Page 2 of The Perks of Loving a Wallflower

Relieved by the change in topic, Tommy waved her hand toward the buildings on the other side of the market. “He’s off saving the day. Tonight, a father will finally reunite with his family. Thank you for the forgery, by the way.”

“Always my pleasure,” Marjorie replied primly.

“I could have gone on the boat with you,” said Elizabeth. “I could have bludgeoned villains or poked holes in them with my blade.”

“No poking necessary,” Tommy assured her. “I would have signaled if we needed you.”

“The signal wasn’t badgers this time, was it?” Marjorie asked.

Tommy shook her head. “Polecats.”

“Polecats,” Marjorie repeated. “Should I ask, or is it better for me to remain in blissful ignorance?”

“Blissful ignorance,” Elizabeth answered with feeling. “I don’t even want to know how Jacob managed totraina polecat.”

Each of the Wynchesters possessed unique talents that helped them to aid the downtrodden and the desperate. The siblings’ methods might have been unorthodox…or at times, a wee bit illegal…but at the end of the day, faith was restored to those who had lost hope, and justice was served.

What could work up a better appetite than that?

“Do you ever tire of being someone new?” Marjorie asked.

“Never,” Tommy answered without hesitation.

She loved the cool wind whipping through her short brown hair and the cozy warmth of the linen cravat tied about her neck. She also adored swinging a heavy hammer at an anvil, blustering along as a myopic old woman, or mincing about as a helpless maiden.

Two decades ago, as a skinny six-year-old lying in a narrow cot in an orphanage, Tommy had dreamed about what sort of person she might become or what post she might hold when she grew up.

She never imagined the answer would beallof them!

One summer, rich, reclusive Baron Vanderbean had plucked six orphans from poverty and turned them into a family. He had given them a new direction and changed their lives forever.

It had been fifteen months since Bean had died. Tommy still missed him every day. But the Wynchester siblings carried on, doing their part to improve the lives of others, the way Bean had once done for them.

“What role haven’t you played?” asked Marjorie.

“Prince Regent,” Elizabeth said before Tommy could answer. “ThatI’d like to see.”

“Or a princess,” suggested Marjorie. “You have so many pretty wigs. You’d make a fetching Balcovian heiress.”

“Pah,” said Tommy. “I had my fill of flirting with fops and aristocrats the night of my wretched come-out ball.” Proper debutante Miss Thomasina had been Tommy’sleastfavorite role. One she would not be reprising. “I feel sorry for Chloe having to be the Duchess of Faircliffe now, poor thing. I would never mingle with Polite Society for fun.”

Elizabeth’s smile was wicked. “Not for…anyone?”

Tommy popped an oyster into her mouth to avoid responding.

“She would,” Marjorie whispered to Elizabeth.

“I know she would,” Elizabeth whispered back. “If a certain someone asked her to.”

Tommy glared at them both, unable to snapI can hear you talking about mewithout likewise showing herself capable of responding to her meddling sisters’ impertinent opinions.

She ate another oyster instead.

Elizabeth and Marjorie exchanged smug grins, as if Tommy had bared her soul.

2

Today was Miss Philippa York’s very favorite day.