So soon. No, no, no! This can’t be happening to us so soon, thought Fiona. It had occurred to her that they might eventually be found out but not on the very first day. Charlie began to cry.

“Oh, don’t cry, dear,” said Miss Webster. “You’re not in any trouble. But someone’s story must be the true one and I’d like to hear it from your sister as she’s the eldest.”

“Well, um, all the stories are true in a way,” said Fiona, wondering if she could double-talk her way through.

“How is that, dear?” asked the principal, sitting down behind her desk and looking gently inquiring.

“Well, they’re, you know how it is when you’re moving and you lose things?”

“Are you saying you lost your parents?”

“No, no, lose is too strong a word—although in a sense, of course, yes, that is it exactly but can we ever really lose anyone, that’s more to the point.”

“All right. Let’s stop talking gibberish,” said the principal but she didn’t look angry, only concerned. “Who is taking care of you at your great-aunt’s house because I know it isn’t your great-aunt. Also, you should know I was an inveterate liar in my day and am familiar with all the ins and outs of disguising the truth.”

“No one,” said Fiona flatly. “At present.”

Marlin, Natasha, and Charlie looked at Fiona in dismay. Wasn’t this exactly what she had told them not to admit?

“So, someone is coming?”

“Oh, most certainly, you would think, wouldn’t you?”

“As you know, what I think is neither here nor there. But good try. I told you—inveterate liar. Marksman class,” said Miss Webster. “Now tell me, why would Charlie say your parents were dead if they weren’t? And if they are dead and your great-aunt is dead, who exactly is staying with you? Whom may I contact?”

“Well, me for the moment,” said Fiona.

The principal said nothing. There was a long silence while she stared at the wall as if figuring something out.

“But we can take care of ourselves perfectly well,” said Natasha. “Fiona said so.”

“Natasha,” said Marlin in alarm.

“Well, that’s what she said,” protested Natasha.

“So, there’s no one? No guardian? No church member? I know your great-aunt said your church was sending you out here. She did not tell me your parents had died. Your aunt was never one to use two words when one would do but that seems a pretty big omission even for her.”

“We have each other,” said Natasha.

“Natasha…” said Marlin warningly. She did not think they should be improvising. She thought they should leave it to Fiona to be the spokesman. It was clear the trouble they got into when they all started telling different stories.

“No doubt, no doubt,” muttered the principal.

Charlie chose that unfortunate moment to say, “I want to go home. I’m hungry!”

Miss Webster leapt on that immediately. “Have you not been fed?”

“I didn’t have a lunch,” said Charlie.