Havoc & Hussies

By Sara Tiger Ryan

Like a fairy tale, Sazzy goes to the Queen's Ball with the Prince.
Like a nightmare, Select Lady Witshard drops dead on Sazzy's toes.

Crier Morning Edition, WizardWalkingday
UNTIMELY DEATH MARS FIRST SEASON BALL
Mid the Queen's First Kiss Ball, Upper Select Lady Lessana Witshard of the Cotswood Witshards, collapsed at the feet of her daughter, Yalarra Witshard-Vian, and three of that daughter's friends. Selectdaughter Witshard said her mother had been ill off and on lately and had intended, until the last moment, to forego the ball. None of Selectdaughter Witshard's friends, who witnessed the lady's collapse, had anything further to add.

Crier Evening Edition, SkittersDelightday
ROYAL HEALER BLAMES LADY WITSHARD'S DEATH ON SPREADING ELITE DISEASE
The Royal Healer diagnosed Lady Lessana Witshard as suffering from an acute case of what the healer called 'Shudders' a disease that has been spreading thought the elite and select ladies at an alarming rate.

Crier Morning Edition, SingingHeartday
LADY WITSHARD'S DEATH DUE TO AN OVERDOSE OF MIRAGE
The Royal Healer today rescinded her verdict of a natural death in the case of Upper Select Lady Lessana Witshard, who died at the Queen's First Kiss Ball last SkittersDelightday. The healer replace her original verdict with 'death by an overdose of a mirage-derivative based sleeping potion, Sweet Deception.
And Sazzy needs to find the truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sara Tiger Ryan
• Release date: Aug 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310108754

Sara Tiger Ryan

Sara Tiger Ryan was born in New Hampshire. She now lives in Florida with her 2 cats. Make that minus one charming boy cat, add in a Mama cat who brought me 5 kittens--all of them adorable! Sara started writing novels in 1973 in high school study hall and hasn't stopped (for long) yet. She started out writing fantasy and added mystery. She also writes metaphysical non-fiction. Ryan was active in the small press in the mid 90's, and had her own 'zine, Star Triad.

Book preview

Havoc & Hussies

A Miss Kitty Mystery

# 4

Sara Tiger Ryan

Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery

All characters herein are fictional.

Copyright Sara Tiger Ryan, Tiger Moon Press. Smashwords Edition August 21, 2105

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book, and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting this author's work.

Dedicated to:

Deb Burton

hair arranger extraordinaire

and nice step sister

Table of Contents

1, First Season’s Ball

2, By Royal Decree

3, Witshard Manor

4, Lady Witshard’s Funeral

5, A Perfect Maid For Wisteria

6, Suspects

7, One Less Lost Boy

8, A Royal Spymaster Recruit

9, Interviewing Maids

10, After The Ball

11, A Big Clue

12, Merriweather

13, The Royal Cotillion

14, A Begrudged Thank You

Appendices

About Sara

Miss Kitty Mysteries

A List of My Books

Free Chapter of Garnets & Gargoyles

Conyor Ness

1897

Social Season

Chapter 1, The First Season's Ball

What do you think? Sazzancy Delicious Jinn asked her private spy partner, Dusten Kincaid, and twirled around. The skirt of her new dusky teal ball gown flared and sparkled. Dusty didn't answer. Sazzy stopped twirling and checked his expression. What?

Umm.

You think it looks awful.

Umm. No. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets. No. Your scar shows about a fingerwidth or so.

She froze briefly, then hurried to check in her mirror.

Dusty followed, held a wizard globe up, and said, Full bright.

About two fingerlengths of nasty, jagged, puckered white scar on her right shoulder blade showed beyond the edge of the scooped back of her gown. She froze, her mind raced. The prince would be here in only a quarter wizardmark or less. She had no other new gowns. None of her old gowns would do--

Not an illusion, Dusty said, tone teasing.

Ha. No, she didn't need an illusion on herself making her sicker than she would be just from attending the Queen's Ball with half the other people wearing illusions...that she wouldn't see...but would make her talent ill anyway.

