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“Thank ye kindly, Grace, but I got a fresh rash on me hands just this evenin’. We don’t want you ter get your lovely face all spoilt like me own, now do we?” Her words were light but her mouth twisted with the effort involved in keeping it that way.

“Come along and see,” Elizabeth called from the railing. “It’s a sight . . . oh, Grace, I don’t know how you got the key, but I’m so glad.”

“Ye don’t know? Me money’s on Dr. Thornhollow. If Grace told ’im to cut off ’is own leg because she fancied it, I think ’e’d saw through bone then an’ there.”

Grace pinched Nell lightly on the forearm and her friend yelped. “All’s I’m sayin’ is that ’e would. I’m not inferrin’ anythin’.”

“Keep your voice down,” Lizzie hissed as they joined her. “There’s people getting out of their carriages. Our fun is over if they spot three madwomen on the roof, and Janey’s place at the reception gone for sure.”

The dying winter light left a rosy tint to the snow, and the gas lamps that bordered the winding road to town had all been lit for the occasion. The flames danced, drawing the young women’s eyes down to the bridge and the first lights being lit in the homes across it. Grace’s nerves quieted a bit at the sight before her, the naked branches of the trees no less beautiful for being without leaves.

Elizabeth laced arms with the other two, leaning ever so slightly over the railing. “If you’re very quiet, I bet we can hear the river from here,” she whispered.

“Tha’s just String pullin’ a fast one on ye,” Nell said. “We’re sixty feet up if we’re a foot. Ye can’t hear the river, but I bet we might hear an interestin’ thing or two, nonetheless. I see a fancy carriage comin’ up the bend now, supposin’ that’s the senator?”

Grace’s heart sank in her chest, her body quivering at the thought. Elizabeth pulled her closer, eyes full of concern. “Are you all right, Grace?” she asked, then tilted her head to the right, brows pulled tighter.

Grace nodded that she was fine but disentangled herself from Lizzie to lean both hands against the railing, pulling in deep lungfuls of air. It wasn’t her father who alighted from the carriage but a businessman from town and his garishly overdressed wife. Nell leaned forward as they passed under them toward the portico.

“I think I just seen more o’ that woman’s cleavage than ’er own ’usband.”

“Oh, look, another one,” Elizabeth exclaimed as more wheels came crunching up the drive, hooves ringing as they circled behind the asylum to the stables. “Poor Ned. He’ll have more than his fair share of work tonight.”

“Och, ’e’ll love it,” Nell argued. “’E’ll be able to tell us the name and ’eritage of every new ’orsie ’e meets tonight. ’E’s probably the ’appiest insane person fer miles.”

The carriages kept coming, people piling out of them. The drivers gathered on the back of the grounds, the bobbing heads of their lit cigarettes wafting the smell of tobacco to the girls to mingle with the voices of their bosses.

“Now that one’s nicely dressed,” Elizabeth said, nudging Nell to bring her attention to a woman in blue.

“Not bad, not bad,” Nell agreed. “And lookie ’ere, the super’s going to come down the steps to bring ’er in. Goodness me, in the upper crusts tha’s the same as announcin’ ye want to give ’er a go.” She fanned herself in a mock fit.

“As if you’d mind for a man to hand you down from a carriage,” Elizabeth said.

“What’s ’e doin’ with ’is ’ands after that?”

Elizabeth sighed. “Now, let’s test their manners,” she said. “All the women have come in with their husbands, except for the lady in blue.”

“She didn’t ’ave to wait for no ’elp.”

“No, and here’s a little old lady, come alone.”

“And a gentleman come to see to ’er, right away,” Nell said, slapping the railing. “Ye can say what ye like about the insane asylum, but—look ’ere, Grace, that’s yer Dr. Thornhollow ’elpin’ ’er. Ooooh and don’t ’e just look nice as can be. My, my . . .”

“Yes, he does look handsome,” Elizabeth agreed.

“Cover yer ears, lassies, then hit the boards.” Nell said, a split second before putting her fingers in her mouth and letting out a wolf whistle. Grace dropped to the roof, dragging Elizabeth down next to her. Nell fell in pile of skirts, red-faced with laughter.

“Nell!” Elizabeth gasped. “What were you thinking?”

“I was thinkin’ it’s a lovely night, and ’e’s a good-lookin’ man who don’t ’ave no one to tell ’im so. So I did, and damned if ’e didna look straight up ’ere as if ’e knew there’d be someone in the turret.”

Elizabeth peeped over the edge. “Do you suppose he’s still looking?”

“It doesna matter, Lizzie. ’E knows we’re ’ere, and I imagine it’s all for wee Grace’s sake, so let’s stop worryin’ about the rules and ’ave the fun of it.”

They went back down the stairs single file to retrieve chairs, making their way back up awkwardly, chair legs bumping each other in the shoulder blades. Once settled, Nell produced two cigarettes, lit them off the lamp, and offered one to them.

“I could never,” Elizabeth said, waving it away.