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Another of the women shook her head. “But Joey, we can’t vote on a book none of us have read. It just isn’t done.”
“One need only know the subject to pass judgment,” Trent insisted as she continued her distasteful glances at the cover. “Those loud machines, the dirt, those sweaty men.” I noticed one of the women wink at her nearby companion and both giggled. Their sounds caught Lady Trent’s attention, and not in a good way. “What are you laughing about?”
One of them blushed underneath the scrutiny of our leader. “I’m sorry, Lady Trent, but I. . .I rather like the men who drive the thunders.”
Lady Trent wrinkled her nose. “Do you like to read about them?”
The woman shook her head. “No, but-”
“Then do you not find this distasteful?” Trent challenged her as she waved the tome in her direction.
She shrugged. “I suppose so. . .”
Trent swept her eyes over the room. “Does anyone else wish to raise their objections to our reviewing this book?” Complete silence followed, and I noticed Trent puffed out her chest and a sweetly deadly smile slipped onto her lips. “Then it’s unanimous. Now, would any self-respecting woman truly wish to read such drivel? A show of hands.”
The hands slowly went up, including from Serena at my side. Trent’s eyes flickered to me, but I kept my arms folded over my chest. The corners of her lips tightened into a frown, but she smiled at the others. “Then it’s decided. We shall consider this book one not meant for the fairer sex. I will have a special print copy of our newsletter crowed to all our subscribers this evening. Does anyone have anything they wish to add?”
One of the women cleared her throat. “A very good idea, Lady Trent.”
“Oh yes!” another chimed in as she bobbed her head up and down. “This book is obviously not fit for us to read.”
“Of course it isn’t,” Lady Trent agreed as she tossed the book onto the coffee table. The loud thump echoed throughout the room, but she merely clasped her hands in front of her and smiled at us. “Now then, shall we have coffee and cakes?”
A murmur of approval rose from the crowd and a cart was wheeled in by the imperious butler. Serena made to follow the crowd to the buffet, but she noticed I didn’t move. “Aren’t you going to have some?”
I shook my head. “I think I lost my appetite.”
I turned and strode from the room. Serena stared with a mixture of horror and confusion before she scurried after me. “Where are you going?” she scolded me as she came up to my side. “The meeting isn’t done.”
“It’s done for me,” I retorted as we marched past the high-nosed butler who held a tray in his hands. I managed to snatch a sandwich from the assortment of goodies.
“But you can’t leave!” Serena insisted.
I stopped in the immense entrance hall and spun around to face her where I put my hands on my hips. “Why not?”
Serena shrank beneath my question and her voice came out in a hushed whisper. “Because Joey wouldn’t like it. . .”
I snorted. “I’m not about to start caring what-”
“Miss Lucas, Miss Lowe.” The stern voice came from Trent as she marched over to us. “What is the meaning of leaving so early?”
I inwardly took a long, deep breath before I answered her. “I suddenly don’t feel very well, Lady Trent.”
“You should have said something,” she scolded me as she gestured back down the hall. “Would you care to lay down in the salon? I’m sure the other members have suggestions on what ails you, and Lady Margorie’s husband is a doctor.”
“That’s, um, very kind of you,” I told her as I drew my hands behind my back. One of them held the vial and my fingers eagerly fumbled for the cork before it popped open. A soft whoosh flew past me and carried a prayer of salvation along with it. “But I really wouldn’t want to disturb your club-”
“Ourclub, my dear,” she scolded me as she clasped her hands in front of her, looking all the more like a miser grudgingly admitting to their wealth. “It belongs to all of us. Isn’t that right, Miss Lowe?”
Serena bit her lip as she cast an uncertain look at me. “I, um, that is-”
Trent’s eyebrows crashed down. “You do believe that, do you not, Miss Lowe? Your parents certainly think highly enough of the opportunities afforded by our individual members to have insisted you become one.”
I stepped between them and frowned at her. “Don’t pick on her like that. She didn’t do anything.”
Trent lifted her sharp patrician nose at me. “Whatever do you mean,Miss Lucas?”
“I mean that-”
