When the Sun's ecliptic longitude reached 225 degrees, it marked the beginning of winter. All things entered hibernation, and the weather turned cold.
Taking a stroll by the sea in weather like this was purely asking for trouble, but the fresh air was indeed far more pleasant than being cooped up indoors. Besides, a crescent moon hung in the sky, its light scattering across the sea into countless glimmering flecks, beneath a sky full of stars.
"What constellation is that?" Bonaparte asked, pointing at a patch of sky.
Georgiana studied it.
"Are you seriously testing me?" she said incredulously.
"Then do you know what constellation this is?" Bonaparte asked.
"That's Orion," Georgiana said disdainfully. "Who doesn't recognize such an obvious constellation?"
"Your turn to test me." Bonaparte lifted his chin, looking utterly confident.
"Where's Corona Borealis?" she asked.
He froze for a moment and looked up at the sky.
"There." He pointed upward. "Beside Hercules."
She looked in the direction he indicated, but did not say whether he was right or wrong. They were not conducting an outdoor lesson now.
Dieppe had a beautiful beach, though the seawater looked freezing.
"I think where we're staying now is much better than that place." Georgiana looked at the castle perched high on the hill, overlooking the entire beach. It seemed impossibly distant—or perhaps like the sort of place where ghosts might appear.
"We're staying near there," Bonaparte said, following her gaze.
"I think that's a castle only vampires would live in," Georgiana said with disgust.
"In fact, they were planning to arrange for us to stay there," Bonaparte said.
"Why didn't they let us?" she asked.
"Didn't you say it was only for vampires?" he said, thinking himself witty.
"Crab!" She noticed a figure scuttling swiftly through the darkness, but it crawled