Lilliana chooses one of the seaside cafés. Her parents don’t want Aures in their house, and, as far as their daughter is concerned, it’s not worth fighting them on it.

By the lilt of her voice and the listlessness with which she says this, Aures can only gather that even Perfect Lilliana Michaels has familial disagreements. Aures couldn’t guess why.

The Michaelses have three daughters, all as beautiful as Lilliana herself. All equally as comfortable in high ...