Penelope grew up inside that arrangement, and I had mistaken paying for her tutors for caring about her struggles.

“I’m not letting you punish Penelope because you’re angry with me,” Cordelia said.

“Neither am I.

The only people who punished her today were the adults who promised her a result she hadn’t earned.”

The words landed heavily between us.

For the first time I saw something besides fury in Cordelia’s expression.

She looked frightened.

I had spent years believing that wealth protected us from humiliation.