News of the party hosted by Jenny's mother reached us far too late for us to try to negotiate an invitation. Although I had little inclination to spend an evening around Wyatt, Gideon, and Beth's stupider friends, I would have sacrificed my night to keep her safe. I had sat at my window that night watching for the returning cars and, when they did finally arrive, I observed that neither Jenny nor Beth staggered out of them. My heart had been in my throat until I saw that Gideon had returned, and I was reassured that Beth was a safe distance from him, even if only temporarily.

The following day was meant to be a respite from everything; a day in the city, basking in normality away from the confines of the school.

Meant to be.

'It's just so unfair,' Chantelle whined for the hundredth time. 'If she wants to spend time with Charlie and with me, then we should have been invited.'

It didn't matter that Jenny hadn't been in charge of handing out invitations to the event, that she hadn't begged her mother to add three more people to her gathering was a personal insult to Chantelle. Whenever we were in attendance at any party in which she wasn't the centre of attention, she did nothing but complain and ask to leave. There was no sense to her complaints, and her voice had been grating on my last nerve for hours.

'You have your own party to prepare for,' I reminded her. 'Isn't that the whole point of you dragging us around with you?'

Chantelle and Charlie were twins, and their birthday parties had always been lavish affairs. My mother and sister couldn't attend so I would be the sole representative of the Darcy clan, and that meant a lot of handshaking and fake smiles were to be had. It was less a party and more a networking event. I couldn't think of anything worse, but I would still be present, if only for Charlie's sake. He deserved to have a friend at his side while being maligned and ignored by his sister who seemed to believe herself an only child at said celebrations. Everything would be decorated according to her personal tastes, she would approve the guest list and dress-code, and every inane speech would be either from or about her.

I was so happy that my sister was nothing like her.

'Where's Charlie?' Chantelle asked.

Even I'd forgotten that he was a part of our group. He'd been so quiet since we'd left that when he'd fallen behind, I'd barely noticed. I turned around and spotted him stepping into a little coffee shop with some urgency. I tried to follow but Chantelle clung to my arm resolutely. I let out a frustrated sigh and brought her along as I approached the building. It was a quaint little store, certainly not a chain or franchise. The cakes in the window were all freshly made, there were old-fashioned brassy coffee machines behind the counter, and the baristas were well-groomed and stood straight-backed and square-shouldered.

'What is she doing here?' she asked with revulsion.

It wasn't difficult to guess who Chantelle might be talking about. While she was all smiles and politeness in front of Charlie and Jenny, she had no qualms about letting her mask slip with regard to Beth Bennett in private. Only an idiot would fall for Chantelle's sweet and innocent acts, and I'd never been accused of being any such thing.

For a moment, I considered waiting on a nearby bench for Charlie to be finished with whatever business he might have with Beth and Jenny.

Just for a moment.

Tired of Chantelle's muttered insults and annoyed that she'd commandeered so much of our free time, I suggested, 'Why don't we go ask?'

'What?' she asked, aghast.

'Come on,' I urged, pulling her toward the door. 'You must be dying to know what she and Jenny are talking about.'

'Will, wait! I don't – Will!'

It was difficult to get through the door with her arm looped through mine. I relieved myself of her clawing fingers the moment we were inside and made my way past the laden tables to reach the little group. I could sense Chantelle's annoyance radiating from her as we drew near. Charlie was completely at ease with Jenny, her mother, and with Beth. My own heart was thrumming in my chest as it was wont to do in Beth's company, but I did a better job at hiding my feelings than Chantelle did.

Still, she was practised in sucking up to wealthy people. Like someone flipping a switch, her personality shifted entirely as soon as she was close enough. The girl simpered, 'Lovely to see you, Ms Ayers. I'm Chantelle. I'm sure you remember me. Jenny and I are good friends.'

'Are you?' Jenny's mother asked. 'I'm not sure that I recall...'

'I went to the hospital to visit a few times. I sent for coffee for you,' Chantelle clarified without a hint of annoyance.

'Oh, yes. I'm sorry, I remember now. It's just that Beth here has been friends with my Jenny for so long, that I find it difficult to keep track of anyone else. It's nice to see you again. And this boy was with you once, if I recall. Wilbur, was it?'

Beth snorted into her cup and heat rushed to my cheeks.

'William,' I corrected. 'A pleasure.'

'I'm sure it is, Wilson. Girls, I think we ought to get going. I have to drop you back at school before it's too late.'

I was almost insulted by her utter refusal to use my name, but from the way that Beth was smirking and Jenny was stifling her own laughter, I could tell that this was more a case of a mother being impish. The atmosphere between the three was one of family and this must have been one of their private jokes; poke light fun at others to keep the people they loved at ease. My sister and I had enough banter between us that I knew when something was intended as a true insult, and when it was all in jest. I wasn't about to be offended by their silliness.

I noticed as they gathered their bags that Beth had significantly less than the others. Had she been any other girl, I might have supposed that this was because she was poor and had a smaller budget to spend on unnecessary clothes. However, I thought it more likely that she had stubbornly refused to accept charity from Jenny and her mother. Beth had made it clear that she thought of me and Chantelle as terrible snobs, but she had her own pride to deal with, and it was obvious enough that she didn't enjoy spending someone else's money.

'Wait,' Charlie said before they made their exit. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. 'Tomorrow is sort of my birthday, and my parents are having this big party for it. I'd like it if you came along.'

'Just Jenny,' Chantelle added. 'Obviously. And it's our birthday.'

I almost told her to keep her mouth shut, and that Charlie had every right to invite whomever he liked to their shared event. I didn't. It wasn't my party and therefore not my place. Besides, things would be infinitely more interesting if Beth attended.

'You can come too,' Charlie said to her. 'And the other girls in your dorm. I think it would be more fun with more people, don't you?'

I baulked at the very idea.

Jenny? Absolutely.

Beth? I would be disappointed if she wasn't there.

The other three? It would be an unmitigated disaster.

Beth took a moment to consider the offer. I wanted her to agree but I also desperately wanted her to decline. If their friends wreaked havoc in Charlie and Chantelle's house, I might never be able to look at her in the same way again. I had far too much respect for them and their family to allow them to be embarrassed by out-of-control guests.

'What time?' Beth asked.

I hoped that I was wrong.

I hoped that Beth and Jenny would be able to keep their friends under control.

I hoped, but I didn't believe it.