The Spinster (Emerson Pass Historicals 2)

“I don’t think laughing is quite what it’ll be,” Flynn said, frowning. “As a matter of fact, it’s best if you stay with one of us throughout the night.”

“I agree,” I said. “You’re much too pretty. We’ll have to watch you like a hawk.”

She lifted her chin, looking very haughty. “I shan’t allow any of them to put me in a compromising position. I’ll sock them in the nose.”

If she hadn’t looked like an angel with her alabaster skin and shining brown hair and full mouth, she might have a chance of intimidating the boys. But Flynn was right. The boys were not going to be laughing at her, nor would they be scared of her. At sixteen, she was already a great beauty, even more evident in the lovely dress. The boys of Emerson Pass didn’t have a chance.

“Don’t worry, Cymbie, we’ll take care of you,” Flynn said. “No one’s going to mess with our little sister.”

She marched up to him and shoved him in the chest. He fell backward onto the pillows and burst into raucous laughter. “You know I hate it when you say that. I do not need anyone to take care of me, especially my brothers.”

“All right, don’t hurt me, Cymbie,” Flynn said as he put up his fists as if to protect his face. “We’ll throw you to the wolves if that’s what you want.”

“Great. That’s exactly what I want.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “And stop laughing at me.”

“I’m sorry, but you’re too funny,” Flynn said. “I can’t help myself.”

“Calm down, little sister,” Theo said. “You’ll wreck your hair.”

She twirled around to face him. “Do you think I give one fig about my hair?”

“Well, you should.” We all turned to see Josephine in the doorway. “It took me a good amount of time to tame that head of hair of yours. I won’t appreciate you ruining it before the party even starts.”

I tried not to stare, but my eyes were glued to Jo. She wore a soft lavender dress and long white gloves that came to just below her shoulders. Her hair was fixed in an elaborate twist that I’d never seen before but emphasized her eyes and elegant neck.

“You.” Cymbeline pointed at Josephine. “You and Mama have conspired against me.”

“To make you a proper young lady? I can’t say we haven’t.” She gestured for Cymbeline to come to her. “Now, come here, my little tiger girl. We’re to go down together. Papa’s request.”

“I’d rather spend the night with the animals,” Cymbeline muttered to herself.

From behind Josephine, Fiona appeared, then ducked under Josephine’s arm to enter the room. “Oh, you all look especially nice tonight. Isn’t it wonderful we can all be together to have fun but also help the Cassidys?”

“For heaven’s sake, Fiona, you’re impossibly cheery,” Cymbeline said. But the edge had left her voice. I’d noticed before that Fiona had the ability to calm her sister with just her presence. She looked sweet in a sailor-collared dress in the same blue as Cymbeline’s dress but cut just below the knees. A wide white bow tied back her hair.

“Shall we go downstairs en masse then?” Flynn asked. “The original five plus our esteemed guest?”

“Where are the little ones?” I asked.

“They’re already downstairs with Mama,” Fiona said. “She said they could have cake and stay for a little while.”

“I hated when they had parties with all the cakes and cookies and we weren’t invited,” Cymbeline said.

“Remember the time we sent you up in the dumbwaiter to try to steal some treats?” Theo asked.

“And you got stuck in between the floors,” Flynn said. “Which might be the funniest thing that’s ever happened to us.”

Cymbeline scowled. “Of course I remember. How could I forget? I thought I’d be in there until I perished from lack of food and water.”

“She thought we left her in there to die,” Josephine said to me. “But we’d only gone for help.”

Cymbeline flashed an evil grin and rubbed her hands together. “While they were gone, I spent the entire time thinking of all the ways I was going to haunt them when I came back as a ghost.”

“What was one of them?” Flynn asked.

“I was going to drip water on your faces while you slept,” Cymbeline said. “Another was to take your things and hide them and laugh as you tried to find them. Eventually, I’d make you think you’d gone loony. It was all part of my master plan.”

“An evil mind at work,” Theo said.