“Oh,” said Tony. “The ‘within reason’ clause. Ang, is that before or after the part of the deal where they promised us artistic freedom?”

“Excellent question,” Jude said. “How exactly would you define ‘within reason,’ John? Are you forbidding them to touch on issues of sexuality?”

“Folks in Ogilvie don’t talk about sex,” Wyeth said.

Angie didn’t like the look on John’s face; she didn’t like the discussion or the way people’s voices had gone so sharp; she wanted to be someplace else. She was about to say so when she felt John’s hand on her knee, pressing hard, the universal don’t go gesture. She felt Win Walker’s gaze resting on her and shot him a mind-your-own-business scowl.

John said, “I trust Tied to the Tracks will respect whatever agreements they’ve made with Miss Zula.”

“Evasive, but effective,” Jude said. “But I’m still wondering why Meg is so sure that Miss Anabel and Miss Zula are lovers.”

“I’ve heard people talking,” Meg said defensively. “You said yourself Anabel Spate’s a legend.”

“A legend, as in civil rights,” said Rivera. “Not as in gossip. Which you should avoid at all costs.”

“Don’t knock small-town gossip. There’s usually some hard truth at the bottom of it,” Wyeth said.

“But not in this case,” said Win Walker.

Tony said to Meg, “Let me guess. You’re saying that Miss Anabel left Ogilvie and moved to Savannah because people suspected she and Miss Zula were—”

“Yes,” said Meg, trying to look injured and dignified at the same time.

“No,” said John and Win together.

“Unlikely,” said Jude, at which Rivera looked grimly satisfied and Meg crestfallen. To Jude she said, “I thought you were on our side.”

“What side is that?” Jude said, laughing at her openly. “This isn’t a club, you know. There’s no secret handshake, no policy handbook or oath of loyalty. I for one don’t think Miss Anabel is one of the girls: it just doesn’t fit with what I know about her.”

“But you are?” Win asked, looking confused and disappointed, which might have amused Angie if it weren’t for the fact that she could sense how angry John was, sitting beside her, barely holding it in, thrumming with it.

“I like women,” said Jude. “But I like men just as much. What about you?”

Win’s expression was enough to make Angie cough a laugh. He blinked as if Jude had asked about the size of his sexual apparatus, and then he cleared his throat.

“I like women,” he said. “Exclusively.”

“Well, then,” Jude said, “maybe you shouldn’t be sitting so far away from me.”

“Okay, time to go,” Angie said. “This is definitely more than I need to know.”

“Wait,” Meg said. “First I want John to tell me why he’s so sure Miss Zula and Miss Anabel aren’t lovers.”