The Trouble with Misbehaving by Victoria Hanlen

Author:Victoria Hanlen [Hanlen, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

C.C.’s head fell back against the top of the sofa, her mouth gaping. Exhaustion had finally won. The creak of the parlor door startled her awake. She sucked in a snort and bolted upright.

Miss Priddy trudged into the room.

Erastus followed close behind carrying a tray with two glasses and a pitcher.

“Would you care for some refreshment?” Miss Priddy drawled.

“Yes, thank you.” C.C. held her hand over her mouth to hide a yawn.

Her hostess scooted onto one of the high-backed chairs. While she waited for Erastus to hand them each a glass, she asked, “Are you truly Captain Tollier’s relative?”

C.C. almost groaned. She needed sleep, a bath and a hot meal, not probing questions. But news and conversation was the price one paid for being a guest. Her fatigue-clouded mind couldn’t contrive a better, more believable answer, so she said, “Yes, ma’am, I am a relative by marriage.”

“Mmmrreeeror, Ffsss” the cat hissed from under the sofa.

Miss Priddy jerked. “Fosco! You naughty cat! What are you doing in here? I’m sorry, Miss Collins. Erastus, will you get that ol’ tomcat out from under the sofa?”

C.C. fought the yawn climbing up her throat and tried to brighten. “You named your cat Fosco? I gave my dog the same name. Did you read The Woman in White?”

“Yes!” Her hostess’s voice had an eager note. “Wasn’t Count Fosco the most fiendish villain? It was the perfect name for that cat. He’s the best mouser I’ve ever had.”

Erastus plodded over to the sofa and got down on his hands and knees. “Git yourself out of there you mangy ol’ cat.” He smacked the rug several times. A blur of orange fur shot from the side of the sofa and out the door.

“Thank you, Erastus.” Miss Priddy’s face remained expressionless. “Since we have company, let’s have Sally open a jar of preserves and make her special berry biscuits for supper.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Erastus grinned ear to ear. “You are in for a treat, Miss Collins. Everyone loves Sally’s berry biscuits.” He turned and slowly tromped from the room.

While they sipped their lemonade in silence, C.C. began to feel uneasy again. She searched for a topic of conversation.

“Miss Collins,” Miss Priddy finally said. Her strange gray eyes neither blinked nor moved. “You are the only woman of my acquaintance who has run the blockade. Many men have died or gone to prison making the attempt. Tell me, is the captain as daring as they say?”

C.C. decided it best to tread carefully. After all, the woman was allowing her to stay in her beautiful home, a stranger who’d been plopped on her doorstep, apparently because of her admiration for a certain handsome captain.

“If I should be so bold, ma’am, I noticed a real change come over him when you entered the room. I have not seen him smile so warmly. I dare say, you bring out the best in him—a most admirable talent.”

“I do?” Her hostess’ voice trilled with pleasure while her features remained unreadable. A large toad would have been less inscrutable.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.