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“I beg your pardon?”
But Susan had already sprung to her feet and was dashing up the stairs. “I shall read the book tonight,” she called out from the landing, “and I shall report to you in the morning.”
“Susan!” Elizabeth used her sternest voice. “Bring that book back to me immediately.”
“Have no fear! I shall have worked out our strategy by breakfast!” And the next thing Elizabeth heard was the sound of a key turning in a lock as Susan barricaded herself in the room she shared with Jane.
“Breakfast?” Elizabeth muttered. “Is she planning to skip supper, then?”
Apparently she was. No one saw hide nor hair of Susan, nor even heard the veriest peep from her room. The Hotchkiss clan numbered only three that night at the table, and poor little Jane couldn’t even get into her room to go to bed and had to sleep with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was not amused. Jane was a sweetheart, but she stole all the blankets.
When Elizabeth went down to breakfast the next morning, Susan was already at the table, little red book in hand. Elizabeth noted grimly that the kitchen showed no signs of use.
“Couldn’t you have started breakfast?” she asked grumpily, searching the cupboard for eggs.
“I’ve been busy,” Susan replied. “Very busy.”
Elizabeth didn’t reply. Blast. Only three eggs. She’d have to go without and hope that Lady Danbury was planning a hearty luncheon that day. She positioned an iron skillet on a tripod over the hearth fire and cracked the three eggs open.
Susan got the hint and started slicing bread for toast. “Some of these rules aren’t so terribly difficult,” she said as she worked. “I think even you could follow them.”
“I am overwhelmed by your confidence in me,” Elizabeth said dryly.
“In fact, you should begin practicing now. Isn’t Lady Danbury going to host a party later in the summer? There will surely be prospective husbands in attendance.”
“I won’t be in attendance.”
“Lady Danbury doesn’t plan to invite you?” Susan burst out, clearly outraged. “Well, I never! You may be her companion, but you are also the daughter of a baronet, and thus—”
“Of course she will invite me,” Elizabeth replied evenly. “But I shall refuse.”
“But why?”
Elizabeth didn’t answer for a moment, just stood there watching the egg whites turn opaque. “Susan,” she finally said, “look at me.”
Susan looked at her. “And?”
Elizabeth grabbed a handful of the faded green fabric of her dress and shook. “How can I go to a fancy house party dressed as I am? I may be desperate, but I have my pride.”
“We shall cross the bridge of your clothing when we get to it,” Susan decided firmly. “It shouldn’t matter, anyway. Not if your future mate cannot see the room beyond your face.”
“If I hear that phrase one more time—”
“In the meantime,” Susan interrupted, “we must sharpen your skills.”
Elizabeth fought the urge to smash the yolks.
“Didn’t you say there was a new overseer at Lady Danbury’s?”
“I said no such thing!”
“You didn’t? Oh. Well, then, it must have been Fanny Brinkley, who must have heard it from her maid, who must have heard from—”
“Get to the point, Susan,” Elizabeth ground out.
“Why don’t you practice on him? Unless he’s horribly repulsive, of course.”
