The stage exploded into music, and Athena saw a kid named Lamar Gore burst into center stage and start singing:
There’s nothing rich folks love more
Than going downtown and slummin’ it with the poor
They pull up in their carriages and gawk
At the students in the common
Just to watch them talk
Something was happening to Athena. She could feel the music, infectious, entering her body, influencing her movements. She seemed to move in concert with the people around her, as though she belonged here. But did Athena belong here?
Take Philip Schuyler: the man is loaded
Uh-oh, but little does he know that
His daughters, Peggy, Angelica, Eliza
Sneak into the city just to watch all the guys at—
Work, work!
The two girls just front of Athena stepped center stage, and Athena found herself following as the lead girl sang out:
"Angelica!"
Then the second:
"Eliza!"
An urge welled up within Athena, and she found herself echoing the two girls and singing out a name herself, her own name:
"And Peggy."
then the three together:
"The Schuyler Sisters."
Athena blinked. Yes. She was Peggy Schuyler. No, she was playing Peggy Schuyler. No, all of this was just the influence of Miss Fine!
Athena wanted to hold her head, but she also didn't want to mess up the choreography. She'd figure this all out when the number was over.
