Vi bit her lip, glancing at her friends who were watching the exchange with hawk eyes.
“Did you say that Algie is bringing a friend or two?”
“Yes, darling. Asking again won’t change things.”
“Then we will too.” Vi looked at her friends and said, “You’re conscripted.”
“Oh, but…”
“Rally round, darlings. We need you.” She tapped her cheek and then the most enchanting thought occurred to her. “On the way back, we’ll swing through Paris and have a lovely time for a few days. Isn’t Tomas in Paris? Didn’t he say he rented that big house, Vic?”
“Tomas is in love with you, Vi.”
“Then he won’t object to our arrival.”
“Rather mercenary of you, luv,” Vic said. “We’ll need something to look forward to if we have to spend so long with Algie and the other blood-suckers.”
“Mmmm.” Vi turned her gaze to her friends. “Please? Please darlings? It won’t be all bad. There’s a pond for skating and Aggie isn’t cheap when it comes to the vittles. She’s a mouthy old thing and can be trusted to not control our every move. We could dance some, listen to music, see a bit of the countryside if the weather isn’t too bad.”
“Denny can you take that much time off?”
“Ah…”
“Paris. Booze. Skating?” Vi wheedled, glancing at Lila who turned her big eyes on her love with a pleading look.
He hemmed and hawed before he said, “I really only half-work anyway. Just enough to keep the pater happy that I’m doing something and keep my allowance coming.”
“Then it’s resolved! Motion carried. All for one and one for all,” Vi laughed.
“This calls for drinks,” Victor said, but Vi scowled at him and waved hers away. She had a firm policy of never drinking while she was still struggling with the headache from the last round.
Giles came into the sitting room with another tray of sandwiches and said, “Your new things have arrived, miss.”
“Lovely,” Vi said. “Come, darlings, and see what I earned this morning.”
“What did Eleanor say about me?” Vic asked rather anxiously as Vi rose.
“That your eventual wife would throw me out and I’d have to marry or slum it.”
Vic laughed at that and Vi led the girls to her room where Lila threw herself on the bed and Gwennie started to dig through the bags that had arrived.
“You simply robbed her blind, Vi,” Gwennie said, as she pulled out the stack of stockings.
“It’s not quite so simple as that. Father won’t give me an allowance without strings, but he’ll still pay for clothes,” Vi said. “I just bought rather more than Eleanor realized. Father won’t object when he gets the bill. He doesn’t get all that many bills from me. I always look like the economical sister because Isolde goes ham.”
“Oh, that is nice,” Gwennie said. “I wish my parents or aunt would do the same. Rather than letting me buy clothes, they simply buy a dress they approve of here or there. Or gift me with a new hat. I get stockings money and not enough for much more. I have to beg for cigarettes.”
“Money is the string they use to get us to do what they want us to do,” Lila said, “It doesn’t get better after you are married. Denny and I get quiet little questions about babies. My mother can’t imagine that I might be doing anything to prevent a baby and I don’t think Father is even aware that such things exist. They’re both quite concerned that I’m barren and Denny will leave me.”
“There’s time left for babies,” Gwennie said, holding up the pink champagne dress against herself. “This is divine.”
“It is,” Vi agreed. “Thank you for coming with us. The relatives really are rather vile. Aunt Agatha is a doll. An armed and slightly mad doll, but a doll all the same. And you never know who will be with Aunt Agatha. Anything from a painter Lady Eleanor would find objectionable to some rich duke’s son.”
“It sounds about a million times better than slowly dying with my aunt in Scotland.”
“Darlings,” Vi said, rising smoothly and adjusting her cuffs. “I’m without a maid, so I’ll be having to pack while we chat since Harold Lannister has tickets for So This is London and I very much want to go.”
“You’re wearing this, I hope,” Gwennie said, nudging the dress.
Vi smirked and nodded, holding the dress against her body and twirling so it flew out. “Why else would I buy it?”
“Is Harold Lannister rich?” Lila demanded.
“Is he handsome?” Gwennie touched the dress almost longingly.
“He’s—witty. Educated. Not ugly, but not handsome. And very, very rich.”
“Is he connected to the right families?” Lila asked, channeling Lady Eleanor.
“He’s American,” Vi said with a wicked grin. “Lady Eleanor would despise him.”
Also by Beth Byers
The Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mysteries
Murder & the Heir
Murder at Kennington House
Murder at the Folly
A Merry Little Murder
New Year’s Madness: A Short Story Anthology
Valentine’s Madness: A Short Story Anthology
Murder Among the Roses
Murder in the Shallows
Gin & Murder
Obsidian Murder
Murder at the Ladies Club
Weddings Vows & Murder
A Jazzy Little Murder
Murder by Chocolate
A Friendly Little Murder
Murder by the Sea
The Poison Ink Mysteries
Death By the Book
Death Witnessed
Death by Blackmail
Death Misconstrued
Deathly Ever After
A Merry Little Death
The 2nd Chance Diner Mysteries
Spaghetti, Meatballs, & Murder
Cookies & Catastrophe
(found in the Christmas boxset, The Three Carols of Cozy Christmas Murder)
Poison & Pie
Double Mocha Murder
Cinnamon Rolls & Cyanide
Tea & Temptation
Donuts & Danger
Scones & Scandal
Lemonade & Loathing
Wedding Cake & Woe
Honeymoons & Honeydew
The Pumpkin Problem
Also by Amanda A. Allen
aka Beth Byers
The Mystic Cove Mommy Mysteries
Bedtimes & Broomsticks
Banshees and Babysitters
Hobgoblins and Homework
Christmas and Curses
Valentines & Valkyries
The Rue Hallow Mysteries
Hallow Graves
Hungry Graves
Lonely Graves
Sisters and Graves
Yule Graves
Fated Graves
Ruby Graves
The Inept Witches Mysteries
(co-written with Auburn Seal)
Inconvenient Murder
Moonlight Murder
Bewitched Murder
Presidium Vignettes (with Rue Hallow)
Prague Murder
Paris Murder
Murder By Degrees