just
arrived. I saw your maid removing the tissue from
the blue gown.”
    “Oh, let’s do go see!” The news of Cassie’s gowns hastened Lorna’s ability to decide on which tidbit to
give Romeo.

    Once he had swallowed the treats, without benefit of
chewing, the three ascended the stairs toward Cassie’s
room.
    “Oh, you came to zee for yourself!” Layette wasted
no time pulling out the newly arrived dresses. “Zee
blue is tres magnifique! But zee autre …”
    She pulled the lighter, cream silk satin from the
wardrobe. The gown sparkled, even in the filtered bedroom light from the windows.
    “You must wear this tonight,” Lorna announced.
“It is breathtaking!”
    Madam Bosque had gone far beyond what Cassie
had expected. Not only had the modiste altered