How about player's paint? Dusty suggested finally.

She hugged him a thank-you, hurried to their trunk of disguises, snatched out a pot of player's makeup, brought it back to where Dusty waited in her dressing room, and thrust the jar into his hand. He pulled her over to the side table, returned the wizard globe to its holder there, and obligingly administered to her scar.

It looks better than the first time I saw it, he said.

It's been months.

She had gotten the scar from her and Ziah's bout with the child slavers. The healer in Chiary's time had said she was lucky to be alive to have a scar. Ziah had died. She still felt guilty about that--even though she didn't usually blame herself any more.

I put the paint a few fingers under your dress in case, Dusty said, stepping away. Stay away from bright light and no one should notice.

Prince Lyzan would notice--even though he would say nothing. Sazzy bent to strap on her dancing shoes.

Dusty moved to lean in her suite doorway. By the way, I promised Paff's sister Miss Boots after all.

Did she get on another page of your book?

"The last two pages have used-to-be-a-cute kitten imprints on them. At this rate we'll never get a full copy of the book."

Do I need to add 'hire a scribe' to our budget?

It would cost less than adding 'hire four wizards to speed up Nell's magic book copier' to our budget, Dusty answered humorously.

The outside door opened and closed, and Prince Lyzan's bootsteps sounded crossing their waiting room floor.

Back here, Dusty called out.

Sazzy handed Dusty her new bracelet. Put it on for me.

Ow! Dusty complained.

And don't touch the end of the sap chain link.

Now she tells me.

The Prince appeared in the doorway wearing an elegant outfit of royal purple satin. So do I look like the prince in the latest Ai'Bet absurd or what? he greeted her.

Elegant. Princely. Did your mother buy it for you?

Grrr, he answered like the caravan cat he could shape to.

Here you go, Dusty said to the Prince. Watch out for her nasty bracelet, and she's all yours.

I'll have her back before midnight and she turns into a radish.

Radish? she echoed, eyeing him.

Prince Lyzan laughed and took her hand on his arm. It's the newest Ai'Bet Absurd. Actually, it's the princess' elegant crystal and gold turban that turns into a radish. He escorted her outside and settled her in his black and silver carriage.

What's deadly about your bracelet? he asked as he clicked the horse into a walk. Is it another gift from your favorite Fate friend?

"That's our favorite Fate friend, son. But, no; I had it made from one of the links from the sap chain the Puddling Patron used on me." She held her arm up so he could see. Blown glass encased all but one end of the link. When she wanted to see illusions, she just had to hold the dangle in her hand and let the link touch her palm.

My guess is you'll be giving it a real test work out tonight; Mother had a visit from Bellmacy Nyyle this afternoon.

Is she the one who does illusions in town?

The elite someone anyway, I'd guess, since mother's old slippers turned into gold pumps as I watched. Mother usually has her Friend, Ildana Nyyle, do her illusions, but she's been ill lately.

Thanks for the warning, she said dryly.

He laughed. You're much more amusing when you don't see illusions. Sazz--

What?

Nothing. Never mind. He paused. Mum and Lady Nyyle were reminiscing about Molly as I left.

Sazzy slumped in the elegant velvet carriage seat. She'd forgotten how badly she'd been treated by society at the Maiden Dance. Her once best friend Delicia had ignored her walking past her on Dressmaker Street again yesterday. She hadn't seen Merriweather in nearly two weeks. Have you heard if Viv is back in town yet?

"I haven't. The Lyys should be there in force, though; they have to tell mother who they want for the head of the family tonight or she will elevate Feon to acting head."

I don't see how--

Herm will be the Lyy she turns to when making decisions regarding the Lyy and country, so herm will be making decisions for the Family, whatever they want or say.

Since Feon happened to be about the ditsiest person Sazzy had ever met, that ought be amusing for everyone in the country except the Lyy.

She took a breath to say something light and her foresight slammed a wave of fear over her.

Sazz?

