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"Ma her cheek for the halfhearted kiss her mother wafted in her direction

"Oh, Alexia," cried Mrs Loontwill, as though she had not seen her eldest in years "I am quite overset with the most nervous misery; such a to-do is afoot I require your immediate assistance"

Lady Maccon was dumbfounded--a state that did not afflict her often Firstly, her mother had not insulted her appearance Secondly, herher help in some matter Her help

"Mama, do sit You are quite discoestured to a chair, and Mrs Loontwill sank into it gratefully "Ru butler, "tea, please Or would you prefer sherry, Mama?"

"Oh, I am not that overset"

"Tea, Rumpet"

"However, the situation is very dire Such poopitations of the heart as you would not believe"

"Palpitations," corrected her daughter softly

Mrs Loontwill relaxed slightly, and then all of a sudden sat up straight as a poker, looking wildly about "Alexia, none of your husband’s associates are in residence, are they?"

This was herto the pack

"Maht They are all in residence, but they are also all abed I, ht" She said this last as a subtle hint, but her mother existed well beyond subtlety

"Well, you wouldabout your catch, my dear, far from it" Mrs Loontwill puffed up her chest like a pink-striped quail "My daughter, Lady Maccon"

It was a constant source of a she had ever done in her entire life that pleased her reat deal to accoarding a ency What has happened?"

"Well, you see, it is your sisters"

"You finally comprehend what intolerable little ninnies they both are?"

"Alexia!"

"What about them, Mama?" Lady Maccon ary It wasn’t that she did not love her sisters; it was simply that she did not like them very much They were half sisters to be precise: Misses Loontwills the pair of thee They were as blond, as silly, and as nonpreternatural as their pink-striped u? How surprising" The sarcasm was entirely lost on Mrs Loontwill

"I know! But I speak nothing but truth You must comprehend perfectly ed Not a catch quite up to your standards, of course--we cannot expect lightning to strike twice--but a tolerable entleular in-law is ardless, Felicity cannot countenance the fact that her younger sister willperfectly beastly over the whole thing So Evylin suggested, and I agree, that perhaps she needs to get out of London for a spell So I suggested, and Mr Loontwill agreed, that a trip to the countryside would be just the thing to brighten up her spirits So I have brought her here, to you"

Lady Maccon did not quite follow "You have brought Evylin?"

"No, dear, no Do pay attention! I have brought Felicity" Mrs Loontwill produced a ruffled fan and began waggling it about violently

"What, here?"

"Now you are being purposefully dull-witted," accused herher with the fan

"I am?" Where was Rumpet with the tea? Lady Maccon was in desperate need Her ht her here to stay with you, of course"

"What! For how long?"

"As long as is required"

"But, what?"

"I am certain you could use the colance about the parlor, a cluttered but friendly roo "And this place could certainly benefit frole doily in sight"

"Wait…"

"She has packed for a teek stay, but, you understand, as I have a wedding to arrange, she er In which case, you will have to go shopping"

"Noait just a ravation

"Good, that is settled, then"

Alexia was left gaping like a fish

Mrs Loontwill stood, apparently recovered froe, shall I?"

Lady Maccon trailed her mother out of the parlor and down the front steps to find Felicity, surrounded by a prodigious ae, on her front lawn

Without further ado, Mrs Loontwill kissed both of her daughters on the cheek, clie, and departed in a whirl of lavender perfume and pink stripes