Free The Byram Succession by Mira Stables

you. And we don’t want tears tonight, now do we?”
    Alethea’s clear gaze met hers squarely. “You won’t get them, Hetty. Not for so paltry a cause. But if it will please you, I’ll lock the door.” And then suddenly she giggled. “It sounds like something out of this fantastic tale I’ve been reading, but I’ll do it. Unless I hear the cry of ‘Fire!’ I’ll stay close hid,” she promised, with mischievous solemnity.

 
    SIX
    In general Aunt Maria enjoyed giving parties. She was a capable organiser, her servants were well trained and Uncle Matthew never begrudged additional expense in the cause of hospitality. Moreover the house in Berkeley Square was admirably adapted for the accommodation of all but the very largest gatherings. The ballroom, which had been built on to the back of the house by Uncle Matthew’s papa, was of unusual design. Aunt Maria, while pretending to laugh at its oddity, secretly thought it both pretty and impressive, for the late Mr. Newton had been a friend and admirer of Mr. Walpole, and though the eccentricities of Strawberry Hill were a little too much for a strong streak of common sense, he, too, had indulged his fancy for the Gothic when building the ballroom. So the cavernous hearths that yawned at either end would not have been out of place in a mediaeval fortress and the long line of windows that pierced the outer wall were lancet shaped and ornamented with much delicate tracery of stonework. Since they gave on to a conservatory only a dim greenish light filtered through them, but this, thought Aunt Maria, served to enhance the romantic atmosphere. And when the great branches of candles set in the wall sconces were all lit, the effect was quite charming, she told her awed niece. Uncle Matthew, when out of humour, had been known to stigmatise the apartment as “a damned draughty hole,” and declare that one might as well give a party in the cellars, but his wife assured Alethea that it was most conveniently designed, for there was a gallery hung at one end for the use of the musicians, while at the other a massive oaken door gave access to the dining room, which much facilitated the serving of suppers.
    “In fact it leaves only one thing to be desired,” she concluded wistfully. “If only it had a staircase!”
    Since the ballroom was a single storey edifice on the ground floor, Alethea looked slightly startled. But Aunt Maria explained that nothing gave a hostess such confidence as to stand regally at the head of an imposing stair to receive her guests. Especially when, like Aunt Maria, the hostess was short and dumpy and apt to be overlooked when the room became crowded.
    Staircase or not, Aunt Maria had need of all the confidence she could summon for this particular party. At least her new gown was very becoming, she decided, as Hebe set the finishing touches to her elaborate coiffeur, and the maid had assured her that Miss Alethea looked very nice, too. She turned to her jewel case to find the ruby pendant that she meant to present to the child to mark the occasion. She hoped Tina would not be too angry when she saw it. Tina, with her colouring, should never wear rubies, but it was a costly trifle and she might well begrudge its bestowal on her cousin. Her fingers closed nervously over it as a tap on her door heralded her daughter’s arrival.
    But Tina, having won her way, was in her sunniest mood. She looked quite ravishing—and knew it. The sea-green gauze had always been becoming to her glowing locks and delicate skin. Tonight she had chosen to take the pearls that Papa had given her last year and wear them threaded through her curls. Mrs. Newton was horrified, for it was obvious that the pearls had been re-strung for the purpose, and what would Papa say if any had been lost or damaged in the process? But there could be no denying that the effect was delightful. The girl looked like some faery creature—a sea-nymph, perhaps—mysterious, elusive and