Storing Up Trouble, стр. 74
The enthusiasm Theodosia was showing suggested she might have found a new avenue to put her unusual mind to work—one that might someday see her becoming involved with the beauty industry that was only now beginning to advance in the country.
“I’m ashamed to admit I never realized how desperately Theodosia needed female companionship,” Aunt Gladys said quietly, stepping up beside Beatrix. “I should have known, what with how she’s been raised by a father who is known to be consumed with his work, but I didn’t.”
“You know now, and I have a feeling you’re going to make certain Theodosia doesn’t suffer from a lack of female companions ever again.”
“Too right I won’t.” Aunt Gladys smiled and nodded to Theodosia, who was now sitting in a chair, having an oily mixture spread over her face. She then nodded to Hubert, who was helping Edgar rearrange a few chairs for some of the women, his limp having all but disappeared. “I’ve been thinking that there have been so many unexpected blessings of late, what with Theodosia finding friends and Hubert gaining a new leg. God certainly knew what He was about when He sent you into our lives, and by sending Norman through you as well. If you ask me, there’s a plan afoot, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it continues to unfold.”
Beatrix ignored the pointed look Aunt Gladys sent her next, but she couldn’t ignore her aunt’s words. Her friendship with Norman had clearly brought about benefits to those around her, his unexpected generosity leaving her with the distinct notion that he was a man with a great deal of potential. She couldn’t deny that there was something appealing about the idea of her being around when he reached that potential.
“I’m looking for my next victim,” Blanche called as she nodded to Beatrix. “Ready to have your face revitalized?”
Pushing all thoughts of Norman aside, Beatrix took a seat in the chair Blanche was pointing to. “What are you going to be doing to my face?”
“I’m going to put a mixture of lemons and cucumbers on you to see if it’ll lighten up a few of your freckles.”
Hoping those were all the ingredients Blanche was going to be slathering over her face, Beatrix forced what she hoped was an enthusiastic smile, which was all the incentive Blanche needed to get to work.
Fifteen minutes later, and after every woman had their faces covered with a variety of mixtures—from special herbs, fruits, vegetables, and even flour—Blanche announced that to enjoy the greatest benefits from her mixtures, they needed to completely relax, which meant all the lights needed to be turned off and silence maintained for a full thirty minutes.
After Edgar and Hubert turned off all the lights in the parlor, they left to turn off the lights throughout the house after Blanche insisted it would help with the relaxation business.
Beatrix swallowed a bubble of amusement as she sat in a pitch-black room, the smells of lemon, lime, and a variety of other scents mingling in the air.
“Sure is dark in here,” someone remarked, which earned her a shush from Mamie, who was sitting on the other side of Aunt Gladys.
Grinning, Beatrix closed her eyes, finding it impossible to relax because thoughts of Norman immediately sprang to mind.
There was no denying that he was becoming important to her, and while she didn’t regret her declaration that there was no need for them to marry because of a kiss, she couldn’t help but wonder what marriage to a gentleman like Norman would be like.
She’d told Theodosia that she’d found his frequently annoying ways refreshing, and that was certainly nothing less than the truth. For years, gentlemen had gone out of their way to accommodate her, even with her having allowed society to believe she shared an understanding with her very good friend Thomas Hamersley. But even with them knowing she was supposedly spoken for, they’d still treated her with kid gloves because of her status as a grand American heiress.
Norman had never treated her with kid gloves, had proceeded to annoy her every other second, and had even attempted a most outlandish experiment with her as the subject, not realizing how she relished the annoying banter they frequently shared between them.
It was a—
A loud crash sounded from above them, causing everyone to jump. Aunt Gladys actually fell out of her chair and landed on the floor with a thud right as the angry screeches of cats rang out.
“We need some light,” Beatrix yelled, which had Mamie striking a match she pulled from a pocket, the light from that match helping Blanche find the switch that turned on the electrical lights her aunt had recently installed throughout most of the house. As soon as light flooded the room, Beatrix raced for the door, Theodosia and the rest of the women close behind her.
Skidding to a stop when she reached the foot of the staircase, Beatrix glanced up, finding a man running down the steps, being chased by a herd of cats.
The scar on his face had the blood running through her veins turning to ice, but instead of trying to attack her, the man she’d shot only that afternoon raced past her and for the door, wrenching the door open and disappearing through it a second later, the cats in hot pursuit.
Chapter 27
That Norman wasn’t dumbstruck by the sight of a man scrambling over the fortress-like fence that surrounded Gladys’s house with a pack of cats leaping over that fence after him spoke volumes about the state of his life of late.
Kneeing Mort and giving a tug on the reins to set the mule after the rapidly fleeing man, Norman released a grunt when Mort refused to move. Thankfully, Agent Spencer, the Pinkerton who’d relieved Agent Cochran for the evening, was already chasing