Free Miss Simpkins School: Flora by Raven McAllan Page B

and the window faced west. Furnishings could be refreshed, and wall hangings changed. First she’d see what soap, water, and a duster could achieve. She’d donned a serviceable dress, covered it with an apron, and started to clean.
    Three hours later she was satisfied, and about to change into something more personable when a rap of the doorknocker had reverberated throughout the hallway. If she hadn’t been crossing the landing at the top of the staircase, she’d have missed the summons. For one moment Molly wondered if she should ignore it, but it was repeated. With a sigh, she undid the apron and hid it behind the buttoned back of a chair. Molly glanced into a now sparkling mirror and smoothed her hair into some semblance of neatness, before running down the stairs. She walked swiftly across the wooden floor to the imposing front door and opened it. It was stiff and heavy, and Molly was relieved to think that from the following day it wouldn’t be her job to address.
    The young girl standing there took her by surprise. Her companion made Molly take a pace back in astonishment.
    “Tilly?” Molly chose not to mention the hooded lady standing next to the person she addressed.
    “Yes.” She had a haunted look in her eyes, and kept taking a glance over her shoulders. “Please let us in, Molly.”
    Molly took another step back and Lady Tilly Hammond, Adriana’s sister, walked past her in a hurry. Her companion scurried after her as she kept her head down, and the hood of her cape up.
    “Please shut the door. Mama thinks I’m at Hatchards with Louisa Flitchett. Louisa is waiting for me there.” Tilly turned and stood in the middle of the entrance hall. “I had to come. I overheard Riana and Ash talking and I knew you were my friend’s savior.”
    Molly raised one eyebrow, but didn’t reply. She closed the door carefully and garnered her thoughts.
    “Hardly a savior, and as you can see, I wasn’t expecting visitors.” She gestured to her serviceable gown, which was not from that season, or the previous one.
    Tilly stared and giggled. “The cobwebs in your hair gives that away.” She brushed at Molly’s hair. “Now, that’s better. So?”
    “Follow me,” Molly said abruptly. She wondered what was happening. Adriana might have said that Tilly was unhappy, but surely she wasn’t visiting because of that? It must be something to do with the cloaked and mysterious lady. Molly was certain she recognized her from the rings on her finger. Molly had heard through the tittle-tattle that the lady was nigh on betrothed. Perhaps she needed help to decide if the gentleman so assiduously paying court to her was going to be the one she accepted? Without haste, Molly led the way into the sewing room. She couldn’t think of it as anything else now, even if she had promised she wouldn’t sew in there but use the room she had set aside on the next floor for that. Apart from her bedchamber, the tiny salon was the one room outfitted properly. Most of the furniture elsewhere had holland covers over it until the decorations were finished.
    Start as you mean to go on. Molly took a deep breath. “Why are you here, Tilly?” It took all of her determination not to use Tilly’s title and curtsey, but Molly knew that now some people didn’t need that. Tilly was one of them. “And your friend?”
    Tilly bit her lip. “What we say is in confidence?”
    “Of course.” Molly wondered how best to reassure her. “I assume you heard your sister talking about my school?”
    Tilly giggled. “I think it’s perfect. So many of my friends are in despair. I mean, we don’t want to put the demi monde out of business, but nor do we wish our partners partnering them, not us.” She paused and sighed. “But my problem is more than that. I don’t want to get married. Ever.” She sounded fierce, and her voice was deep and hard. It sent shivers over Molly’s skin. “And I have to.” She sounded as if it was a walk to the