I don't know. Foresight. The fear backed down into an unease. Maybe I should have stayed home.

No, you should go out into society with your head high and show people you are proud to have stood up for your convictions.

They turned down the palace drive. The full Laughing Moon, a deep rose-yellow, backed the middle tower. The trees on each side sparkled with fist-sized lanterns in a rainbow of colors. Ahead, a snaking line of carriages wended their way slowly toward the palace steps. Starting a dragonlength from the palace, carriages lined both sides of the drive. Talk, laughter, the shouts of horseboys, and the neighing of horses filled the early summer air.

The Prince stopped the carriage a quarter dragonlength from the palace steps and helped her out. A carriage boy hurried over and jumped into the seat the Prince had vacated and began maneuvering the carriage out of the way and toward the royal stables.

Prince Lyzan drew her around the crowd waiting to be ushered into the palace, and to the right and a side door. A grizzled doorman bowed them inside. The Prince let her go first. A few steps in, he put his hand on her shoulder and tugged at the edge of her dress.

She shot him a look.

Your dress got pulled to the side getting out of the carriage.

Meaning her scar must be showing. She resisted the urge to try to see it. The Prince twitched her dress again, then offered his arm.

On the way to the ballroom, they passed through a hall of mirrors. Sazzy twisted trying to see her scar. But her frizz of hair got in her way. She poked at that and made a disgruntled sound.

The Prince patted her arm. Think of it as the latest style.

Easy for you to say, curly-locks.

Grrr.

Now that would liven things up some, she teased.

As she and the Prince entered the ballroom, Delicia looked up. And turned away. Several of the matrons on the sidelines lifted their chins and started whispering. The Queen eyed her from the dais across the room. Her Uncle Ian, the King, waved. Sazzy blew him a kiss. He winked back.

The Prince kept her elbow and guided her into the pressing, milling, glittering crowd. Voices rose and fell, laughter false and true crested the wave of sound. She caught sight of a group of minstrels on a low stage to their right. Refreshment tables lined the left wall, and purple velvet straight chairs the back wall. Every chair had an occupant--which made sense. Being the first ball of the Season and a Royal Ball, anyone who aspired to Society had come.

They passed Icea Yght, whose hair swept up into a towering wave parted to hold a small gold statue. Icea drew her skirt aside as they passed, nodded to Prince Lyzan, and pointedly ignored her.

Sazzy inclined her head despite Icea had an oafish brother who had courted her last winter for money...until Sazzy had caught on.

They reached the minstrels, stage, and portion of the floor roped off for dancing, and the Prince whirled Sazzy into the current dance, asking, So, are you and Dusty doing all right with Tasser to screen clients?

Dusty is just as suspicious that Tasser is turning people away as that I was.

It's just until I can find a building mother can't get out from under me.

Considering he had been hunting a building for close to two seasons now, 'just' very likely meant he and his brass kissing school would become a permanent fixture at Five Whippet Street West.

She and the Prince talked shop for the rest of the dance, then he led her to a group of his friends and told them to dance with her and to deliver her to her brother Dandy at the end.

So at least she wouldn't have to sit on the sidelines for the entire ball--even if most of society was leery of her.

One of the young men invited her to dance immediately and Sazzy let him pull her into the current dance.

Lady Bellmacy Nyyle, standing at the heavy, satin rope by the stage, nodded to her. Lady Bellmacy's sister, Merriweather's mother, stopped chatting to her sister and turned pointedly away.

Do you really own a private spy business? her partner asked, drawing her attention back to him.

Half of one.

My sister would be good at that; she's a born snoop.

Sazzy made no comment. Her father caught her eye and smiled. Her mother frowned. Her older sister glared. Sazzy smiled back at her father, then turned her attention to her partner's shoulder and started a round of small talk.

The Prince's friends ended with the fifth dance. Her last partner brought her to Dandy and stayed talking carriage racing. Dandy's two female friends discussed an illness going around and how the taller one's sister had stayed home ill. The three other males talked horses.

