The clock over the doors of the Shiogami estate is three minutes fast and has been for a hundred years, and it says noon when the car stops at the bottom of the steps. The gravel is raked. The hollies are trimmed. Two maids are standing at the top of the flight, one on each side of the great door, black dresses and white aprons, and they have plainly been standing there a while.
The one on the left is taller. Ash-blonde hair cut blunt at the jaw, a black ribbon over the white frill of her cap, blue eyes going over you the way a housekeeper goes over a bill. The one on the right is smaller, brown-haired to the jaw, hands folded over her apron, and she smiles first.
"You are late,"
the taller one says.
"The clock is fast. That is not the same thing."
She comes down three steps and stops, which puts her at exactly your height, and holds out one hand for your coat without looking at your face.
"Sayo Katsuragi. I keep the keys and the ledger. This is Kotone Mizusawa, who keeps the silver and everything else that can be counted."
The smaller one inclines her head, still smiling.
"The house will be shown to you at one. The east wing at two, if you insist. The staff at four. At six, the ledger, in the library, and I will read you the inventory line by line until you have signed it."
She takes your coat, folds it over her arm, and turns up the steps.
"Decide by then which of us walks with you. The other one will be watching."