The Mermaid in the Basement Read Online Free PDF Page A

don’t believe it.”
    “It’s a group of prominent men.When I heard that Charles Darwin would be there, I simply had to invite myself.” Serafina smiled and turned to study herself carefully in the mirror. She was a tall woman, and at twenty-seven years still had the curves of a girl of eighteen. Her hair was an unusual strawberry blonde, and her eyes were her best feature. They were large, well spaced, and of an unusual violet tinge. Her face was too square for real beauty, but her wide, sensuous mouth made up for that. She touched her hair and said, “You’ve done a beautiful job on my hair, Louisa. You really deserve to have a more discerning mistress.”
    “Oh no, I only want to serve you, Viscountess,” Louisa said quickly. “I am so glad that you are going out into society more.”
    Serafina shrugged. “This isn’t really a social visit. As I said, I want to meet Charles Darwin.”
    “But you need a social life, my lady.”
    Serafina turned slightly and studied her maid. Her lips seemed to tighten, and she said, “A social life? Why would I need that? I have everything I want right here at Trentwood. My parents, my son, a fine home, and I have you to take care of me.”
    “But that’s not all there is to life. There are other things.”
    Serafina knew that Louisa was carefully refraining from mentioning a husband. When the girl had first come to serve Serafina, she had said something about Serafina’s remarrying, and Serafina had cut her off so shortly that the subject had never come up again.
    “Society is nothing but vanity. It is seeing who can spend the most money on the most ridiculous fashions. Look at this skirt.” She turned and looked at the huge diameter spin around. “What a ridiculous thing to put on a woman’s body!”
    “I suppose some fashions are a little strange.”
    “Society itself is more than just a little strange. Just look at the way we auction off young girls for marriage.”
    “Auction girls? What do you mean, Viscountess?”
    “In America they have slave markets where they take young black women and sell them to men ostensibly to be servants, but everyone knows what they’re to be used for.”
    “But we don’t have slavery in England.”
    “No, not of that variety, but every year young girls are put on the market. They are paraded around at teas and parties, they attend the races, they go to as many balls as possible, and for what reason? For enjoyment? Not at all! Most of the time they are miserable, afraid they will never catch a man, or not one who is suitable anyway. In the end the men look them over as if they were brood stock, able to produce a satisfactory heir.No, thank you, Louisa. I went through that once, and I would hope never to be again in such a position.” Serafina suddenly saw that Louisa was disturbed.Her lips were trembling, and she said, “Why, what’s wrong, Louisa? I haven’t hurt your feelings?”
    “No, my lady, but it’s just that—well, ma’am, I’ve told you about Robert and how I love him.We’re going to the park today. I think he’s in love with me.”
    “And what about you?”
    “Oh, Lady Serafina, I tremble all over when I think of him!”
    Serafina opened her lips to make some cutting remark, for she had no use for such romantic notions. It was exactly this sort of thing that disgusted her, but when she saw the dewy-eyed young woman’s trembling lips, she said merely, “Well, you go and have a good day, but be careful, Louisa. Don’t expect too much out of married life.” She turned to the door. “I’ll go say good-bye to David.”
    Serafina descended the winding staircase and stepped out of the side entrance of the house. She went at once to David, who was playing some kind of a game with Danny.Her son’s face was streaked with dirt.“David, what in the world?”
    “It’s my war paint. I’m a savage Indian.”
    “I’m sorry, Viscountess,” Danny said. “’E got all dirty afore I could stop