Page 2 (1/2)

"Oh, gol y!" Evylin seee She read it out for al to hear "‘London was flabbergasted last hen news reached this reporter’s ears that Lady Maccon, previously Alexia Tarabotti, daughter of Mrs Loontwil , sister to Felicity and Evylin, and stepdaughter to the Honorable Squire Loontwil , had quit her husband’s house, after returning from Scotland without said husband Speculation as to the reason has been a from suspicions as to Lady Maccon’s intimate relationship with the rove vampire Lord Akeldama, to suspected family differences hinted at by the Misses Loontwil ’--oh look, Felicity, they mentioned us twice!--‘and certain lower-class social acquaintances Lady Maccon cut quite a fashionable swath through London society after her ain--‘but it has been revealed by sources intimately connected to the noble couple that Lady Maccon is, in fact, in a e, supernatural inclination, and legal y recognized postnecrosis status, it must be assumed that Lady Maccon has been indiscreet While ait physical confirns point to The Scandal of the Century’ "

Everyone looked at Alexia and began talking at once

Evylin snapped the paper closed, the crisp noise silencing her fah eht! This real y is your fault! How could you be so thoughtless, Alexia?"

"No wonder she’s been off her feed," commented Squire Loontwil unhelpful y

Mrs Loontwil rose to the occasion "This is simply too much for a e to bungle ood, respectful girl? Oh, I don’t knohat to say!" Words failed Mrs

LoontwilLuckily, she did not try to strike her daughter She had done that once, and it hadn’t worked out well for anyone Alexia had ended up ain I spend a considerable time out of temper these days, she reflected Only four people had known of her unsee to the press Which left only one option, an option that was currently wearing thea suspiciously red face, and sitting across from her at the breakfast table

"Felicity, I should have realized you wouldn’t be able to keep your trap shut!"

"It wasn’t me!" Felicity instantly leaped to the defensive "It must have been Madame Lefoux You kno these Frenchwo for a modicum of fame and money"

"Felicity, you knew about Alexia’s condition and did not inform me?" Mrs Loontwil recovered froain That Alexia would keep a secret from her own mother was to be expected, but Felicity was supposed to be on Mrs Loontwil ’s side The chit had been bribed with enough pairs of shoes over the years

Lady Alexia Maccon sla teacups to rattle ominously, and leaned forward toward her sister It was an unconscious application of inti with a olf pack

She was nowhere near as hairy as was general y required for the ed to execute it flawlessly "Mada I happen to know for a fact she is the soul of discretion Only one person would talk, and that person is not French You proave you my favorite aot it?" Evylin was envious

"Who is the father, then?" asked Squire Loontwil , apparently feeling he ought to try and steer the conversation in a itatedly al around the table, entirely ignored him This was a state conation and went back to his breakfast

Felicity went from defensive to sulky "It was only Miss Wibbley and Miss Twittergaddle Hoas I to know they would go running off to the press?"

"Miss Twittergaddle’s father owns the Chirrup As you are very well aware!" But then Alexia’s anger siue for several weeks was practical y a e ofladies in order to garner attention, but she probably also knew such gossip would effectively dissolve Evylin’s engage, Felicity had evolved froooseberry-sized brain, resulted in her being an acutely disastrous hu

"After al this family has done for you, Alexia!" Mrs Loontwil continued to heap recrihter "After Herbert permitted you back into the safety of his bosom!" Squire Loontwil looked up at that turn of phrase, then down at his portly frah to see you safely o outside of al standards of decency like a common stru," stated Felicity shts of exasperation, Alexia reached for the plate of kippers and, after due consideration of about three seconds, upended it over her sister’s head

Felicity shrieked so pandemonium, "it is his child "

"What was that?" Squire Loontwil brought a hand down sharply on the tabletop this time

"It is his bloody child I have not been with anyone else" Alexia yel ed it over Felicity’s whi

"Alexia! Don’t be crass There is no need for specifics Everyone is well aware that is not possible Your husband is basical y dead, or was basical y dead and isherself She shook her head like a wet poodle and sal ied stoical y on with her diatribe "Regardless, a olf fathering a child is like a va--patently ridiculous"

"Wel , so is this family, but you al appear to exist in accordance with the natural order"

"What was that?"

"In this case, ‘ridiculous’ would seem to require a redefinition" Blast this child to all four corners of hell, anyway, thought Alexia