“Now, Daisy,” Bo said, clearly enjoying this, “here’s what I think—you need to impose more.”

Out of the crowd, Wallis appeared in a black cotton dress. My dress, I might add. She must’ve been in my closet recently. “Hide the gin,” L.K. said, kissing her on the cheek.

“Wallflower has arrived.” Bo’s nickname for Wallis made us all smile.

“I’m so glad you all came,” Wallis said. “I see Miles over there, too. Did you have a nibble? I made sure to order eel sushi. I know that’s Daisy’s favorite.” The delicate gold bangles she always wore stood out against the dress.

Glasses clinked, the staff paused their canapé distribution, and the author of the hour gave a short reading of her memoir. When it was over, the room applauded politely.

Wallis took hold of my wine and helped herself. “What have you guys been talking about?” she asked. “Anything good?”

“I have put forward a proposition,” said Bo, crafty, “that your sister should come with me to Charleston on Friday. As a matter of fact, you should come too, Wallis.”

“No,” Wallis said, wide-eyed, glass frozen to her lip. “Stop.”

“True story,” Bo said. “And since you’re the type of girl who would enjoy wearing preppy clothes under Spanish moss, I think you’d like—”

“Say no more,” Wallis cut in. “I think we should absolutely go.”

“I agree,” said Cricket.

I thought of Blake and his family, and their ancestral home in Charleston, probably some mansion with columns and a room just for the hunting dogs that Wallis was itching to see. “Let’s just hold on—”

“We should leave them to discuss,” Bo said to L.K. “I need another drink anyway.”

“I’m looking forward to dismantling all your excuses, Dodo.” Wallis crossed her arms over her chest. “So, please, do begin.”

“I’m just not sure,” I said after Bo and L.K. were gone. “Cricket and I have a meeting with the IRS and the lawyers next week.”

“And?” asked Wallis. “Bo invited us for a weekend. You’ll be back in plenty of time for the meeting.”

“How would you feel, Cricket, if Wallis and I just jetted out of town?” I said, turning to my mother.

“I’m a woman, Daisy, not a goldfish,” she said. “I can feed and care for myself.”

Next: “The airfare must be expensive this last minute...”

“I don’t want to hear one word about the expense of it.” Cricket was on top of that one, too. “I think I have some frequent flier miles tucked away somewhere.”

“But work—”

“You and Miles are on a break.” Wallis eyed me with such glee I forgot to be sad about the fact that this was true. “We have to go shopping. And you, especially, Dodo. All your clothes are terrible.”

My darling sister. “Even the dress you’re wearing?” I asked.