Rachel shook her head in disgust. "He's trying to be nice to me, which is almost
worse. He wants me to go to Clarion Ladies Academy m the fall."
"The school where your mom went?"
"It's a stupid finishing school for society girls, all the way in New Hampshire.
Can you see me in finishing school?"
I admitted the idea sounded pretty dumb. Rachel was into urban art projects and
feeding the homeless and going to protest rallies to "Save the Endangered
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker" and stuff like that. I'd never even seen her wear a
dress. It was hard to imagine her learning to be a socialite.
She sighed. "He thi nks if he does a bunch of nice stuff for me. I'll feel
guilty and give in."
"Which is why he agreed to let me come with you guys on vacation?"
"Yes . . . but Percy, you'd be doing me a huge favor. It would be so much better
if you were with us.
Besides, there's something I want to talk — " She stopped abruptly.
"Something you want to talk about?" I asked. "You mean ... so serious we'd have
to go to St.