Free Little Vampire Women by Lynn Messina Page B

home to tell her troubles and ask for advice. As that was impossible, she did her best to imagine herself acting the new part of fine vampire lady and so got on pretty well, though the dress was too low, the train kept getting under her feet, and she was in constant fear lest her earrings should fly off and get lost or broken. She was flirting her fan and laughing over a game of tic-tac-toe with a young gentleman, when she suddenly stopped laughing and looked confused, for just opposite, she saw Laurie. He was staring at her with undisguisedsurprise, and disapproval also, she thought, for though he bowed and smiled, yet something in his honest eyes made her wish she didn’t have her fangs in the leg of a human girl, even if she was about to win the game.
    Determined not to care, she rustled across the room to shake hands with her friend, who looked unusually boyish and shy. “I’m glad you came,” she said, with her most grown-up air.
    “Jo wanted me to come, and tell her how you looked, so I did,” answered Laurie, without turning his eyes upon her, though he half smiled at her maternal tone.
    “What shall you tell her?” asked Meg, full of curiosity to know his opinion of her, yet feeling ill at ease with him for the first time.
    “I shall say I didn’t know you, for you are behaving so unlike yourself, I’m quite afraid of you,” he said, fumbling at his glove button.
    “How absurd of you! It’s all in good fun. Nobody is getting hurt,” she insisted, for the girl serving as the game board had enjoyed herself immensely. Even so, Meg knew her parents would not approve of the activity. The Marches did not count vampirists among their acquaintance, as they found their behavior sordid. Thinking it best to change the subject, Meg indicated with a gesture to the opulence of her dress. “Wouldn’t Jo stare if she saw me?”
    “Yes, I think she would,” returned Laurie gravely.
    “Don’t you like me so?” asked Meg.
    “No, I don’t,” was the blunt reply.
    “Why not?” in an anxious tone.
    He glanced at the blood dribbling down her chin with an expression that abashed her more than his answer, which had not a particle of his usual politeness in it.
    “I don’t like cruelty.”
    That was altogether too much from a lad younger than herself who knew nothing of what it was like to be a vampire out among society folk, being a human and all, and a young one at that. Meg walked away, saying petulantly, “You are the rudest boy I ever saw.”
    Feeling very much ruffled, she went and stood at a quiet window to reflect, for the room was so noisy, and although she knew it wasn’t quite the thing, removed the stream of blood from her chin. She did it discreetly, as if she had something to be ashamed of, which of course only made her feel more ashamed. She leaned her forehead on the cool pane, and stood half hidden by the curtains, never minding that her favorite waltz had begun, till someone touched her, and turning, she saw Laurie, looking penitent, as he said, with his very best bow and his hand out…
    “Please forgive my rudeness, and come and dance with me.”
    “I’m afraid it will be too disagreeable to you,” said Meg, trying to look offended and failing entirely.
    “Not a bit of it, I’m dying to do it. Come, I’ll be good. I don’t like your behavior, but I do think you look justsplendid.” And he waved his hands, as if words failed to express his admiration.
    Meg smiled and relented, and whispered as they stood waiting to catch the time, “Take care my skirt doesn’t trip you up. It’s the plague of my life and I was a goose to wear it.”
    “Pin it round your neck, and then it will be useful,” said Laurie, looking down at the little blue boots, which he evidently approved of.
    Away they went fleetly and gracefully, for having practiced at home, they were well matched, and the blithe young couple were a pleasant sight to see, as they twirled merrily round and round, feeling more friendly