with not one but two beautiful girls, both of whom belonged to
them this summer thanks to Charles.
Charles was an excellent brother when he set his mind to it.
Cora spoke first. “This is Charles, and this is Thomas. They’re
boarding here for the summer, which you would know if you’d
helped with supper service like you were supposed to.”
Minnie’s mouth set in an embarrassed frown as she deliber-
ately lifted her eyebrows, not looking at the strange new boys
Cora had just scolded her in front of. “Shouldn’t you be clean-
ing?” she asked her sister. “Surely there’s some lonely corner left to
sweep.”
Cora folded her arms crossly. “No. We’re ... I’m not ...
our job this summer is to keep Thomas and Charles company.”
Before Minnie could utter whatever delightful thing was about
to leave her mouth, Cora snapped, “Where are your shoes?”
“Put very carefully away so you can’t scold me for leaving them
out. Now,” she said, clapping her hands together, eyes dancing,
“who is ready for an adventure?”
Thom leaned back with a sigh. “What with the travel and all,
we ought to —”
“Go on the most daring adventure you can think of,” Charles
interrupted. “Otherwise we’ll miss New York too much. What do
you have that New York doesn’t?”
A worried crease between her brows, Cora bit her lip thought-
fully. “There are the caves at the beach —”
“As old as time, and haunted!” Minnie declared.
Cora scowled but continued as though she hadn’t been inter-
rupted. “— which are a very short walk. We can visit the lighthouse
tomorrow, if you’d like, and the church is —”
“No one cares about the church!” Minnie cried, a pleased and