Free Murder Most Austen by Tracy Kiely Page A

chips,” agreed Izzy.
    Although Cora kept her eyes on the menu, I could sense that her mind was on neither the stew nor the steak. With a swift motion, she put down the menu and stood up. “Excuse me,” she said. “I’ll just be a moment.”
    “Mama!” Izzy hissed, her annoyance quickly turning to anger. “Sit down. Don’t you dare stick your nose into this! You will only make it worse!”
    “Make it worse!” Cora retorted. “How on earth could I make it worse? There is strength in numbers, and the more people we have ready to fight Richard, the better we will be.”
    She strode away from the table and toward Gail.
    Izzy put her head in her hands. “I want it noted for the record that I tried to stop her. When this all goes to hell, which I’ve every assurance of it doing, just please mention to whoever is the proper authority that I did try to stop it.”
    “Of course,” I said. “What are friends for?”
    Aunt Winnie winked and added, “And after all, a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
    Izzy raised her head and looked at us, a faint smile on her lips. “That may be so, but as the song goes, ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed, but a friend with weed is better.’ And if Mama keeps this up, I just might need that kind of friend.”

 
    CHAPTER 7
    Most children of that age, with an imperfect articulation, an earnest desire of having their own way, many cunning tricks, and a great deal of noise, are sure to please.
    —SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
    W E WATCHED IN SILENCE as Cora set upon Gail. I could hear only snippets of the conversation: “terrible news,” “outrageous,” and of course, “syphilis.” At first, Gail regarded Cora with a blank expression. However, within minutes, her eyes narrowed into annoyed slits, and her lips pressed together into a hard thin line. Whether the change in her mood was due to the message or the messenger, however, was unclear.
    Izzy saw the transformation and let out a low groan. “Well, that’s Mama for you.”
    Aunt Winnie considered Izzy with sympathy. “Never mind, dear. You must allow your mother to follow the dictates of her conscience on this occasion, which leads her to perform what she looks on as a point of duty.”
    I giggled while Izzy stared vacantly at Aunt Winnie. “Huh?” she replied.
    “Think of her as Mr. Collins introducing himself to Darcy,” I clarified.
    Izzy’s mouth pulled into a grimace. “Oh, right, because that went so well. Perfect. Thanks. I feel loads better.”
    I laughed while Cora finished her conversation and returned to our table. “Just as I suspected,” she said as she seated herself with the pleased air of one who has fulfilled her duty. “Gail was most upset to learn about Richard. She fully agrees with me that something must be done.”
    “Which would be what exactly?” inquired Izzy.
    “We didn’t go into the particulars,” Cora replied with a vague wave of her hand, “but it was clear that we were on the same page.”
    “Right,” Izzy replied with a doubtful glance in Gail’s direction. “Dear God, but Valerie looks even more anemic than usual. You know, with her dead white skin and those horrible yellow ringlets, I bet she could pass for Matilda from The Monk. She definitely has the personality for the role.”
    “Wasn’t Matilda the devil in disguise?” I asked.
    Izzy nodded. “Yep. And that’s Valerie—a modern-day she-devil.”
    Cora cast an uneasy glance in Valerie’s direction before hushing her daughter. “Izzy! Keep your voice down. That is not only untrue, but unkind.”
    “It is not,” Izzy persisted. “You’ve seen the way she treats Ian. It’s contemptible. She’s nothing but a nasty little mercenary social climber.”
    “I think they’re staying at our hotel,” said Aunt Winnie. “We met them just before we came here.”
    “Then you must know what I mean,” said Izzy, turning to Aunt Winnie for confirmation.
    Aunt Winnie shook her head. “We only met her