The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1 by Caroline Carlson

it had when she’d said good-bye to Miss Greyson.
    â€œIt’s possible,” she said, “that the freelance pirate won’t want to take me on. I’m sure I’ll come back to Pemberton on Saturday afternoon, and we’ll be roommates, and nothing will have changed at all.”
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous,” said Claire, collecting her embroidery thread from the ground. “You are going to be a pirate, and I am going to help you.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œOf course. When Miss Pimm asks me where you’ve gone, I’ll have a chance to practice my acting skills.”
    â€œAnd when I’m a famous pirate, I’ll come back to school and tell Philomena that if she’s horrible to anyone ever again, I’ll make her walk the plank.”
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    Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies

    Where Virtue Blossoms
    Dear Miss Greyson,
    (It feels so awkward to call you Eloise. I will have to keep calling you Miss Greyson for the time being. Is that all right?)
    Thank you for the news of my family. If you can manage to slip my mother some food—perhaps something flat?—under the wardrobe door, I’m sure she would appreciate it. If I were you, however,
I would get out of Westfield House as quickly as possible.
    Your news about Oliver was the most thrilling thing I’ve heard all day. I hope that sea monsters truly do exist, so he can be eaten by one.
    I have met Miss Pimm, and she reminds me a little of you, only much older and more terrifying. She seems very interested in Father’s affairs. Do you know if she has a penchant for sea captains? So many older ladies seem to. I don’t suppose Father has asked after me. Has he?
    So far, Miss Pimm’s is not quite as horrible as being eaten by a sea monster. My roommate, Claire, is wonderful. Do you remember that girl Philomena? She has been making Claire’s life a misery ever since she found out that Claire is not from a High Society family, but Claire stands her ground valiantly and takes out a large portion of her aggression during archery class. (Frustratingly, we are only allowed to aim our bows and arrows at turnips, but piercing the heart of a villainous vegetable is still quite satisfying.) When she is not busy being nasty to Claire, Philomena mocks me for wearing my hair in a braid and for falling down during curtsying lessons, but pirat proper young ladies can’t waste too much time worrying about these things. You will
probably be shocked to hear that I am at the top of my class in waltzing, but you will be less shocked by my
difficulty with penmanship. I hope you are able to read this letter. My knuckles have been rapped upon so many times by the handwriting mistress that I worry they will stage a rebellion and escape from my hand in the dead of night.
    The gargoyle wanted to send you a pressed spider as a token of his affection, but I encouraged him to send pleasant words instead. He declined, arguing that spiders are easier to catch. But I am sure he
sends his love.
    We are so very busy here that I may not have time to write back to you after this Saturday. Whatever else you may hear from Miss Pimm’s, please know that I am thinking of you, and I promise to visit
you in your new bookshop when I return to Queensport.
    Love,
    Hilary
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C HAPTER F IVE

    S ATURDAY DAWNED WARM and bright, with just a hint of thunderclouds at the edges of the sky. A perfect day, Hilary thought, for piracy.
    She packed all her most important possessions—her secondhand shirts and trousers, Treasure Island , and the gargoyle—in her canvas bag. Then she pulled on her scuffed sailor’s boots and strapped her sword over her gray school dress. Claire had promised to look after the rest of her things while she was away, and truthfully, Hilary was relieved to be free of the gold-plated traveling trunk at last. It had given her far too many stubbed toes during her week at Miss