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Constance does her best to act nonchalantly as she passes the closed library doors. She glances left and right to be sure that she is alone in the corridor before she presses her ear to the door andlistens.

Angelica descends the staircase and sees Constance. Her voice rings out, “Go to your room, you littlesnoop!”

The harsh command startles Connie, sending her scurrying past her mother and up thestaircase.

Once Angelica is alone, she goes to the library door. She places her hand on the knob, gives it a gentle turn, and pushes open the door just enough to peek inside. Miss Bond is standing there holding a large envelope. Xander is sitting at a small desk that has been brought in – his hands tightly clasped in front of him. Angelica gently closes the door and thinks for a moment before heading toward the drawingroom.

Inside the library, Miss Bond was aware of her mistress’ presence. She is the children’s teacher, and she and Xander are here under the directive of Mr. Bon Vive. So what Mrs. Bon Vive saw is of no consequence. What her mistress did not see is that Victoria is also in the room sitting at a desk beyond the view of Angelica’s spyingeyes.

It’s one minute before eight o’clock in the morning. Xander and Victoria watch as Miss Bond opens the large envelope from Massachusetts University. She pulls out two exams and places them face down before the anxious students. As the clock strikes eight, Miss Bond smiles at her students. “You maybegin.”

The students flip over the exams and scan through the pages. Xander pic