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Jane said. Her voice caught. She realized she was talking about Sarah as if she were still alive. But Sarah had drowned on a ship to London. Her best friend was dead.
    Jason reached out and clutched her hand. After a moment, Jane was able to go on.
    â€œSarah was like me,” Jane continued. “She never liked to be told what to do.”
    â€œThat is certainly true,” Jason agreed.
    Jason had once courted Sarah Burns. But they were both so stubborn that the match had not lasted a week. It had ended with a horrible screaming argument, and they had not spoken again since.
    â€œYou remember when Sarah’s grandmother arranged a marriage for Sarah?” Jane continued.
    â€œYes. She wanted Sarah to settle down,” Jason said.
    â€œYes. Well, you can imagine how furious Sarah was. To be told whom she was to marry. She was livid,” Jane told him.
    â€œI am sure.” Jason twirled the tip of his mustache.
    The familiar gesture brought tears to Jane’s eyes. “Oh, Jason, I have missed you so. More than I even knew, if that makes any sense.”
    â€œI think I understand,” he responded. “But please go on. You must tell me everything.”
    â€œWell …” Jane pulled up a tuft of grass and let the green blades fall from her fingers. “I was about to leave on my trip to London with my chaperone.”
    â€œMrs. Manderlay,” Jason added.
    â€œYes. In any case, the whole thing was my idea. I was going to London to find a husband. Sarah had already found one. Only she didn’t want him. It just seemed to make so much sense.”
    â€œWhat did?” Jason asked, sounding confused.
    â€œYou see, I was terribly envious of Sarah. Because she was about to start a marriage. What an adventure! When I confessed my jealousy, it only made Sarah laugh, of course. Sarah was envious of me because I had the opportunity to travel. She hated the idea of marrying Thomas.”
    Jane glanced over at Jason, then stared down at the ground. “So one night I suggested we simply switch places.”
    â€œBut how could you ever expect to pull off such a scheme?” Jason demanded.
    â€œBut we did pull it off,” Jane said proudly. “You see, it was all so perfect. Sarah’s grandmother, Althea, was too old to make the trip to Shadyside for the wedding. I barely survived the trip myself. Four days in the ladies’ coach of a train is enough to kill anyone.”
    â€œThe men’s cars are not much better, I assure you,” Jason grumbled.
    â€œDear Jason,” she said.
    â€œContinue!” he ordered.
    â€œWell, that’s about it. No one in Shadyside had laid eyes on Sarah Burns before. How would they know if I was Sarah or not?”
    â€œBut your life back in New York, your friends—”
    â€œThe only person I would miss was Jane. But I would have been separated from her in any case. And you. Of course, I knew I would miss you, too.”
    â€œYou’re a liar, but a sweet one. But wait a minute. What about Mrs. Manderlay? Surely she wasn’t so old that she couldn’t tell the difference between you and Sarah?”
    â€œOf course not. But Sarah sent Mrs. Manderlay a message telling her the boat was sailing a week later than it really was,” Jane explained.
    Jason shook his head. “I am amazed. I am simply amazed.”
    â€œIt wasn’t an easy stunt,” Jane admitted. “The whole trip here I had to tell myself over and over that I was Sarah. Sarah Burns. Sarah Burns.”
    â€œAstounding,” Jason said. “You haven’t changed. You’re the same as you were when you were seven. I remember when you came to live with me and Mother. You broke every rule.”
    â€œIt’s true. Your mother probably began to regret taking me in after my mother died,” Jane answered.
    â€œMaybe once in a while,” Jason admitted. “But I loved having a younger sister.”
    Jane