Their chance meetings in the bathroom the night of the prom had been chilly, with none of the excited chatter they used to share as they pulled on their panty hose and slid into their best dresses in preparation for a Saturday night out.

  Elizabeth shuddered. Of course, just because the night Sam died had begun like this, she had no reason to assume that disaster would strike tonight, as well.

  "The bad luck is over," she whispered, thinking of Todd. Elizabeth began humming again as she brushed her long, blond hair, loving the silky feel of it around her bare shoulders. She imagined herself, warm and comfortable, in Todd's strong arms.

  Tonight, she would try not to think about Jessica at all.

  Jessica had stopped crying but was still sitting on the edge of the bathtub when she heard the knob turn on the door to Elizabeth's room. She jumped up instantly, switched on the faucet, and was splashing her face with cold water when Elizabeth, still wearing only a slip and crinoline, entered the room.

  "Oh!" Elizabeth exclaimed, surprised. Then the expression in her eyes hardened and her tone became formal. "I didn't know you were still in here," she said stiffly.

  "It's all right," Jessica answered, just as formally, her face dripping. "I was just leaving." She grabbed a towel and quickly left. Once in her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it while she furiously dried her face.

  Scenes from another Saturday night crowded into Jessica's brain: she and Elizabeth, scowling at each other when they accidentally met in the bathroom as they dressed for the Jungle Prom. . . . Jessica's fury at the dance, when Todd was named king and Elizabeth seemed a shoo-in for queen . . . Jessica's own manicured hand, pouring grain alcohol into Elizabeth's punch to prevent her from winning the title . . . and the scene of the accident, with the Jeep listing crazily to one side and the police pulling Jessica away as she tried frantically to get close enough to see—while the queen's crown, forgotten, lay behind her in the dirt.

  If only they were getting ready for that dance, instead of this one! If only this were that Saturday night, and there was still time to run into Elizabeth's room, wish her the best of luck in her campaign to be prom queen, and cheerfully help her zip up her dress. If only . . .

  It was no use. All Jessica could do now was get ready for tonight and try her best to forget about that other night. At least she had James now.

  "James!" she said aloud. It must be getting close to seven o'clock, when he was supposed to pick her up. And Jessica hadn't even started to get dressed.

  She shook her head and tossed the towel to the floor. She didn't have Elizabeth anymore to keep her on schedule—well, almost on schedule. She sighed as she sat on the bed and began pulling on her new white panty hose that glittered with tiny silver stars.

  Jessica threaded Sam's pearl teardrop-shaped earrings through her ears. She had planned to wear the rhinestone earrings James had given her, but she had suddenly changed her mind. Thinking about the Jungle Prom had made her think about Sam, and the pearl earrings made her feel closer to him. She knew James would understand.

  Jessica stood back to inspect herself in the mirror. She couldn't help smiling; she was beautiful. Her hair was piled elegantly on top of her head and held in place by shiny gold combs. The ball gown looked as soft as a cloud, tinted the faintest of pinks by the promise of a sunrise. The shawl shimmered on her shoulders with subtle hints of color.

  Jessica didn't own a pair of glass slippers, but her silver pumps sparkled like starlight; on a darkened dance floor, they'd be close enough.

  She held her filmy pink scarf in front of her eyes, and nodded happily. Good. She could see through it quite easily. Olivia had urged everyone to wear costumes that covered their faces, to add to the air of mystery. The scarf would work well. Jessica pinned it to the gold combs in her hair, so that it fell gently over her face like a bridal veil. The effect was perfect—romantic, yet dramatic. And she could lift the scarf back over her hair if she got tired of seeing the world through its rose-colored folds.

  She left it that way now, draped backward over her golden hair. She knew that James was waiting downstairs—her father had called up to both girls a few minutes earlier that their dates had arrived.

  She stepped out into the hallway and stopped at the top of the stairs. She could hear Elizabeth's voice downstairs, and she wasn't sure she wanted to run into her again tonight. For a moment, Jessica considered waiting until Elizabeth and Todd had left.

  No. Jessica Wakefield wasn't afraid of anything, especially not her own sister. She froze a smile onto her face and advanced regally down the stairs, an arm outstretched to take James's hand.

