Billie touched her own earlobe. There was no way not to, now. “I didn’t even realize there was more than one kind.”

“Yours are also attached,” Andrew said without looking up.

“You know this?”

“I notice ears,” he said unapologetically. “I can’t help it now.”

“Nor can I,” George admitted. “I blame Mother.”

Billie blinked a few times, still pinching her lobe between her fingers. “I just don’t . . .” She frowned and swung her legs off the sofa.

“Watch out!” Andrew snapped.

She shot him a look of great irritation, not that he was paying attention to her, and bent forward.

Andrew turned slowly. “Are you examining my ears?”

“I’m just trying to see what the difference is. I told you, I didn’t even realize there was more than one type.”

He flicked his hand toward his brother. “Go look at George’s if you must. You’re too close to the table here.”

“I vow, Andrew,” she said, carefully edging herself sideways until she was out of the space between the sofa and the table, “this is like a disease with you.”

“Some men turn to drink,” he said archly.

George stood, having seen that Billie had come to her feet. “Or cards,” he said with a sly half-smile.

Billie snorted a laugh.

“How many levels do you think he’s laid down?” George asked.

Billie leaned to the right; Andrew was blocking her view. One, two, three, four . . .

“Six,” she told him.

“That’s remarkable.”

Billie quirked a smile. “Is this what it takes to impress you?”

“Quite possibly.”

“Stop talking,” Andrew snapped.

“We move the air with our breath,” Billie explained, giving the statement gravity it absolutely didn’t deserve.

“I see.”

“Yesterday I sneezed.”

George turned to her with full admiration. “Well done.”

“I need more cards,” Andrew said. He backed up from the table very slowly, scooting along the carpet like a crab until he was far enough away to rise without risking knocking into anything.

“I don’t have any,” Billie said. “I mean, I’m sure we do, but I wouldn’t know where to find them. I brought you the last two decks from the game room earlier.”

“This won’t do,” Andrew muttered.

“You could ask Thamesly,” she suggested. “If anyone would know, it would be he.”

Andrew nodded slowly, as if he were working it all out in his head. Then he turned and said, “You’ll have to move.”

She stared at him. “I beg your pardon.”

“You can’t stand there. You’re too close.”

“Andrew,” she said plainly, “you’ve gone mad.”

“You’re going to knock it down.”

“Just go,” Billie said.

“If you—”

“Go!” she and George yelled together.

Andrew threw an evil eye at them both and left the room.

Billie looked at George. He looked at her.

They burst into laughter.

“I don’t know about you,” Billie said, “but I’m moving to the other side of the room.”

“Ah, but then you are admitting defeat.”

She tossed him a glance over her shoulder as she walked away. “I prefer to think of it as self-preservation.”