“How surprising. Do you mean that little girls have minds?”
Now that Becca has broken a taboo, it seems that Fortuna has left her to her own devices. A relief, but also a worry. It is perhaps not the cleverest idea to alienate the one person who may be your ally.
Now, as she readies to visit the director of the Alliance boys’ school, there is no voice wheedling, calling to her to pull on a shawl and a veil, to wait for someone who will accompany her. She will be a European. Independent. She will wear European clothing and she will walk out alone.
The director is in a classroom, dishing out a meal of yellow rice, white cheese, and something green and unidentifiable. As soon as he gives the nod, the boys begin shoveling rice onto forks.
“Most of the boys go home for lunch. But there are some…” He watches them. “This is all the food they will get all day.”
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