Page 38 of Scales and Sensibility
At the moment, though, Elinor had an even more pressing concern. “Now,” she said. “Shall we think about exactly where to fix it? Perhaps…” She turned, letting her gaze sweep the room…until it landed on Lucinda’s plump, beaded reticule, tucked into Lucinda’s side on the couch nearby.
“Miss Grace.” Elinor smiled sweetly. “You must have something in your reticule that can aid us. A pin, perhaps, that we could fit to Penelope’s gown to mark the spot for her feather?”
“Um…” Lucinda frowned, but picked up her reticule obediently.
“It has to be just the right feather,” Penelope said. “If it’s too small, no one will notice.”
“Of course,” Elinor said absently. She wasn’t looking at her cousin anymore, though. She was watching Lucinda untie the ribbons that held her reticule closed. “You certainly mustn’t carry the wrong sort of feather…”
Drat. Lucinda had opened her reticule…but only by half an inch. She peered inside, then reached inside to rifle among its contents. The angle of her hand kept the inside of the reticule fully hidden from view.
Surely she was being too careful. If she hadn’t anything to hide…
“Why don’t I look for you?” Elinor said, and held out her hand. “I know exactly what I’m looking for, after all.”
Millie gave a squeak of surprise. Even Penelope broke off her chain of thought to stare.
Lucinda’s hand froze in place as she met Elinor’s gaze. For the first time since Elinor had met her six months ago, she saw a flash of cold, wary intelligence in the other girl’s eyes.
Then Lucinda’s face eased into a smile. “You needn’t worry, Mrs. De Lacey,” she said. “I’ve already found a pin for Penelope. You see?”
She drew out a shining hairpin, with a rounded end.
“Oh, good.” Penelope reached across to take it from her. “Shall we put it here, do you think, Mrs. De Lacey?” She pointed to a spot on her shoulder. “And if the feather is just the right length…”
Penelope’s words faded into the background of Elinor’s hearing. Lucinda’s head bent over her reticule as she tied the ribbons closed. As she finished, she looked up, met Elinor’s gaze, smiled sweetly…and lifted the reticule across her lap to deposit it on her other side, safely out of Elinor’s sight.
Elinor smiled back at her...and thought of Lucinda smiling just as sweetly when she’d led all of her parents’ horrified guests to that poor maid’s quarters, full of her own stolen goods.
Sir Jessamyn let out a cheep of protest. With a start, Elinor realized that her fingers had been digging hard into his sides.
She let go, with a quick murmur of apology. When she looked up again, she forced herself to look at Penelope…but she could feel Lucinda watching her.
She would have to tread very carefully from now on. Lucinda was already suspicious, but if Elinor let the matter go for the rest of the afternoon’s visit, her suspicions might be allayed.
On the other hand, who knew when Lucinda would come to Hathergill Hall again? It might not be for days, and Elinor had less than a week.
“You can find a way…if you care enough to try,”Sally had said.
Elinor thought about the letters in Sally’s pocket and swallowed over a suddenly-dry throat.
She cared. And when she imagined how she’d feel if Lucinda had done it to one ofhersisters...
“My goodness,” she said, “Penelope certainly was right about dragon appetites. I believe my dragon is still hungry, despite all that meat he ate.”
Sir Jessamyn looked up at her with surprise, but Elinor had no fear that he would betray her. If there was one thing that could be relied upon with the little dragon, it was a never-failing appetite when food was available.
“Miss Grace…” She smiled ruefully. “I do hate to burden you again, but would you mind ringing the bell one more time?”
Lucinda began to rise from the couch—then hesitated. She glanced briefly at the reticule, reached out as if to pick it up…
“I’ll do it this time, Lucinda.” Millie bounced up off the chair. “I wouldn’t mind eating a few more cakes, too. Penelope?”
“Oh…” Penelope waved impatiently. She was leaning towards Benedict, in the middle of a question about her pin. “I’m sure that will be fine.”
“Thank you,” Lucinda said, and sank back down onto the couch.
“How kind of you, Miss Staverton.” Elinor forced a smile.
