The girl looked like she wouldn’t budge, but Hypatia said, “Please,” and that dislodged her. She left, rolling her hips and making a show of it. Hypatia reached over to close the door behind her and then came to sit across from Celeste at the table.

“Mariel was stepping out with a doctor.”

“Impossible,” Celeste scoffed. “I would have known. She would have told me.”

“She didn’t want to tell you because he’s Elect, and she thought you wouldn’t understand. What with you hating your father and all.”

“She was right!” Celeste rubbed at her neck. “What was she thinking? She knows the Elect can’t be trusted.”

“See, that’s what I mean. She didn’t want to hear you on it, because she knows you can’t see yourself clear around the subject.”

“See myself clear? I know how they think, Hyp. I grew up with them. I hear what they say about us, about Fallen women, when no one but their own kind is there to listen. Whores, mawks. Insatiable like animals. Good enough to stick your prick in, but don’t bring her home.”

“All right, all right.” Hypatia waved her down. “I know there’s a lot of scoundrels out there, but her Daniel seemed different.”

“Wait, you’ve met him?” That stung. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Her eyes widened. “Was he there last night?”

“I already told you why I didn’t tell you, and no, he wasn’t there. Of course, with all the costumes…” She shook her head. “No, I woulda noticed.”

“This was happening in the Eden? Behind my back?”

“Not behind your back. Well, not at first. He’d come to one of her performances a few months back. I think it was that time you stayed home with the croup. And they hit it off. It was respectable, and he’s charming.”

“They always are,” she muttered.

“And I started lending her my office for a little privacy.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t buy her a white gown and set her up at the Velvet Pearl. Charge a dollar for a look-see.”

Hypatia’s eyes got big, and she snapped her mouth shut.

Celeste didn’t care. She knew Hypatia wasn’t prostituting her sister out, but this was just as bad. Maybe worse. At least, if she was the sporting type, she’d be getting paid. “He’s going to break her heart.”

“You’re not real clear on matters of the heart, either, Celeste.”

“Don’t use what happened between me and Abraxas as an excuse for keeping things from me.”

Hypatia shrugged, unrepentant. “Mariel knows what she’s doing. She’s not the shrinking violet you think she is.”

Celeste had nothing to say to that. She knew her sister wasn’t weak, but she was delicate. An artist and a beauty, who’d had a hard childhood and was no doubt susceptible to a smooth-tongued man.