“Miss Galinda!” broke out Boq, needing his to be the first voice heard.
The girls raised their heads. In evanescent summer frocks, free of hoops and bustles, they looked like birds about to scatter.
“Holy terror!” said Galinda, her jaw dropping. “What’re you doing here!”
“I’m not decent!” shrieked Shenshen, drawing attention to her unshod feet and pale exposed ankles.
Pfannee bit one corner of her lip and tried to revise her smirk into a smile of welcome.
“I am not staying for long,” said Elphaba. “By the way, girls, this is Master Avaric, the Margreave Descending from Tenmeadows, Gillikin. And this is Master Boq from Munchkinland. They’re both at Briscoe Hall. Master Avaric, as if you can’t tell by the lovesick expression in Boq’s face, this is Miss Galinda of the Arduennas, and Miss Shenshen and Miss Pfannee, who can outline their own pedigrees perfectly well.”
“But how enchanting, and how naughty,” said Miss Shenshen. “Miss Elphaba who-never-gives-us-the-time-of-day, you have redeemed yourself for all time by this pleasant surprise. How do you do, gentlemen.”
“But,” stammered Galinda, “but why are you here? What’s wrong?”
“I am here because I stupidly mentioned your invitation to Master Boq, who saw it as a sign from the Unnamed God that we should visit.”
But at this Miss Pfannee could control herself no longer, and fell on the floor of the gazebo, writhing in laughter.
“What,” said Shenshen, “what?”
“But what invitation are you talking about?” asked Galinda.
“I don’t need to show you,” said Elphaba. For the first time since Boq had known her, she looked confused. “Surely I don’t need to bring it out—”
“I believe I have been set up to be mortified,” said Galinda, glaring at the helpless Pfannee. “I am being humiliated for sport. This is not funny, Miss Pfannee! I have half a mind to—to kick you!”
Just then Grommetik made it around the edge of the hollyflight bush. The sight of the stupid copper thing teetering on the edge of a stone step made Shenshen collapse against a column and join Pfannee in uncontrollable laughter. Even Ama Clipp smiled to herself as she began to put away her materials.
‘’But what is going on?” said Elphaba.
“Were you born to plague me?” Galinda said tearfully to her roomie. “Did I ask for your association?”
“Don’t,” said Boq. “Don’t, Miss Galinda, please don’t say another word. You’re upset.”
“I—wrote—the—letter,” heaved Pfannee between her gales of laughter. Avaric began to chuckle, and Elphaba’s eyes went wide and a little unfocused.
“You mean you didn’t write to invite me to visit here?” said Elphaba to Galinda.
“Oh, dear no, I did not,” said Galinda. In her anger she was beginning to regain some control, even though, Boq guessed, damage had been done for good. “My darling Miss Elphaba, I wouldn’t have dreamed of exposing you to such thoughtless cruelties as these girls perpetrate on each other and on me for sheer amusement. Besides, you have no place in a setting like this.”
“But I’ve been invited,” said Elphaba. “Miss Pfannee, you wrote that letter instead of Miss Galinda?”
“You ate it up!” chortled Pfannee.
“Well this is your home and I accept your invitation even if it was written under false pretenses,” Elphaba said, her voice evenly matter-of-fact as she stared into Miss Pfannee’s narrowed eyes. “I’ll go up and unpack my bags.”
She strode away. Only Grommetik followed. The air went stale with things unsaid. By and by Pfannee’s hysteria grew quieter, and she merely snorted and wheezed, and then grew still, lying vaporishly and unkempt on the flagstone floor of the gazebo.
“Well you all needn’t pierce me with your sniffy attitudes,” she said at last. “It was a joke.”
Elphaba stayed in her room for a day. Galinda came and went with a dinner. On occasion she would stay for a few minutes. So the boys took to swimming and rowing on the lake with the girls. Boq tried to fan in himself an interest in Shenshen or Pfannee, who certainly were coquettish enough. But they both seemed besotted with Avaric.
At last Boq cornered Galinda on the porch and pleaded with her to talk with him. She agreed, a measure of her demure demeanor returning, and they sat a short distance apart on a swing. “I suppose I’m to blame for not seeing through that ruse,” said Boq. “Elphie wasn’t inclined to accept that invitation. I made her.”
“What is this Elphie?” said Galinda. “Where has propriety gone this summer, I ask you?”
“We’ve become friends.”
