grapple with things like coed dorms and declaring a major in fashion design and maybe a torrid
extracurricular affair with that probably…pretty…cute…under…his…tweed…blazer…and…bow…tie English
lit professor。 But let？s not get ahead of ourselves： it？s hot outside； and things are already getting
steamy。 Life is full of mystery？not to mention cute girls in polka…dot bikinis and hot guys in
pastel…colored surf shorts。 The summer； with its lack of rules and schedules； provides the perfect
setting for some severe misbehavior。 Right now； I？m taking my new oversized pale pink Gucci
sunglasses； a copy of FrenchElle ； some Guerlain SPF 45 sunblock； and a cozy
turquoise…and…tangerine…striped Missoni towel and hitting the park。 Which part of the park？
Wouldn？t you like to know？
You know you love me。
gossip girl
the family that plays together stays together
？Bravo！？ cried Lord Marcus。 ？Darling； you？re simply a natural at this！？
Camilla chuckled； tucking her long blond mane behind her ears as her red croquet ball rolled
through the wicket and came to rest on a patch of perfectly manicured emerald green lawn in the
back garden of the Beaton…Rhodes manor。 It was the third match they？d played that day； and
Camilla had won。 Again。
？I learned from the master；？ she giggled excitedly。
？When is it going to be my turn？？ Blair whined。 She？d been waiting for ages to get her chance to
swing the mallet。 She was definitely in the mood to hit something。
Behind them the ivy…covered gray stone West London mansion rose up like a fortress。 Blair
hadn？t been invited inside yet； nor had she met Marcus？s parents。
？Mother has one of her headaches；？ he？d explained； causing Camilla to erupt into a fit of
honking laughter。 Blair wondered if Lady Rhodes had a tendency to bring a bottle of sloe gin to
bed with her； but she didn？t ask； preferring to glare menacingly at Camilla instead。 There was
something so ？I？min and you？reout ？ about her； Blair just wanted to rip her head off like some
kind of ugly royal cousin Barbie that would still be on the shelves at FAO Schwarz long after
Christmas。
？I believe that ends our game；？ Lord Marcus called apolo…getically。 ？Shall we have another go？？
？Whatever；？ muttered Blair； sipping her fourth Bombay Sapphire martini of the afternoon。 The
sprawling ancient stone mansion was framed by hundreds of perfectly conical bushes。 Even the
massive trees had been trimmed into unnatural shapes。 Blair was beginning to feel like Alice at the
Queen of Hearts？ palace in Wonderland。 She lit a Silk Cut and puffed on it greedily。 ？Can we get
some more refreshments？？ she asked of no one in particular。
When in doubt； have another。
？I？m knackered；？ sighed Camilla as she collapsed into the wrought…iron chair next to
Blair？s。 ？Having fun？？ she asked； putting her hand on Blair？s； which was curled up into an angry
little fist。
Weren？t she and Marcus supposed to be in love？ Why wasn？t he undressing her in his elegant
Edwardian bedroom？ Why did he want to pal around with his nag of a cousin？ Why wasn？t heat
least playing footsie with her beneath the table？
She squinted at Marcus； looking for a sign； some hint of his true feelings。 A wide grin spread
across his clean…shaven face and his green eyes sparkled with merriment。 He seemed pletely
oblivious。 Just having the time of his life in the warm summer sun。 Blair sighed。 Maybe she was
being nasty and judgmental。 She glanced at Camilla。 Maybe she？d disappear soon； and she and
Marcus could have sex beneath a hare…shaped conifer。
？The time of my life；？ Blair snapped。
？I daresay I？mstarved ；？ Lord Marcus exclaimed； rolling up the sleeves on his white linen
button…down before taking a seat at the glass…topped table。 He reached for a tiny silver platter that
was laden with delicate cucumber sandwiches and popped a triangle in his mouth。
？You？re always hungry when I？m around；？ Camilla giggled。 She poked him in the belly and
sipped her martini delicately。
？Remember that time I came to visit you at Yale and we went to that gorgeous little town in
Vermont for a weekend ski？？ Camilla turned to Blair。 ？We were on the slopes all day and all I
wanted was a nice soak in the tub。 When I got out； Marcus had ordered
everything？everything！？off the room service menu so we could eat by the fire。？
Blair was overe with the urge to grab her mallet and smack Camilla over the head。 She
looked at Marcus； who was blushing。 Maybe he and Camilla were the kind of cousins who liked to
play doctor。 Even after they were too old to play。 Didn？t Horseface realizeshe was Marcus？s
girlfriend？
？Oh； Cam； I？m sure Blair doesn？t want to hear about our ski weekend。？ Marcus stood up；
waving the empty sandwich plate at the butler。
Blair stood up； too。 ？Anyone up for another game； set？ whatever it？s fucking called？ Maybe I
can take a turn this time。？
？Oh； I think I？m all worn out。 I ought to have warned you；？ Marcus apologized。 ？Camilla is an
absolute whiz at games。？
Well； fine then。 ？Speaking of whiz；？ Blair muttered under her breath。 ？I need the loo。？ She？d
picked up quite a few Britishisms in the last couple of days。
？Oh my。？Camilla blushed。？There？s that Yank wit。？
And there？s that Brit bitchiness。
？Just inside；？ Lord Marcus instructed。 ？Through the library and on your left。？
？I？ll find it；？ huffed Blair； stumbling a little as she started toward the house。 The gin had gone
straight to her head。 ？Don？t get up。？
She clopped along the flagstone path； smoothing the wrinkles in the white Thomas Pink
shirtdress she？d changed into especially for their afternoon of lawn games。 The house was
surprisingly cluttered and smelled of rotting flowers。 Of course the furniture was beautiful and the
rugs especially so？apparently Lady Rhodes sent a buyer to Marrakech every other year to add to
her collection。 But a stained…glass window in the library made the house feel oddly churchlike；
and Blair felt strange wandering around alone； knowing Lady Rhodes was upstairs somewhere
nursing a hangover。
Alone in the powder room； she lit another Silk Cut； her new favorite English cigarette； and
studied her reflection in the gilt…framed mirror as she exhaled。 She narrowed her eyes and tucked
in her chin； practicing the sexy look she？d fix on her boyfriend。 One more drink and she？d suggest
heading back to Claridge？s for a late…afternoon romp。 Lawn games were all well and good； but she
was in the mood for somereal exercise。 She smoked the entire cigarette and pocketed a piece of
the Beaton…Rhodes French…milled shell…shaped soap just because。
Old habits never die。
Outside； a new batch of martinis had been mixed； and Lord Marcus offered a fresh glass to Blair
as she took her seat。
？She？ll want an ashtray；？ Camilla quipped； nervously eyeing the inch of ash at the tip of Blair？s
cigarette。
？I？ll use the lawn； thanks；？ Blair replied flatly； taking a swig from her paper…thin Riedel glass；
spilling only a little on the table in the process。
？Darling； wait；？ Lord Marcus jovially reprimanded her。 ？We？re having a toast。 We were wait