Free Losing Control by Mila McClung Page B

date?”
    “Not yet, but it will be as soon as
possible.”
    “Why the hurry? Are you expecting,
Ms. Hamilton?”
    “If you’ve looked into my life as thoroughly
as I imagine you have, Mrs. Trahern, I suspect you already know I haven’t been
able to conceive a child.”
    “Taurus, your taste is improving.
She’s much smarter than the last one you brought here.”
    Fawn pointed her gaze at Taury; he
lowered his head.
    “Ah, I see I’ve opened a can of worms
this morning. I’ll retire to my study while you explain yourself. Join me when
you’ve finished eating.”
    She rose, walked out of the room with
all the regal pomposity of a true queen.
    “That wasn’t so bad,” Fawn sighed
with a bit of relief.
    “Just wait, the day isn’t over yet.
What do you think of her?”
    “I’m not sure I should say. I don’t
like using four letter words.”
    “I can think of a five letter word
that describes her perfectly. Has something to do with female dogs.”
    “Taury, who was she talking about?”
    “A girl I thought I loved a long time
ago. I was only seventeen then, and so was she. Her name was Meg, and she came
from the wrong part of the hill … the bottom. Elizabeth hated her at first
sight, wound up secretly offering her … and her family … a fortune to go off to
New York and forget me, which she did quite easily, I might add. Last I heard,
she’d married some wealthy as sin Broadway producer and had triplets!”
    “Did that hurt you? I know it must
have.”
    “For awhile, but I was young. Hell, I
didn’t even sleep with her, you know? So I couldn’t have been too serious. And
I’m glad I waited. It made being with you even more special.”
    “I’m glad, too. Your mother … oh, I
shouldn’t call her that! What do you call her? To her face, I mean.”
    “I still call her Mother. She doesn’t
know that I found out about Inger.”
    “Why didn’t you tell her?”
    “Didn’t see any point to it. Are you
up for this fundraiser tonight? If not, we’ll head on home and pack then fly to
the moon or wherever. You still want to get married, right?”
    “Yes, but we can stay, if you’d like.
It’s up to you.”
    “Sure, it might be fun. It’s a
Venetian ball, with fancy outfits and masks. I haven’t been to one in years.”
    “What is she raising funds for,
anyway?”
    “Politicians, of course. Elizabeth
doesn’t do causes. That’s too trendy for her.”
    Fawn nodded; as they finished their
breakfast she imagined the dame sitting with perfect posture at a Rococo desk
decorated with elaborately initialed stationary, writing out letters in cursive
and slipping them into dainty envelopes, like an alive though older version of
Rebecca de Winter.

 
    ELEVEN
     
    The true picture was slightly
different. They entered the dark-paneled study to find Elizabeth Trahern
sitting at a sleek Parsons desk with a laptop – but her posture was perfect.
    She closed the laptop, threw a
scrutinizing glance towards Fawn. Was she disappointed that her mild revelation
had failed to cause a lovers’ spat?
    “I just received an email from Libra.
She says the weather in Europe is splendid and would love for us to come visit.
Do you think we could manage it, Taurus?”
    “You can go if you like but I don’t
think I could stand watching Libby play at being a duchess. Besides, I have
other plans.”
    “She’ll be sad. She misses you
terribly.” She returned her gaze to Fawn’s guarded expression. “Well, did you
enjoy your meal, Ms. Hamilton?”
    “Yes, it was very nice.”
    “Nice is hardly a word I’d use to
describe anything in my beautiful house … much too bland … but I’ll accept that
as a compliment. Sit down. Taurus, why don’t you go to the factory, and leave
us alone? I’d like to get to know your fiancée.”
    “I’ll bet you would, but no doing!
I’d never leave her alone with you.”
    “Taurus, you wound me.”
    “No one can wound you, Mother. If you
want to get to know Fawn, you can do