  Then Jessica saw Elizabeth, and gasped.

  Elizabeth's silver-clad feet peeped out from under her full, pale-pink ball gown. A shimmering silk shawl cascaded down her shoulders, and a wisp of a pink scarf seemed to float on her elegantly arranged hair.

  The girls' parents and dates looked from one twin to the other, speechless.

  The twins weren't dressed identically, Jessica realized, but they were awfully close. Elizabeth's dress was a shade darker than Jessica's, and the veil that shimmered in Elizabeth's hair was really more white than pink. Small crystal earrings sparkled in Elizabeth's ears. Still, she could hardly believe how close Elizabeth had come to matching her costume.

  "Cinderella?" the sisters asked in unison. They both nodded solemnly.

  If this had happened a few months earlier, Jessica knew, the twins would have laughed and hugged each other. But now, Elizabeth took Todd's hand, murmured a few words to her parents, and swept toward the door, her pink gown rustling as she brushed by her sister.

  "Have a good time, kids, but don't stay out too late," Mr. Wakefield called after Todd and Elizabeth. Jessica knew he was trying to sound as if nothing awkward had happened.

  "Don't worry about a thing," Todd replied, stopping in the doorway. He was speaking to the twins' parents, but looking only at Elizabeth, and Jessica felt a lump in her throat when she saw the love in his deep-brown eyes.

  "Are you all right?" James asked.

  "Perfect," Jessica said, fixing a broad smile on her face. "And you look absolutely dashing!"

  For the first time, she took a good look at his costume, and felt her spirits rise. James was gorgeous. His prince's outfit consisted of navy slacks and a cornflower-blue satin tunic that made his eyes even bluer. His white sash was studded with official-looking medals and ribbons, and his long light-brown hair was swept rakishly to one side.

  But James was staring at Jessica, shaking his head as if he'd never seen her before. "And you are dazzling," he said slowly.

  Jessica smiled more naturally. Maybe the night wasn't going to be so bad, after all.

  Chapter 10

  Elizabeth held Todd's hand as they walked under an ivy-covered archway into the garden behind Harry Minton's antebellum-style mansion.

  "Olivia's boyfriend really knows how to throw a party!" Todd said, gesturing toward a latticework gazebo where a group of musicians played Dixieland jazz.

  "This place is breathtaking," Elizabeth said, her eyes wide under the pale, translucent veil. She tossed the veil back over her hair so that she could see the decorations better. Tiny lights twinkled from every surface and every tree, and the sweet smell of flowers mingled with the delicious aromas of spicy hors d'oeuvres.

  "Elizabeth!" called Enid, rushing over in an aviator costume. Rosa Jameson, dressed as a witch, was right behind her.

  "You look terrific, Enid," Elizabeth said warmly.

  "Good evening, Ms. Earhart," Todd greeted her. "What a great idea for a costume!"

  "What costume?" Enid asked. "This isn't a costume. I've always been naturally flighty."

  "That's not true!" Elizabeth protested. "But you do make a good Amelia Earhart."

  "Rosa," began Todd, "haven't I seen that getup somewhere before?"

  "I'll give you a hint," Rosa said, her dark eyes twinkling like the lights strung from the tree branches above her head. "'Double, double toil and trouble!'"

  "Aha!" Todd said. "It's your costume from Macbeth a few months back."

  "Speaking of costumes, you two look terrific," Enid said, appraising Todd and Elizabeth's outfits.

  "I still say we should have come as a horse," Todd joked.

  Enid turned to Elizabeth. "Is he still neigh-saying your costume ideas?"

  Elizabeth grinned. "You know Todd," she said. "His fashion sense needs to be reined in at times, but he's still my mane man."

  Rosa rolled her eyes. "I think I'm going to be sick."

  "Actually," Enid said, "I think Cinderella and Prince Charming was quite an inspiration."

  Elizabeth and Todd glanced at each other.

  "As it turns out," Elizabeth said, "it wasn't such an original idea. Jessica will be showing up in a few minutes, wearing a costume almost exactly like this one."

  Rosa's eyes widened. "Why would she do that?"

  Elizabeth shrugged. "It's possible she didn't know what I was wearing."

