She frowns at the fountain. “It happened when I was quite little. My mother died of tuberculosis, and my father, heartbroken, threw himself out of an airship.”

It’s staggering – all of it, and sends me into a tailspin. I once heard of a Cerel man throwing himself in front of a steamtrain rather than be sent to the wild camps, but that was ages ago. And TB? That’s something many Cerels get, the coughing disease. Not Travesters. I thought they were immune from such diseases. It turns my world upside down, that they might be the same as us.

“I live with my aunt and uncle,” the girl continues haughtily.

“Brothers and sisters?” I dare to ask.

“No. I am the only child in the household.” Her fingers, on her lap, twine together. It sounds lonely, to be the only child in a house of adults, and I’m reminded again of the party. “And you?”

“There are six of us.”

It’s not worth mentioning all the others living on our floor and in the whole building.

She shoots me a startled look. “Six!” Then turns back quickly at the fountain. “Sisters?” She sounds wistful.

“Yes, an older sister called Marina. The youngest, Babet, is eight years old. She’s a little scamp. Then there’s my older brother Jorzy.”

The dog has found a butterfly now and is making little prancing leaps at it.

She sighs. “I had heard that Cerels had big families. I just didn’t think it was true.”

“Don’t some of the Travesters have big families?” I ask, shy again, recalling who I’m speaking to – my superior, or so we are constantly being reminded in the broadcasts. Cerels! You are not equal to the lowliest Travester. Your forebears had tainted blood. You must work to better yourselves, to overcome your past. Work makes you free!

Emee doesn’t seem to mind. “Not really. Three children is a lot for us. The Director has special incentives for families who have more than three, you know. He wants people to have more babies, so our race can grow bigger. Or something like that.” She sniffs. “When I get married, I’m not going to have any children at all. No matter what the Director says. I’m going to ride horses, and be a famous horse breeder.”

I burst out laughing, can’t help it, it just sounds so ridiculous. But seeing her look of fury, I quickly swallow it down.

“I don’t see what’s so funny about that,” she says coldly.

“Horses,” I splutter, setting myself off again.