She tugged her hand free. “If you weren’t so oblivious about normal everyday life, youwouldhave, especially once I started writing plays after I heard you say you’d attended a play with Rhenick and found it to be far more enjoyable than you’d expected.”
“That’s what prompted you to start writing plays?”
“Indeed.” Norma Jean blew out a breath. “I thought you’d find me more interesting if we could discuss the plays I was writing. However, after that time I shared a particular scene with you, and you felt compelled to point out that the weapon I included didn’t exist, I stopped bothering discussing my plays with you because your criticism of my work was just depressing.”
“But I thought your plays were exceptional, which is why I invented the flame thrower after you shared that particular scene.”
“You invented the flame thrower because of me?”
Seth shrugged. “You seemed determined to include a weapon that could shoot flames in your play. And, because of that determination, I decided I should make a real flame thrower, so that when your play got taken up by a theater company, no one could say you were taking liberties with reality.”
A scrub of her eyes with a grimy hand was Norma Jean’s first response to that, and a scrub, if Seth wasn’t mistaken, to distract from the fact that her eyes had turned suspiciously bright. Before he could think of anything to say to address thetears she was obviously fighting to hold back, though, Louisa wandered up to join them.
“I’m just checking to make sure the two of you are alright, but from what I just overheard, I don’t believe that’s the case.” With that, Louisa took a long moment to regard her youngest daughter, releasing a sigh before she stepped closer to Norma Jean and enfolded her in a hug.
It wasn’t unexpected when Norma Jean went stiff as a board the moment Louisa started hugging her.
Undaunted by what could very well be taken as a rejection, Louisa kept hold of her daughter for a full minute, then gave her a final squeeze and stepped back. “You have caused no small amount of trouble, my darling, but since I overheard the two of you talking about what your brother’s done for you, to point out another example of how he takes a great interest in you, know that he’s been investigating those corsets you bought.”
Norma Jean’s brows drew together. “What corsets?”
“The ones you had poor Darcy acquire for you—the enhancer and the electrical one.”
Norma Jean rounded on Seth. “You stole my corsets?”
“Why would I need to steal your corsets? It’s not as if I have any use for them.” He smiled, something that had temper flashing through Norma Jean’s eyes. “But, before you come up with some convoluted idea about how I came into possession of your corsets, know that I merely ran across Darcy when she was trying to sneak said corsets up to your room. Darcy is evidently not very good with subterfuge and showed me what she had stashed behind her back without me even asking. Once I got a good look at the corsets, I decided it would be prudent to give them a thorough examination before you tried to wear them.”
“That is mortifying on far too many levels,” Norma Jean muttered.
“Indeed, but I didn’t examine them to mortify you, simply toascertain they were safe, and allow me to be clear—the electrical one is not.”
“What about the enhancer?”
“It’s not dangerous, but you shouldn’t wear it either because Annaliese discovered that the rubber used for all that enhancing leaks, which could end up leading to an embarrassing situation for you.”
“Embarrassing indeed, but why is the electrical one dangerous?”
“It poses a fire danger, and the last thing I’m sure you’d ever want is for your, ah, bodice area to go up in flames.”
A tinge of pink settled on Norma Jean’s face. “Flames would be problematic, but if it’s all the same to you, and since I’ve been sufficiently apprised of the corset deficiencies, I think we should change the subject now as I’m not exactly feeling comfortable discussing unmentionables with my brother.”
“I don’t think any of us would mind changing the topic,” Flick said as he took that moment to join them, Miranda on his arm, who was sending a commiserating sort of nod to Norma Jean.
“We’ll continue the discussion about unmentionables once we’re at our leisure,” Miranda said. “And we’ll do so when there aren’t any gentlemen present.” She sent Norma Jean a wink. “I’m more than familiar with garments meant to enhance a feminine figure, none of which have the problem of bursting into flames or deflating.”
“I might have something to say about that,” Louisa interjected right as the sound of whistles rent the air.
“I’m afraid all talk of unmentionables is going to have to wait,” Seth said. “If I’m not mistaken, the authorities have arrived on the scene. I highly doubt they’re going to want to wait to question us because of an unmentionable conversation. However, once they’re done with us, we can then repair to the train, where talk of corsets and the like can continue, but onlyafter Flick and I are safely entrenched in our Pullman car and we’re on our way home.”
Norma Jean immediately lifted her chin. “I’m not going home as I have unfinished business to attend to.”
“Would that business center around the treasure map you memorized, the one that might lead to a treasure, or better yet, Ottilie Merriweather?” Seth asked.
“You know about the map?”
“Velma might have folded under pressure,” Seth said, sending Annaliese, who’d stepped up beside Flick and Miranda, a nod. “Turns out your temporary co-headmistress can be somewhat intimidating when she’s annoyed. Poor Velma didn’t stand a chance against her.”
“I wasn’t expecting intimidation from Miss Merriweather, although I did have some reservations about Miss Livingston,” Norma Jean admitted. “Miss Livingston was the reason I changed our plans after you told me those personal safety devices were mine. I figured having skunks invade the school would keep Miss Livingston busy, whereas simply having two of the Zambarello sisters feign fits of the vapors, which was our original plan, might have left Miss Livingston suspicious.”
