Free Somerville Farce by Kasey Michaels

Then I should be on an
equal footing with Harry—and entice him into losing his heart to
me, only so that I could crush it mercilessly beneath my dancing
slipper, just as he has so successfully crushed my brief dream of
independence.”
    Trixy lay across the bed for a long time,
until Lacy came to tell her that the dinner tray had been delivered
across the hall to the twins’ chamber.
    “Coming, dearest Lacy,” Trixy said brightly,
rising quickly from the bed. And then she crossed the hall to eat a
good dinner, chattering happily to the twins about their good
fortune and the wonderful Season they would all share in London,
measuring her words carefully, until, in the end, the twins
actually believed that their come-out had been the plan all
along.
    Trixy might have had to force some of her
gaiety, but her good mood did not rely entirely on her hard-learned
ability to hide her true feelings. For Trixy Stourbridge had used
her time lying across the bed wisely—and once more, she had a
plan.

Chapter 8

    “E xcuse me, ma’am,”
Trixy said politely, standing in the doorway of the main saloon
just before noon of the following day. “Could you possibly be Lady
Amelia? No, of course not. Silly me, to ask such a question. Harry
has hinted to me that his Aunt Fauntleroy is a much older woman, a
contemporary of his father’s. You couldn’t possibly be she... but
you must be. How I shall roast Harry for bamming me with tales of
how his darling aunt might be too fatigued to take on the role of
hostess for the Season. I’m Trixy Stourbridge, by the way,” she
said, advancing into the room to curtsy in front of the woman,
“companion to the Misses Somerville, Harry’s wards.”
    Amelia Fauntleroy, a woman who would never
see the sunny side of fifty again, held out her hand to Trixy, then
patted the spot next to her on the sofa, urging the newcomer to sit
down. “We have heard of your advent, Miss Stourbridge,” she said,
employing the kingly “we” with an ease that indicated the woman was
comfortable in its usage, “and although we are still very much at
sixes and sevens, what with thinking of all the intricate
preparation that goes into the successful launch of two young
misses, we are eagerly anticipating the event.”
    Trixy bit down hard on the inside of her
cheek, trying not to give way to mirth. The woman was going to be
so easy it might not be sporting. Sneaking an assessing look at
Lady Amelia out of the corners of her eyes, Trixy took in the
woman’s self-satisfied expression, plumpness of face and figure,
her watery blue eyes, her obviously dyed black hair, the flowing
draperies of her gown, and the four rings that all but cut off the
circulation in four of her pudgy fingers. Oh, yes. This was going
to be very easy.
    “Then you are pleased!” Trixy trilled,
clapping her hands delightedly. “Oh, dearest Harry was right—you
must be the very best of aunts. Just wait until you meet Eugenie
and Helena, Lady Amelia. You’ll be immediately taken with them, as
they are wonderful girls. So biddable, so freshly beautiful. Truly,
ma’am, diamonds of the first water—and so very grateful to you and
dearest Harry for all you are prepared to do for them.”
    Lady Amelia smiled at the flattery even as
she frowned in confusion. “We do not quite understand this
familiarity with our nephew,” she admitted, picking at the lace on
the skirt of her gown. “His grace has given you permission to
address him as Harry? It’s most odd, we think.”
    Trixy bent her head and held her breath
until her cheeks became flushed, as she had never been able to
blush on command, no matter that she was a fair-skinned redhead.
She couldn’t bring herself to lie to the woman, but that didn’t
mean she had to tell the complete truth, did it?
    “Oh, dear me,” she said with a nervous
giggle, “I thought you knew, Lady Amelia. I’m so embarrassed. Harry
has been so very gracious as to allow me to address him informally,
as he, in