  "Does it really matter?" Enid asked diplomatically. "There's no reason why you can't have a perfectly good time, no matter what costume Jessica's wearing."

  Elizabeth grinned. "You're right," she said. "I won't even think about Jessica or her costume tonight. Though it's kind of strange that I haven't seen her here yet. She was only a few minutes behind us."

  Suddenly, Elizabeth felt a chilly breeze stir through the large, dark garden. She wrapped her arms around her. "Is anyone else getting kind of cold?" she asked.

  "It seems warm to me," Enid said. "But your shawl's pretty light. Would you like my jacket?" She began to take off her leather aviator's coat.

  Elizabeth waved it away. "Oh, no thanks," she said. "It was just one little breeze. Don't spoil your costume on my account."

  "Speaking of costumes," Rosa said, staring wide-eyed toward the entrance arch, "you'll never believe what just walked in."

  Todd whistled as Amy Sutton stomped toward them.

  "Don't anybody say a word!" Amy cautioned as she flounced past them, clutching in her fist a fold of her long black skirt to keep it from catching on a rosebush.

  The four burst into laughter.

  "I wonder what changed her mind about Cleopatra," said Elizabeth. "Who ever thought we'd see it—Amy Sutton dressed as a nun!"

  Elizabeth was whirling around the flagstone patio that served as a dance floor, supported by Todd's arms. Everything was as perfect as she'd imagined. The musicians were playing a big-band number. Tiny lights were entwined through the latticework roof over part of the patio, and they twinkled like stars. The smell of Todd's aftershave brought back memories of every wonderful evening they'd ever shared, and Elizabeth couldn't remember ever feeling so much in love with him.

  "It's good to see you two back together!" a voice said behind her. Elizabeth turned and smiled at Olivia, dancing with Harry.

  "Mickey and Minnie Mouse sure dance a mean tango!" Harry said, pointing to one of the dancing couples. Does anyone know who they are?"

  "That's my brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Billie," Elizabeth said with a touch of pride.

  "Their costumes are really cute," Enid said, "but somebody ought to tell them this isn't a tango!"

  "I didn't know you had a brother," Harry said. "I thought all siblings in your family looked exactly alike."

  "They do," Todd explained. "Elizabeth left her Mickey Mouse ears at the cleaner's."

  Elizabeth ignored him. "Jess and I look just like Mom, but Steve's the spitting image of our father," she explained. She managed to control her voice, but just thinking about Jessica set her nerves on edge. She was still angry with Jessica for hiding Todd's letter, and the duplicate costumes tonight hadn't made her feel any more charitable toward her sister. If there was anything Elizabeth didn't want to think about tonight, it was Jessica.

  Todd seemed to sense Elizabeth's mood. He gracefully steered the subject away from the twins. "I'd like to extend my compliments to the host and hostess," he said with a formal salute toward Olivia and Harry. "This is a swinging party."

  "Thank you, Prince Charming," Olivia said with an odd, closed-lipped grin. She wore a brownish dress with a square-cut neckline and rows of embroidered trim. Her usually wild brown hair was parted in the middle, and her demure smile held an air of pure mischief. "We're glad you could swing by."

  "I get it!" Todd exclaimed suddenly, pointing to the ornate tunic Harry wore and the paint brushes sticking out of his belt. "You're Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa!"

  Harry and Olivia beamed at Todd's recognition and the two couples walked to the edge of the dance floor to where Enid and Rosa were standing.

  "So this is where the rest of the exciting people are," Winston Egbert interrupted as he and Maria Santelli joined them. Winston bounced little Daisy in his arms.

  "The place looks fantastic!" Maria marveled, tossing a loose strand of orange hair out of her eyes. "You've done a great job with the decorations, Harry," Maria continued. "Or should I say, Leonardo?"

  "My loyal model, Mona here, is the real artiste. My biggest contribution was that I happen to live in this white elephant."

  "Don't listen to him," Olivia said. "He's a lot more artistic than he lets on."

  Enid sighed. "The house looks like something out of Gone with the Wind."

