1769

Rosella lay awake in the darkness, too excited to sleep. She would be leaving for Apollonia in the morning, to meet the boy who might become her husband one day. And it would be just her and Papa going, just like she was a real grown up lady! She closed her eyes again, trying and failing to fall asleep, until she heard a small knock at her bedroom door. Opening her eyes and sitting up, she glanced at the grandfather clock on the other side of her room. It was past midnight.

She tiptoed over to the door and opened it, seeing Genevieve in her nightdress on the other side.

"I couldn't sleep," Genevieve said by way of explanation.

Rosella opened the door wider so that Genevieve could come in. She followed her sister to the bed, where Genevieve had burrowed herself under the covers as she often did when she had a bad dream. Rosella climbed in next to her and began to stroke her hair, which was the same light brown as her father's, with her mother's curls.

"What is it? Did you have a nightmare?"

"You're going to get married," Gen said in a little voice, "and you'll leave me."

"Not yet, silly goose! I'm just visiting him, and then I'll stay here for years, and years, and years, until you're begging me to leave you!" She reassured her, tickling Genevieve until she was breathless with giggles. But she sensed that Genevieve still had something bothering her. So she waited until Genevieve said,

"You're going to love him more than me."

"Don't be absurd, Gen. Did you love me or Derek any less once Pierre was born?"

"No, I suppose not."

"What about when Dominique was born?" Genevieve shook her head. "Henri?"

"See?" Rosella said, poking Genevieve's belly, "Love just keeps growing. Besides, when I get married, you'll have one more brother to love!"

Genevieve wrinkled her nose. "Like I need another one of those."

Rosella giggled, settling back against the pillows. She heard Genevieve take another deep breath before saying,

"But you'll be so far away! What if I need someone to play with and Derek's busy?"

"I promise to write to you every day. And we'll visit each other, like Maman and Auntie Erika do."

"It won't be the same," she heard Genevieve grumble.

Rosella turned on her side, facing Genevieve in the darkness. "We're Rosy and Gen! Do you really think a boy can separate us?"

"Promise that you'll always come back to see me?" Genevieve said, holding out her pinky.

Rosella linked her pinky with Genevieve's. "Always."

1781

Genevieve heard the softest of knocks at her bedchamber door. She sat up, her elaborate hairstyle a bit squished from where she had been laying on it. The knock came again, a little louder this time. Genevieve heaved a sigh. As much as she loved her sister, she was not in the mood to deal with Isabella's incessant questions about the gowns the other ladies were wearing, or how many candles the chandelier required.

However, she pulled the melomakarona she had saved from the ball from her dress pocket, knowing how eager Isabella had been to try one from the moment they arrived and said,

"Come in!"

The door opened, and Ro came in hesitatingly, the feather on the back of her head drooping a little. She gave Genevieve the tiniest of smiles before saying,

"Do you mind if we talk?"

"Of course!" Genevieve said, eager to focus on someone else's problems and moving her skirts so that Ro could sit beside her on the bed, "What is it? You look like something is troubling you."

Ro sat next to her, crossing and uncrossing her fourth and pinky finger, just as she had when they first met.

"Gen, I don't know how to say. . . I don't know where to start," she began, looking at her hands instead of at Genevieve.

"Start with what? Oh God, did Antonio ask you to marry him again? I thought everything was finally settled between the two of us!"

"No, no, nothing like that!" Ro said, grabbing her hand to reassure her, "Everything is finally alright. Which is why what I want to speak to you about. . .complicates things."

"Complicates things, how?" Genevieve said uneasily, "Ro, what's going on?"

"I want to start by saying that what I am about to say does not need to leave this room if you don't wish it to."

"Alright. . ."

"I. . . remember, Gen. I remembered who my family is, where I come from, right before the ball, while we were waiting for the herald to announce us."

Genevieve laughed with relief, squeezing Ro's hand. "Is that all? That's wonderful! I can help you find them if you tell me who they are."

Ro looked at her with glassy eyes, not saying anything for a few moments. Was she saying. . .?

