Visiting with suitors, Freya had decided, was a terrifying experience. She was reminded of her first day of school when she was four, or when she had gone to the city the first time; but the day, at last, was over.

If only her family agreed.

Mother droned on about where Freya went wrong, what she should have worn, how riding wild beasts was not ladylike. It was druidic, Grandpaw argued, the sort of thing Old Gran would have done in her own youth. Freya tuned out the disagreement from there. It was old hat, after all...

She turned in an hour earlier than usual and lay awake a good long time, thinking about the suitors. How Captain Bell and Lieutenant Chin-Hwa both looked nice and reserved, but ready to pounce. She imagined Bell sneaking along a dark pathway unseen to any except for her, and then she imagined dancing with Da Seung, letting him take care of all her needs.

It would be easy to have such a handsome mouse to take care of her. She could spend her days as she pleased and then vacation far away, or hold her own balls at the Seung Estate.

The next day, Lady Raina’s students arrived promptly at Bun Manor for tea. Freya had travelled by carriage, letting the chickens rest for the day, and when she arrived, Abigail was just disembarking from her coach. Holly greeted the pair at the door.

“Sisters!” she said, chattering idly as she led them into the drawing-room. There was no sign of Tulip, Freya noticed. Perhaps she was out? Lady Raina hated for anyone else to make her tea, though.

“I’ve got so much to talk about, I can’t wait to tell you how it went,” Abigail said.

Lady Raina sat in the drawing-room, standing when they entered. The girls curtseyed to her, holding it for just the right amount of time, and then sat around in much the same way they had at the dance.

“I trust that all three of you have had callers then,” Lady Raina said, skipping pleasantries altogether. “I know Holly had at least one.”

“I had five if you'll believe it, my lady,” Freya said.

“Two foxes visited me, but those were the two I expected,” Abigail said. Despite her modesty, she was positively beaming.

“I had a few, but not the one I was interested in seeing.” Holly turned her head, not quite looking at Freya, ears bent as if she was irritated. “But it sounds like he had the time to visit someone else for a call, so…”

For once in her life, Freya was speechless.

“Is that true, Freya? Well, it is of no matter. A suitor should be judged by his suitability, his match with you. It could be that this one… er who was it, Miss Bun?”

“That would be Captain Andrew Bell,” Holly said. Her face was screwed up like when Freya had her try a specialty cheese but Holly didn’t want to let off that she couldn’t stand it.

“Ah, the one with the dreamy eyes and, well… Good luck with that one,” Lady Raina said.

This caused all three of the conspirators to turn to regard her.

“What? He turned down Tulip’s advances, it is unlikely that you will get him to marry. He isn’t a notable rake but I doubt he finds a marriage compact appealing.”

Freya's mind started going a mile a minute. Captain Bell knew Tulip. He knew her, and Tulip knew him well enough to proposition him. She knew him well enough to proposition him and he had turned her down.

Reeling with the possibilities she began to pour water into her cup, to allow the sweet aroma of the tea to infiltrate her nostrils. She then poured tea over for each of the others.

“Well, still, it’s like Freya’s trying to take him out from under me,” Holly said.

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Ahem.” Lady Raina’s whiskers twitched, though there was an edge to her amusement. “The important question is this one. Did you learn anything? Because we have just five days until the next ball, assuming you receive the invitation. I won’t be wasting my time if you’re just going to bicker over a single rabbit.”

“But!” Holly said.

The hairs on Freya's neck tingled. “No male is worth that, especially Captain Bell,” Tulip said, appearing with another teapot. She replaced the half-empty one on the table, stalking out as quietly as she came.

“Precisely,” Lady Raina said. “Don’t let one get between the three of you.”

“I tried to bring him to call on you, Holly, really I did. I don’t think he’s interested in either of us, really, so much as Grandpaw’s chickens.” Freya leaned forward as she spoke, hoping her earnestness came through in her voice. She hated confrontation.

Holly got up to make a point.

“Miss Uki, I found it suspicious when you took the card for the one rabbit that I was interested in, but I was willing to let it slide. Then you danced with him, right in front of me. I want you to know how that felt.”

Freya’s whispers drooped.

“And Aunt Raina, I feel like you don’t think that I would be a capable match for Captain Bell, which you made plenty clear at the ball. I wasn’t surprised when Captain Bell showed up to her estate first before calling upon me!” Holly paused to drink a sip of tea, puffing herself up. She held up a paw to forestall anyone else speaking.

“Then you took him on a chicken ride! I wanted to go on a chicken ride with you! You were trying to impress him, for certain. None of your other suitors got rides,” Holly said.

Freya blinked, taken aback. “I - that was…”

“I’m not done, Miss Uki!” Holly almost barked, “You went on an unescorted ride with him, and to make matters worse, you rejected wholeheartedly my notion of getting the Duke as a business partner in favor of the one rabbit that you KNEW I was interested in.”

“You were interested in him? Well isn’t that great!” Freya said, standing.

Their bickering was interrupted by a sharp, delicate cough.

Abigail put her teacup down, uncharacteristically severe. “You two are my best friends in the world and I will not allow you to fight like this. Holly, how can you speak to your aunt that way?”

Holly deflated, clutching the arms of her chair. “I’m sorry for what I said. I do love you, Aunt Raina, I just want you to believe in me. Why won’t you back me up?”

“I know that you have potential, my dear niece. I have high hopes that all three of you succeed. My problem lies not with you being a capable match for Captain Bell; rather I don’t believe that he is good enough for you,” Lady Raina said. “If I gave you the impression that I did not support you, that is my fault, and I shall do my best in the future to support your endeavors.”

Abigail smiled. “Good. Now, Freya, you need to assure Holly that you are not going to try to steal her suitors to include Captain Bell.”

Freya wiped a tear from her eye.

“If I had known how you felt, Holly - I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again,” Freya said.

Holly handed her a kerchief.

“Thank you. And I promise that I will support you as well. But it better not happen again,” Holly said.

Lady Raina picked up her teacup with a conspicuous clink.“Now that’s done, my dear Miss Abigail, would you regale us with the tale of your suitors? I want these two to agree on something, and perhaps they can both agree on whatever you’re doing right.” Lady Raina sipped her tea.” Or wrong.”