#scarsdale

A giggle "Poor Jarl, does he know he has crabs?"

Oh now she's being a brat

"Vashti!" Oh, now she's giggling.

A hug from her slender but not as slender as she sister "I am a terror that flaps in the night to treat you so."

"Any day, nu? I wouldst have thee tease me any day."

"Oh, I am invited for Pranksgiving then" Eyelash flutter

"As if I could keep thee away? Now, thou art invited tomorrow. Come at sunset, Mama will be making latkes."

"Thy mother's cooking shall place me in hibernation! I shall blow up like a sponge in the sea"

"Piffle. You wouldn't be hurt with a bit of winter padding. Not everybody wants all bones."

"Besides, Shalimar is thy beau. He will like thee plump, he will like thee slim."

"Thou art not all bones your flesh doth string over like fine tinght vellum"

"A fair cop. Still. A few little latkes wouldn't hurt. And we'll have board games."

"Oh very well, I shall drown in Latkes and punish thee in monopoly "

She claps softly, delighted. "Most wonderful."

Another hug

"Would you care for tea? We could go downstairs, make some.. I never feel like a proper hostess unless I offer..."

"Tea! Vile toxin... yes please"

She catches her sister's hand, and leads her down to the kitchen. "Mama, Vashti's here. She might spend the night!"

Vashti turns shy and hides behind the sluagh. WHich might make it look like Zara has wings

"if it be trouble I shall cast myself out to the outter darkness tis no trouble"

Hannah assents that "That's nice dear" and Zara smiles at the moth - Vashti is one of the few to see an uncorrected smile, black gums revealed.

"See? You are fine and welcome."

Vashti beams at that the world 'welcome' seeming quite strange to her.

Zara hums a little as she flutters about the kitchen - not well, mind, not with her broken throat - but happily. Kettle on the stove, and "Shelley" and "Austen" teacups.

"Oh, Shelly!" Vashti has seen the cups before and knows they are not shown picked willy nay nilly

"Pray you approve." She pours hot water. "If you stay, we could read scary stories and stay up too late sharing secrets..."

"Then I shall stay, and speak of the return of old noses"

A laugh, again. "I have that movie. If we are verrrrryyyyy quiet, we could watch.."

Eyes bright! And nods over tea! Oh yes, stories and stay up late and share secrets and movies past midnight... for a moment, the jaded moth made all too often a tool for her father, nay, near a harlot, looks a girl again.

Sharing in her sister's joy and recovering some innocence there by

Zara insists on making a nest of blankets and couch cushions and pillows - one doesn't sleep on a bed during a sleepover.

BLANKET Caves!

And at some point, the sluagh does slip away to slumber, safe at her sister's side.

A happy time indeed

(End scene)