Nanny Pinch quickly separated the girls. “Miss Anastasia, you sit there!” she said, pointing to one chair. “And, Miss Drizella, there!” she snapped, pointing to another. The chairs were on either side of a small table and situated across from Lady Tremaine, who was still residing on the velvet couch.

“Your mama doesn’t have time for this nonsense! And it’s not too late to change our plans for the country. We could just as easily stay here at home while your mama goes off and enjoys some much-needed time on her own.” The girls clasped their hands together tightly and placed them on their laps, smiling sweetly. Lady Tremaine could see they were both doing their best impressions of proper young ladies, and she had to keep herself from laughing.

“That won’t be necessary, Nanny Pinch. But we shall keep that option in reserve should my dear girls decide that a holiday in the country is just too much for them.” Both of the girls wiggled in their seats, wanting desperately to squeal out but managing to keep their composure. Lady Tremaine smiled indulgently at her girls. “Don’t you two look beautiful today. Miss Pinch tells me she is taking you out for a day of shopping. New dresses for our trip! I want you both looking your best and on your best behavior while we’re in the country, do you understand?”

Both girls nodded their heads.

“Lady Hackle and her sons, Dicky and Shrimpy, will be there,” said Lady Tremaine.

Drizella’s eyes grew large again, making Anastasia laugh.

“Drizella has a crush on Dicky,” she said, laughing harder. “She’s going to make a fool of herself, Mama!”

Drizella practically leaped across the small table to slap her sister on the arm, knocking over a small jade dragon figurine in the process.

“Girls! Stop this at once! No one has a crush on anyone. And if you can’t stop acting like little monsters, then you will stay at home!” said Lady Tremaine, starting to lose patience with them.

Drizella put her hands in her lap again. “Why shouldn’t I have a crush on the young man Mama eventually wants me to marry?”

Though her daughter was right (Lady Tremaine and Lady Hackle did have plans for Stasia to marry Shrimpy and for Zella to marry Dicky), she felt Zella was far too young to be daydreaming about marriage.

“Well, I’m not going to marry anyone named Shrimpy!” Stasia wrinkled her nose, making her sister scoff.

“No one would want to marry you anyway!” cried Zella.

“Why would you want to marry someone named Dicky? That’s a stupid name, too!” Stasia taunted.

“Hush now, both of you.” Nanny Pinch was stern but calm. “Anastasia, you know perfectly well their names are Richard and Charles.”