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“Papa doesn’t care,” Evie sighed and sat down much more properly than her sister had.

“I can’t blame him. I was only just considering crying off myself.” She frowned. “What parts were you assigned?”

They both pursed their lips.

“Mr. Kendrick did not assign us parts. There were only enough parts for the adults to play.” Ari scowled.

“Apparently Hamlet is not suited for children,” Evie added.

“Oh, I’m very sorry for you. Surely there are parts you could play,” she said. She perked up. “One of you could take my part.”

They shook their heads.

“I’d not act in Mr. Kendrick’s ridiculous play for all the money in England.” Ari lifted her chin and folded her arms.

Pippy grimaced. “I believe he could convince me to participate for all the money in England. But as that is not on the table, I shall bow out as well. It’s a dreadful play for which he only gave me one line.” She shook her head. “But it’s the principle of the matter that keeps me from performing. The writer spurned my sisters, and I’ll not stand for it,” Pippy said in a voice that should have earned her a bigger part if Mr. Kendrick had heard it. She shook it off and reached over, taking the girls’ hands in hers. “What shall we do to occupy our time now that I don’t have a play to study?”

“Oh,” Ari said, “I was hoping you were available.” She glanced at her sister. “I saw several birds out my window this morning, and they looked very near starving. Evie and I thought to find something to feed them.” She looked hopeful. “Will you help?”

Pippy threw aside the rug covering her legs. “Of course. We cannot abide hungry birds.”

Ari grinned. “I knew you would help.”

“What are the plans? How shall I dress?”

Evie glanced at her sister. “That’s why we’ve come. We have no notion how to set about it.”

“That’s not the reason we’ve come.” Ari looked at Evie with exasperation. “We came because we wished to spend time with you. I’m certain Mrs. Jannet could have told us what to do.”

“We’ll need to see Mrs. Jannet, but I think only for supplies. I made several feeding places for birds when I was young.” She moved toward her room. “Let me fetch my boots.”

“Boots?” Evie said. “Are you certain we need boots?”

Pippy poked her head back into the sitting room. “Unless you wish for wet slippers.”

“I told you we’d need to dress for outdoors.” Ari put her hands on her hips.

“You didn’t,” Evie said. “You said we could set the food on our windowsill.”

Pippy grinned at the girls’ interaction. “She’s not wrong. We can place them on the windowsill. But we’ll feed more if we also hang them in trees and bushes.”

“Oh, I like that idea,” Ari said as she turned toward the door. “I’ll return shortly dressed for the outdoors.”

“As will I,” Evie said with less enthusiasm.

Pippy pulled on her boots and tightened the laces. It would do her good to get out of doors. She’d stayed in the house far too long.

She waited in the corridor for her sisters-in-law. But in no time at all, the two girls pushed out of their room and hurried over to her. “What do we do first?”

“How well do you know Mrs. Jannet? Is she inclined to give us suet and oats? Perhaps some nuts?”

Ari waved Pippy’s concern away. “Of course. Mrs. Jannet has always been fond of me.”

“And me,” Evie added.

“Very good. Let’s ask her for the supplies first. Then we will know how much we need to collect.”

“Collect?” Ari asked.