Silence Breaking

14. Where the Sun Doesn't Shine

The doors to the small green parlour swung open and, as if by magic, all gazes slid to the door. Captain Carter straightened. Mr Ambrose stiffened (which was impressive, considering how stiff he already was). The ladies all around the room narrowed their eyes.

I smiled, meeting all their gazes, and let my fan snap open. May the battle begin! 'Oh dear. I hope I'm not too late?'

'Miss Linton!'

Lady Samantha rushed forward, the relieved look on her face making me almost forgive her for the way she had been shoving girls at a certain someone the entire evening. Heck! Who could stay angry at a face like that?

'We were so worried! Are you ill? Should I send someone to town for the doctor?'

'Please don't trouble yourself.' Taking her small hands, I gave them a gentle squeeze. 'It's nothing serious. I was just feeling a little faint. The cold weather has that effect on me, sometimes.'

'Oh dear! Really?'

'Yes.' A cool voice caressed my ears from behind. I didn't need to look around to see who had circled the room to stand behind me. 'Miss Linton is such a delicate flower. A regular damsel in distress.'

Resisting the urge to elbow him in the gut, I gave Lady Samantha a smile. 'Don't worry. I'll be fine.'

Unlike your son, once I'm through with him!

'Lady Samantha?'

That sickly-sweet voice announced the arrival of the enemy. They circled us like a pack of hyenas, their ball gowns swishing, their eyes focused on the single, weak little victim they were planning to devour: me.

I smiled. These ladies were about to get a big surprise.

'I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting this young lady before.' One of the hyenas stepped forward, a perfect smile on her polished face. 'Would you be so kind as to introduce her to us?'

My eyes narrowed. Introduce her to us... It was always the social inferior who was introduced to his or her superior.

So, you think you're better than me, do you?

I was just about to open my mouth and tell this witch where she could stick her opinions, when Lady Samantha smiled her most grandmotherly innocent smile and said, 'Of course I'll introduce you to her! Miss Linton, may I introduce Lady Eveline Maria Westwood?'

Instantly, the smile disappeared from the newcomer's face.

Three cheers for Lady Samantha!

Showing her all my sparkly teeth, I curtsied. 'Maria? How charming. I have a sister of that name.'

'Is that so?'

'Yes. For some reason, you remind me of her.'

'And Lady Eveline, this is Miss Lillian Linton. Her brother works as a secretary for my son.'

'Oh.' Lady Eveline's smile reappeared in a flash. 'You invited the help for Christmas, Lady Samantha? How very charitable of you.'

Snickers came from all around.

Strangulation is against the law! Strangulation is against the law!

I repeated the words again and again – but that didn't make them any more palatable.

Still, I refrained from putting my hands around her scrawny neck. There were so much more sophisticated ways of destroying her, along with the rest of those hyenas.

'Oh, I don't think I was invited because of my brother's connection to Mr Ambrose,' I told them all with a genteel smile. 'Didn't you know? Mr Ambrose and I have known each other for a while now.'