Roderick and Molly are busy, busy, busy.
First, there are the academics. Roderick got into the seminars for Logic, Rhetoric and Mathematics, but Molly has to muddle through with the lectures. (Megan advised Molly to meet with the seminar faculty and ask for special permission to attend, and offered to "lend her kneepads", but Molly didn't understand the suggestion).
Molly also has Counterpoint -- she did pretty well in that -- and Anna is teaching her Italian. Roderick continues in Mr. Rothschild's History of Banking lecture, and has also signed up for Mr. Parvalescu's Foundations of Politics seminar.
On top of that workload, Molly has her modeling job that helps pay for tuition; Roderick doesn't have a job because Mr. Smith pays cash. Mr. Bloom expects each of his daughters to help foot the bill for their education. "Hey, I've got four dowries to fund," he likes to say. Given the choice of prostitution or modeling, Molly prefers modeling; it's not as messy.
Roderick is also involved in Cyathos et Gladios, Old Ivy's secret society. I can't tell you what he does. It's a secret.
On top of all that, this is the peak season for music at Old Ivy. Roderick and Anna have the Bach Chorale, with a performance each week. On top of that, everyone who is musical at Old Ivy participates in the annual Shubertiade on January 31. This is an all-day celebration of Schubert consisting of many performances held in intimate settings that evoke the Viennese Schubertiades of the early nineteenth century. Anna, Roderick and Molly plan to perform Schubert's Shepherd On The Rock, for soprano, clarinet and piano.
That's not the end of it. Mr. Wienerwald has asked Roderick to play in the Strauss orchestra for the annual Vienna ball in February; and the Chamber Orchestra will perform in late February.
Roderick hardly has time to wax, shine and polish the Roadmaster. But he will find time.
"Will you be at the unveiling on Friday?" asks Natasha at dinner. She's sitting with Roderick, Molly, Anna and Megan. Henry is studying tax law, or something.
"No sex toys, right?" asks Molly, nervously.
"No sex toys. Promise. Purely representational, with no imaginary elements."
"Well..okay," says Molly.
"Can I sit here?" It's Emily Pointe, student of the dance, and new on campus.
Roderick, mouth full of fish curry, immediately gestures to Emily, encouraging her to occupy the empty chair. His immediate reaction: Pretty. Not buxom.