"It's me, Gen. It's Rosella."

Genevieve felt the anger she had first experienced upon meeting Ro bubble up again. They had come so far! Had Ro just been trying to gain her trust all along?

"Why should I believe you?"

"I know that you're terrified of spiders."

"Plenty of people are. That proves nothing."

"I don't know how you take it now, but when we were children you took your tea with one lump of sugar and about half the milk in the creamer," Ro failed to hold back a laugh, "I remember once, when Madame Arpine was teaching us tea service, you poured so much into your cup that it spilled all over the table!"

Genevieve held no such memory, which didn't necessarily refute Ro's claim, after all, she had been only five when Rosella died. If she'd died.

Ro leaned forward, her voice taking on a desperate tone. "My canary's name was Croissant! You didn't speak to me for three days because you wanted her to be named Citron, because her feathers were yellow, like a lemon!"

That was true. Genevieve had berated herself for weeks after Rosella's death, realising she'd unknowingly given up three days of a very short time with one of her favourite people. When she'd say her prayers at bedtime, she would often pray for Rosella to be sent from heaven for just three days, so that she could have the time she'd lost back.

And then, she looked at Ro head on, in a way she had been avoiding since they'd met in the parlour, which felt like a lifetime ago now. Ro's eyes were so much like her mother's. In fact, the longer Genevieve stared at Ro, the more she saw how much Ro's face resembled Maman's. Had her big sister been right beside her all along, and the only person who saw the truth was the only sister who'd never known her?

Genevieve inhaled sharply. It was her.

A smile came over Genevieve's entire face as she pitched herself forward, tackling Ro- Rosella- in an embrace. Ro let out a delighted squeal.

"So you believe me then?"

Genevieve squeezed her tighter. "I'm sorry I didn't before. Really Rosy, I was awful to you."

Ro pulled away, tucking a lock of Genevieve's hair behind her ear. "It's alright, I honestly didn't believe it either until I remembered everything."

"Who knew Antonio would figure it out before we did?"

"Antonio had at least met me before! Who knew Isabella would know before us?"

"Oh God, she's going to lord that over me for the rest of my life."

Rosella laughed, shaking her head. "Do you want to tell her then?"
"Not tonight," Genevieve said, playing with the seam of her gown, "Can it be only the two of us for now? Like when we were girls?"

Ro smiled indulgently, her hand pulling on a curl on the back of Genevieve's head and laughing when it sprung back up. "Why don't I take the pins out of your hair and plait it? You can do the same to mine."

"I'd like that."

Genevieve revelled in the gentle and methodical way Rosella undid her hair, uttering a small "sorry" every time she pulled too hard on one of the knots that had naturally formed with how much powder and teasing had gone into its styling. They talked easily as Ro brushed her hair, about Ro's life on the island, about how their other siblings were faring, and reliving childhood memories.

After Genevieve had taken all the pins out of Rosella's hair, brushed it, and loosely plaited it, Ro kissed her cheek and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"My bedchamber. This will be my first night there, but Antonio says that grooms are supposed to sleep alone the night before the wedding, even though I'm not the woman he's marrying."

Genevieve hesitated. "Would you mind. . . staying here tonight?"

Ro nodded, smiling wide. Genevieve climbed into bed next to her sister as Rosella blew out the candle next to the bed. She tucked her head into Ro's shoulder, listening to her breathing just to make sure it was real.

As she felt Rosella's breathing deepen, she remembered telling Derek that she would step aside if Rosella was indeed alive. But now that she knew the truth, was letting Ro marry Antonio the best thing for Apollonia? For Palladia?

And though she would never admit it to anyone but perhaps the girl asleep beside her, she was afraid. Afraid to be so far away from home, afraid that she had no family or friends in Apollonia. And that would be something she'd have to face in any political marriage she made. Was it so bad for her to want her big sister there with her? Especially since they had been separated for so many years?

But honestly, she couldn't bring herself to care about what would happen tomorrow. She had Rosella back, and that was all that mattered.