"Of course." She says it like she doesn't much care.

William Way finds this kind of confusing but fails to process it.

"Do you wanna head back inside?"

"It is a bit cold. With or without the bird?"

"Without the bird, I think?"

Chu Chu has never been to a fancy party before and is pretty sure that William is wrong about attending them.

"Hey, we should go up to the balcony! Fancy people!"

She'll let him go first.

The balcony is where the wealthiest and best-bred people in London come to see and be seen. You see a glittering insect, an Arabian prince, a fairy, a lioness– all dripping with gems the people on the floor couldn’t begin to afford. Masks cover everyone’s faces: could you be speaking with a millionaire or a duke?

William Way climbs up the stairs like he belongs there.

Chu Chu... is pretty sure she is in fact not allowed to be here.

Violet does not particularly want the possible scrutiny of fancy people, but, given she's dared herself to be here, acting like she feels that way will grab more attention than not.

"Hello, Annie!"

"How dare you speak to me."

"Oh, don't be like that, Annie."

UM????

Oh dear. "She disapproves of his deadly extracurriculars, I think," Violet whispers in Chu Chu's ear.

"One time! One time, Annie."

"I am the daughter of one of the finest families in England. You are a guttersnipe with pretensions."

"I think I made your birthday party better."

"NO YOU DID NOT."

"Chu Chu--"

"What kind of idiot has the same name twice."

"CHU CHU," William says, ignoring her, "back me up here, surely anyone would want an award-winning performance of the latest modernist music, showing off their exquisite taste and up-to-the-minute sense of fashion--"

"YOU CAN'T DANCE TO MACHINE SOUNDS. IF I WANTED MACHINE SOUNDS I WOULD HAVE HIRED A TRACTOR MYSELF."

Sulkily: "it was a steam engine. Actually."

Chu Chu does Not Want To Be Involved Here.

"Not an actual steam engine...?" She hates this but she also loves this. These people are hilarious.