  Elizabeth took another look around the garden at all the wild costumes. She suppressed a shudder. There was something strange about seeing all her friends looking like unfamiliar versions of themselves. Somebody in a mask brushed by her. Elizabeth jumped when she saw a knife sticking out of his chest and dark blood dripping down his shirtfront. She realized an instant later that the knife was plastic and the blood was fake. She exhaled slowly, glad that Todd hadn't noticed her reaction.

  "If the house is Tara," he was saying to Maria, "then Lila Fowler's costume is the most appropriate one here."

  He pointed across the garden. Lila stood at the refreshment table, resplendent in white ruffles, with a huge, jeweled brooch sparkling at her neck. As Elizabeth's group watched, tall, dark Tony Alimenti—dressed as a Confederate officer—handed her a glass of punch.

  Olivia raised her eyebrows. "Lila is Scarlett O'Hara," she admitted. "And what a gorgeous dress! It must have cost her a fortune."

  "If I know Lila, she's wearing hairpins that cost more than my entire outfit," Enid said. "But you're right about her dress."

  "'Frankly, my dear—'" Winston began.

  "Actually," Olivia said quickly, gesturing around the garden, "a lot of people helped with the decorations for tonight. The little lights were Robin Wilson's idea."

  Elizabeth followed her glance. A mime sat on a wooden bench at the other end of the dance floor, gesturing to a gypsy fortune-teller in what appeared to be sign language. The mime's face was painted white with black crosses over her eyes.

  Elizabeth shivered. Mimes had always given her the creeps, for some reason. Maybe it was the way their painted faces couldn't quite hide their real expressions. And this mime struck her as particularly eerie, somehow desperately sad and demonically evil at the same time.

  Then the mime began to laugh, and the illusion was gone. It was only Robin Wilson, amused at her failed attempts to communicate in pantomime with the gypsy, who had suddenly become Annie Whitman.

  Elizabeth closed her eyes tightly for an instant and scolded herself about letting her imagination run wild. She forced herself to pay attention to the conversation going on around her.

  "Did you see Amy Sutton?" Enid asked Maria and Winston, her coppery brown hair glistening unnaturally under the twinkling lights. "There must be a story behind that costume."

  Winston shook his head, as if in dismay. "I've been trying to convince Amy to kick the habit! But she's having nun of it."

  Todd eyed him suspiciously. "Something tells me you know more than you're saying about Sister Amy's new calling."

  "Who, me?" Winston asked. "I'm just the bandleader."

  "You three make a lovely family, Win," Elizabeth remarked, trying to sound natural, despite the irrational uneasiness she still felt. "But what are you supposed to be? And what's with Daisy?" she asked, pointing to the black wig perched crookedly on the baby's head.

  Winston scowled dramatically. "Daisy?" he asked. He pitched his voice an octave lower than usual and laid on a heavy but unrecognizable accent. "That ees my Leetle Ricky!"

  Rosa nodded. "Ahhh! That explains your lounge-lizard shirt! You're Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, with Little Ricky, from the old 'I Love Lucy' reruns."

  Winston shoved the baby at Maria, yanked forward a set of bongo drums that hung from a strap around his neck, and beat on them gleefully with his palms.

  "Baba-loo!" he sang tunelessly.

  "Ba-wooo!" Daisy repeated.

  Winston laughed and reverted to his normal voice. "I told you she was a chip off the old blockaroo."

  "Tell us, Rosa," Enid asked. "You're the resident expert. What does 'baba-loo' really mean in Spanish?"

  "Good question," Winston said. "I've been singing 'baba-loo' to everyone all evening. I shouldn't be embarrassed about it, should I?"

  "Yes!" said two vaguely familiar voices, in unison. Elizabeth saw that they belonged to Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee, who were passing by Winston as he spoke. Elizabeth opened her mouth to ask who was under the grinning masks. But the pair was already gone, swallowed up in the colorful, shifting crowd.

  "I think it translates as, 'I can't sing worth beans,'" Rosa said.

  "Wasn't the baby supposed to be a big secret, Win?" Todd asked. "I'm surprised that you would bring her out in public."

  "Well, I sure didn't want the teachers to know I had her in school Thursday," Winston said. "But this is my last night as a baby-sitter, so it doesn't matter who sees her now. I don't know about Daisy's parents, but my parents are coming home tomorrow. I've got to get her to somebody official before they arrive."