It was near time for lunch. Nishi and Melody could do little more than freshen up and make a quick change of clothes. Lunch was taken behind the impressive rotunda in the main hall where Nishi and Melody met the previous hour. Nishi led Melody through the growing crowd of fellow patients to a table already  prepared with elegant place settings. The smell of delicious things made everyone hungry.

"Is this a hallucination?" asked Melody.

"It's real as can be. We grow our own food, and have some talented cooks. At least one is a former patient. The settings are mostly donated."

Melody craned her neck to take in the noisy room. "No boys?"

"No boys," said Nishi. "They eat separately, and that's a good thing."

"I suppose you're right. I haven't met a one who wasn't crazy or an idiot."

"Both, usually."

The din quieted as a matronly woman stepped up on a raised platform on one side of the hall. "Good evening, my dears."

"Mrs. Cotwin," Nishi whispered.

"I know," said Melody.

"Today, I have the pleasure of introducing some new guests," said Ms. Cotwin. "If I call your name, please do not stand. We will have the opportunity for getting to know one another later." She pulled a green book from the folds of her dress. "Laura Doon, Micheal Dressy, Gearge Faraday, Hank Smyth, Melody Platt, and Lynn Myers. On behalf of everyone here, I welcome you --at least the young women who are present. I encourage the rest of you to get to know our newcomers and make them feel welcome. The Arvan Home for the Magically Disordered is our home. Let's make it feel that way."

"I think she's trying too hard," whispered Melody.

"She's always that way."

"It's depressing."

"Welcome to Arvan," whispered Nishi.

"With that," said Mrs. Cotwin, "I turn the lectern over to the Lord Stewart."

"This is going to be a while," whispered Nishi. She patted Melody on the back when she frowned. "It's not that bad. Try the spinach."

A wan man stood up to the lectern and gazed at the crowd before clearing his throat. "Ehem. Many years, I have stood before you and others before--"

"That's Lord Stewart?" asked Melody.

"Yes."

"He looks sick."

"Seems to happen every few months," said Nishi. "He'll be well enough in a week or two. He takes advantage of the treatments here. It's a kind of gratitude for his donations to the home."

"I can barely hear him."

"If there's anything worth hearing, we'll find out from Mr. Cotwin."

"This creamed spinach is good. I never tasted anything like it."

"A cook brought it from India. My parents are from there."

"Wait," said Melody. "You don't look Indian. I mean from India Indian."

"You ever see one?"

"I've seen pictures."

"Shhhh" . . . came from several directions at once.

"--and I would like to meet the new arrivals at a special afternoon tea. I will make arrangements with the Cotwins to release the newcomers' mentors to join. I think they should be rewarded for the extra effort they put toward making everyone feel at home." Lord Stewart stepped off the podium to polite applause.

"That wasn't too terrible," said Nishi.

"The tea?" asked Melody.

"Mrs. Cotwin's not too happy if Lord Sterwart didn't say anything to her first, but it won't be a controversy."

"But at the tea-- I'm not a delicate tea person."

"Just enjoy the treats, smile, and nod. He'll ignore us girls because he likes to talk about hunting and all that."

"I like to hunt."

"Girls don't hunt around here."

"No-one hunts around here."

Nishi laughed. "You've a point."