Marcus is immediately intrigued. Though Helene is supposed to be a harridan bluestocking, he rather finds her a smart conversationalist who is hiding her light under a bushel.
Helene has escorted her cripplingly shy friend Madelene to the party. Madelene's family was so grateful to have her off their hands, they didn't even mind consigning her to the care of a woman that few in society cared for. But she is tired of being a wallflower and tired of Adele and Madelene being consigned to the same fate. She has conceived of a plan to triumph in Society, but she'll need the help of a fairy godmother, a role novelist Deborah Sewell can fit to a T.So Helene helps to save herself. And her friends. I was really enjoying this story until the last Big Misunderstanding. It was so unnecessary. And I wish I had read the other two stories. It wasn't absolutely necessary but it would have filled in some gaps.
Three Stars
This story comes out May 17
