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The rest of the council gasped, their gazes lifting to the potential matron. Though Ms. Park had schooled her expression, Lila could see that she’d expected the reaction. She knew exactly what she had done, and she stared back unflinchingly, showing the highborn that she’d take whatever she could get as soon as she could get it. She’d tossed out whatever girlish dreams she had in favor of what proved the most politically expedient, the most daring. The show of it didn’t elude her at all.
Perhaps Ms. Park and her daughter wouldn’t need as much coaching as Lila had thought.
Perhaps they wouldn’t be as friendly as Lila had hoped, either.
The women in the room studied Lila. When a matron took down a house, the color belonged to the victor’s family, free to grant or deny to the next matron who might desire it. Ms. Park must have known about this unofficial rule. She looked toward Lila, a little twist at the corner of her mouth. This was her first deal as a new matron, Lila realized. An olive branch to the Randolph family, and a very public one. She was declaring early, attempting to align herself.
Johanna and Élise seethed.
Ms. Park had chosen well. Only three New Bristol families had seats on the Saxony High Council, and the Randolphs were first among them. They had the other New Bristol families in their pocket.
At least most of the time.
“I think it would be a shame to let such a prosperous color wait for another family,” Lila said, knowing her mother would approve. “I only ask that you endeavor to bring it more honor and integrity than its last owner.”
“Certainly, Chief Randolph.” Ms. Park bowed her head. “My proposed coat of arms is on the next page.”
Lila turned the page, curiosity revived. From what she’d seen on television, lowborn and workborn girls constantly doodled coats of arms in the margins of their economics notes, at the bottom of their math homework, and signed every art project with the symbol. Ms. Park had likely been drawing this coat of arms for her entire life.
It was beautiful for something modified in a rush. A golden bear on a golden background, mouth open to rend and bite, paw lifted to
punch and slice its opponent. Such a coat of arms would serve her and her family well.
Underneath, Lila read their proposed motto. Loyalty preserved enriches.
“A fair showing, Ms. Park,” Élise said primly as the lowborn concluded her proposal. “You may now leave our chambers so that we may begin deliberations. Expect to hear back from us before the season ends.”
Ms. Park bowed and left the council chambers.
As soon as she was gone, Élise swiveled in her chair. “Now that we’ve heard from Ms. Park, I believe we should discuss alternative—”
“Fine. Discuss them without me.” Lila stood up and shoved her chair under the table. She then leaned on its back, eyeing Élise and Johanna grumpily. “This woman has attended nearly every highborn party in the last two decades because she’s had enough money and favor to snake the invitations. She and her family conduct herself far better than the last family this council voted in, and she rakes in more money than some of the highborn families in this room. No other family in the city comes close to her qualifications. Let the record show that the House of the Crimson Wolves votes to include Ms. Suji Park among the highborn. I have better things to do than let you waste my time with candidates this council will ultimately reject.”
“We might not reject—”
“We will. Her proposal outstrips any others you could find in Saxony, which is why we invited her here in the first place. And regardless of how she stacks up against any other candidate you could drag into this council room, she’s the only potential matron in New Bristol who would have walked into this room and pulled the stunts she did. If nothing else, she should be admitted for brashness and style alone.”
“This isn’t a fashion show,” Élise grumbled.
“And be glad for that,” Johanna agreed, crinkling her nose at Lila’s blackcoat.
“Call the vote, Élise,” Chairwoman Masson said. “Chief Randolph has a point. This is tedious, and I’m sure we all have work to finish at home.”
“Fine. All in favor of seeking more families for inclusion?”
Chairwoman Masson sighed heavily.
Only Élise and Johanna raised their hands.
Seeing little support, Élise didn’t even bother to finish the vote or make it official. “All in favor of the Park family joining the highborn?”
The other nine families raised their hands.
Seeing they would be outnumbered, Élise and Johanna raised their hands as well. It wouldn’t do for the public record to reflect the slight. Ms. Park and her family would always remember any family who dared vote against their entry.
Rarely did families vote against a nomination.
Not unless you were Ophelia Randolph.
