By the time Emerald was up and out of bed, Raven had already called Dennis and arranged to take the boys off his hands, and the menfolk were en route.

The coffee was made, and Raven was tidying up the kitchen. She knew Emerald hated housework (and wasn't especially good at it), but her older sister loved a squeaky-clean house. Emerald saw it as a small matter to pay house cleaners. To Raven, it was an abomination. She could at least be allowed to earn some of their keep by ...