Mouse Trap

Opening Gambit

Harry Moorsely sipped her Pimms and watched Tubby Granger and his latest squeeze stroll across the pristine lawn of Devril Estate's formal garden. Of course, Tubby wasn't tubby anymore, not since school. In fact, he cut quite a dash in his Saville Row suit and slicked back hair. However, it wasn't Tubby that Harry was interested in, it was Mariam DeBoer, the slender young thing he had brought with him to the house party. Mariam's dark, almost black bob had curled a little at the bottom in the damp country air, but the unintentional wisps framed her pale face and made Harry think of the nymphs from Art Nouveau. Not really her style, she was currently trying her hand at Art Deco, but that didn't mean Harry wouldn't have liked to study the petite creature in more depth back at her studio in London after the weekend house party.

"Harriet, Mariam came with Tubby," came the somewhat amused tone from the chair beside Harry.

Harry turned her head and smiled mischievously at her god mother, Lady Jane Devril. Apart from insisting on calling her Harriet, Jane was refreshingly modern for a woman in her fifties and had taken Harry's predilection for her own sex in the same sturdy stride she used when taking the dogs out for a walk.

"You have to let me have a little fun, Jane," she countered and pouted when Jane raised an eyebrow.

"We must all go and change for dinner," was Jane's final comment and, with that, she rose and set off across the lawn and, deliberately, Harry thought, blocked the view she had been so enjoying.

With a sigh, Harry conceded round one to Lady Jane, stood up and headed in through the patio doors.

~

Round one had been a very short affair and Harry quickly moved onto round two. Standing in front of the full length mirror, she checked the outfit she had chosen very carefully. She had rather too much bust for the straight dresses all the winsome young things were wearing, but the beaded, fitted bodice and handkerchief line of the skirt draped over her curves perfectly. In contrast to the monotone dress, she had lit up her lips with flame red and lined her eyes simply to show off their blueness. Satisfied, Harry turned and headed out into the corridor.

There she stood for some minutes, just waiting. Eventually, she was rewarded when the handle of the room next to hers turned. Harry took a step down the corridor and half turned as Mariam appeared. Discovering Harry, the girl looked startled and nervous at the same time, which was rather endearing and Harry gave her no chance to back off.

"Mariam, what luck, shall we walk down together?"

Harry practically dived at the girl, slipped a hand under her arm and started to take them down the corridor without waiting for an answer. Mariam, the timid little thing that she was, capitulated with only the smallest of gasps. Harry beamed at her, leaned in to take in the girl's delicate scent of rose and whispered, "You look divine tonight."

Mariam was rather stunning, all brown eyes and ivory chiffon. She tensed a little at the compliment, but Harry kept hold of her hand and continued, "Now you must tell me all the details of how Tubby won himself a gorgeous girl like you."

Harry lingered just longer than proper at Mariam's ear and was delighted when the girl actually shivered. Mariam's eyes were even darker than before when Harry drew back, pupils dilated, and there was the most delicious pink tinge to the girl's cheeks. Harry knew her message had been at least partly heard if not understood, and, not wishing to frighten Mariam, she advanced them down the hallway at almost a trot. Giggling like the school girl she hadn't been for half a decade she announced, "Those drop earrings are just darling. Where did you get them?"

The change of subject disarmed any disquiet in Mariam and, although the girl was still a little too in awe of her and did not reply, Harry was happy with her first play.