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as were her low-heeled shoes. She might have had a good figure, but the suit de-emphasized it, giving her a square, sexless look. Her manner was pleasant, but reserved. She had very pretty eyes, which was the only thing that kept her looking feminine. “It’s very generous of you to give up your time to help Shelley and us,“ she said graciously. “I hope you don’t find it too boring to be marooned in among strangers.“
    “I’m quite used to it,“ Jane said, inadvertently adopting Beth’s formal tone. “I was a State Department brat.“
    “How very interesting that must have been,“ Beth said warmly. “I’ve always regretted that I didn’t have more opportunities to travel. Perhaps you can tell me more later about the places you’ve lived.“
    “And who’s this? I don’t recognize you at all?“
    Another woman had joined them and Beth Vaughn drifted away.
    “I’m not one of you,“ Jane said to the strange woman. “I’m Shelley’s friend Jane. I’m just helping Edgar. This place isn’t supposed to be open for business yet and he hasn’t hired help—so I’m the help,“ Jane said.
    “God! What a dreary thing for you! I’m Kathy Herrmannson, what was Emerson back in the old days.“
    This one was a mess, too. But unlike poor Pooky, who got that way trying too hard to preserve her looks, Kathy apparently never gave her appearance a thought. She was overweight in a particularly sloppy, hippy way, which was made worse by her bulgy jeans and unflattering T-shirt. Jane was reminded of one of the advice maven’s words: if you can put a pencil under you breast and it stays there, you shouldn’t go braless. Kathy could have tucked away a wrench. The unpleasantly distorted T-shirt was emblazoned with a faded peace symbol. Her face was pasty and free of any makeup, which was unfortunate.
    “I’m glad to meet you, Kathy,“ Jane said. “Does the cook know I don’t eat meat?“ Kathy asked.
    “I have no idea. I’ll go ask,“ Jane said, glad to escape.
    She went into Edgar’s beautiful kitchen and found him mincing shallots. Hector was sitting on a kitchen chair, supervising. “Do you know you’ve got a vegetarian out there?“ Jane asked.
    He shrugged. “No problem. She can just eat around the meat. I’m fixing creamed chicken in puff pastry shells and peas with nutmeg. And some old-fashioned deviled eggs. She’s not one of those full-fledged no-animal-products people, is she?“
    “I don’t think so. It looks like she exists on macaroni and chocolates.“
    “Oh, the fleshy one. I noticed her. She must live in a house without mirrors. Jane, get some butter for me, would you? I need it clarified.“
    When Edgar figured out that Jane had no idea how to clarify butter, at least not to his standards, he suggested that she join the guests. “Just keep an eye on the snack tray. If it runs low, refill it. Refresh drinks, that sort of thing.“
    The women had divided up into little groups, with everybody trying to listen to everybody else’s conversations. Jane approached Avalon and Mimi, who were studying a sheet of paper. Avalon’s red topknot had come loose and was falling around her face, like a curtain to hide behind. She was mumbling shy thanks. Mimi looked even more serene compared to Avalon. Mimi’s straight black hair, for all the hugging, looked like the lacquered hair of an exquisite Chinese doll.
    “May I get you ladies something to drink?“ Jane asked. Mimi shook her head and gently took the paper from Avalon. “Jane, look at this lovely sketch Avalon brought along.“
    It was an incredibly busy pencil drawing. “It’s the carriage house here, isn’t it?“ Jane said. “How lovely.“
    “Look at the detail,“ Mimi instructed.
    As Jane studied the picture, she started to smile. It was full of quiet little jokes. The bush beside the coach house wasn’t just squiggly lines as it first appeared, it was a seething mass of tiny rabbits. Bricks had faces hidden in them. So did