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The unfortunate by-product of Mrs Loontwill’s second e, both Felicity and Evylin were markedly different froether would have thought Alexia related to the other two at all Aside from an obvious lack of Italian blood and completely soul-ridden states, Felicity and Evylin were both quite beautiful: pale insipid blondes ide blue eyes and small rosebud mouths Sadly, like their dear mama, they were not much more substantive than "quite beautiful" Breakfast conversation was, therefore, not destined to be of the intellectual caliber that Alexia aspired to Still, Alexia was pleased to hear the subject turn toward so more mundane than murder

"Well, that’s all it says about the ball" Felicity paused, switching her attention to the society announce That nice tearoom near Bond Street has decided to remain open until two am to acco you know, they will be serving up raw ular basis Do you think we should still frequent the venue, Mama?"

Mrs Loontwill looked up once more from her barley and lemon water "I do not see how it can do tooa bite of toast, "Sohtti down suitors for the girls"

"Really, Daddy," admonished Evylin, "you e"

Mrs Loontwill gave her husband a suspicious glance "You haven’t been frequenting Claret’s or Sangria these last few evenings, have you?" She sounded as though she suspected London of being suddenly overrun olves, ghosts, and va with them all

The squire hurriedly backed away from the conversation "Of course not, my pearl, only Boodles You know I preferof gentlemen’s clubs," interrupted Felicity, still immersed in the paper, "a new one opened last week in Mayfair It caters to intellectuals, philosophers, scientists, and their ilk--of all things It calls itself the Hypocras Club How absurd Why would such a class of individual need a club? Isn’t that what they have public museums for?" She frowned over the address "Terribly fashionable location, though" She showed the printed page to her rove’s town house?"

Mrs Loontwill nodded "Quite right,at all hours of the day and night will certainly lower the tenor of that neighborhood I should think the duchess would be in a veritable fit over this occurrence I had intended to send round a thank-you card for last night’s festivities Now I think I ht pay her a call in person this afternoon As a concerned friend, I really ought to check on her ehastly for her," said Alexia, driven beyond endurance into coht next door Oh, the travesty of it all"

Evylin said, "I will coest daughter and conored her eldest

Felicity read on "The latest spring styles frorettable Of course, they will look lovely on you, Evylin, but onscientists, the opportunity to gloat over a friend’s misfortune, and i about the dead roves’ ball "You disappeared for quite a while at one point last night, Alexia You would not be keeping anything iave her a carefully bland look "I did have a bit of a run-in with Lord Maccon" Always throw theht

That captured everyone’s attention, even her step-father’s Squire Loontwill rarely troubled hith With the Loontwill ladies, there was not et a word in, so he tended to let the breakfast conversation flow over hi only half a s But he was a man of reasonable sense and propriety, and Alexia’s statement caused hiht be a olf, but he was in possession of considerable wealth and influence

Mrs Loontwill paled and noticeablydisrespectful to the earl, now, did you, ht back over her encounter "Not as such"

Mrs Loontwill pushed away her glass of barley water and shakily poured herself a cup of tea "Oh dear," she said softly

Mrs Loontwill had never quite ht that putting Alexia on the shelf would keep the exasperating girl out of trouble Instead, she had inadvertently ree of freedoht to have married Alexia off instead Now they were all stuck with her outrageous behavior, which seeot older

Alexia added peevishly, "I did wake up this s I could have said but did not I call thatdrawn-out sigh

Alexia firo for a walk in the park thisMy nerves are not quite what they should be after the encounter" She was not, as oneto the vampire attack Miss Tarabotti was not one of life’s entle a very strong cognac when one was expecting to i and apt to leave one with a

distinct burning sensation No, Alexia’s nerves were frazzled because she was still boiling mad at the Earl of Woolsey She had been mad when he left her in the library She had spent a restless night fus still on edge

Evylin said, "But wait What happened? Alexia, you must tell all! Why did you encounter Lord Maccon at the ball e did not? He was not on the guest list I would have known I peeked over the footasped Felicity, genuinely shocked

Alexia ignored them and left the breakfast rooht have tried to stop her, but she knew such an atte information out of Alexia when she did not want to share was akin to trying to squeeze blood frohost Instead, Mrs Loontwill reached for her husband’s hand and squeezed it consolingly "Do not worry, Herbert I think Lord Maccon rather likes Alexia’s rudeness He’s never publicly cut her for it, at least We can be grateful for small mercies"