“I couldn’t say,” Gabby replied cheerfully. “I do know that Madame Carême has declared my hood to be peach-blossom colored, rather than plain pink. Which”—she leaned toward Mrs. Ewing and whispered confidentially—“I was naturally most pleased to learn, as I should hate to be caught wearing a color worn only by low persons.”

At that Emily Ewing laughed, for the first time in Gabby’s memory. “Madame is a terrible snob, is she not? She quite terrified me the first time I met her.”

Just then Phoebe entered the room, already wearing her pelisse and carrying a small basket. “Miss Gabby,” she said breathlessly, dropping a curtsy. “I am sorry to have kept you waiting, but I was helping Cook in the kitchen.”

“Come here, you silly goose,” Gabby said affectionately, and Phoebe darted into her arms.

“I’ve made Kasi Rao a little pie,” the little girl said, turning back the napkin covering her basket. “I made it myself—well, almost by myself. Do you think he’ll like it?”

“He will adore it,” Gabby said. “Shall we be off, then?” She smiled at Emily Ewing. “I shall return Phoebe in a few hours, if that is quite convenient with you.”

“Thank you very much for your kindness,” Mrs. Ewing replied, giving Phoebe a squeeze and a kiss.

They arrived in Sackville Street to find that Kasi was having a particularly difficult day. It took Phoebe over a half hour to coax him out of the broom closet, where he was huddled in the darkest corner.

“It was the Watch, miss,” Mrs. Malabright said unhappily. “They came to the door, collecting donations, they were. And before I realized what was happening, they walked right into the parlor. Well, I thought Kasi was safely upstairs, but he wasn’t. The poor mite found himself surrounded by four men, and one of them greeted him—in a nice way, mind. But it was too much for the poor thing, and he’s been in the broom closet ever since.”

“I completely understand, Mrs. Malabright,” Gabby said. “I’ve spent many an hour trying to fetch Kasi out of a dark corner. It’s just the way that he is. Goodness knows, my father tried hard enough to break him of the habit.”

Mrs. Malabright twisted her hands in her apron, her eyes anxious. “I know that your father instructed me to do just that, Miss Jerningham. So I did take him out of the closet once, but he became so agitated, he—well, he—”

“I know exactly what happened,” Gabby said, with a comforting smile. “And I absolutely agree with you, Mrs. Malabright. There is no point to tormenting Kasi. But just look at him now!”

Kasi was sitting on the corner of the settee, blissfully eating Phoebe’s pie and watching her as she chattered.