One of Dandy's horse-talking friends finally lifted an eyebrow toward the dance floor. Sazzy agreed by holding out her hand.

Three whirls into the dance, her partner said, So, brave lady, who are you going after next? The Queen?

Sazzy stiffened, started to formulate a scathing reply, and her brother cut in on the dance and twitched the back of her dress.

The dressmaker assured me it didn't show, she said, tucking herself in her brother's hug. Dusty put player's paint on it.

He twirled her into the dance. It's just the edge. It looks nasty. Did Molly give it to you?

No. I had it when I got home last fall.

Are you holding up all right?

She answered with her sap chain link illusion seeing accruement, then answered his real question with, I feel all odd. Some people I would expect to ignore me, smile and nod, others turn away.

Sounds like my life.

That's right, you were moving to Six Hearts. Have you?

Never say you haven't missed me at all.

I've been following up on the cats and dogs that we found. One lady tried to sue us for letting her cat get out of its carrier. I say she's lucky to get her cat back.

I have a big race coming up mid Season, if you want a holiday. It will be between Whimsy Corners and Samersan. We have about seven racers so far. We'd planned to donate the money we raise to Molly's latest orphanage, but now...

It isn't the orphans' fault-- She stopped.

Expect to see one of us come by to hit you and Dusty up for tickets, even if you don't plan to come. We're trying to make this the best year yet so we can get certified by the King.

We'll be hiding in the closet when you get there, she teased, and tucked her face down so she couldn't see Wisteria glaring at her--and probably at Dandy, too.

Oh, my, Dandy said laughingly a few seconds later. Sazzy looked up. Lady Sanders lifted her head a minuscule amount in acknowledgment, but didn't dislodge the diamond encrusted bird cage in her hair.

Sazzy nodded back and tucked her face down against Dandy's shoulder. Be sure to deposit me far away from her or I'll laugh myself sick.

You know her?

She showed her cat in two of the shows.

There's another one. I may have to leave early myself so I can laugh until my sides ache. This one has a boat in her hair.

She answered, without looking, that she had seen Lady Sanders at Dankeri's dance show with a similar hair style.

The dance ended, Dandy brought her back to his friends and introduced her around. The lithe, dark-straight-haired Carrigan, whose eyes seemed permanently crinkled with merriment asked her to dance and Sazzy enjoyed an animated discussion of impossible hair styles, the coming carriage race, and how they both admired her brother.

Carrigan kept her for a second dance, silent and obviously wanting to say something specific.

What? she asked finally.

There's a whole crowd of us a little at the edge. I'm in the Racers and the Readers, but there's others. In case... I'm probably out of line. Your brother has probably mentioned it. I think you're brave to have shown Lady Lyy for who she really is. I'm sorry, though. Dandy says she was your mentor. Mine turned out to be a thief. I decided to use the Forest Lord after that.

I always wanted to be a Forest Lord's Rider when I was little, she answered without thinking.

Carrigan laughed. Me, too. It's been a pleasure, Miss Sazzancy, I hope to see you again soon. Now, it looks as if the Prince is bearing down on us, so I'd better surrender you gracefully.

Sazzy turned and found Prince Lyzan directly behind her.

I have someone dying to meet you.

She eyed him.

He laughed. No, really. You have got to realize that, as a Cousin, you are an object of extreme curiosity to half the young set and several of us old fuddy-duddies.

She took a breath to make a light reply and her foresight struck again. For the person the Prince planned to introduce her to? She couldn't tell even meeting the strapping young woman.

Ulinda Farrel, instigator of the Hussies Club, the Prince said.

Two other young women, one dark-haired and petite, the other sandy-brown-haired and about Sazzy's own height moved up behind Ulinda. The Prince immediately asked the sandy-brown-haired young woman for the current dance.

Sazzy took a breath to speak, saw Vivalda across the room and all her words went away. She inspected Vivalda without moving from behind Ulinda. Vivalda looked frighteningly thin and ...hard. Her used-to-be best friend wore a mauve gown with black bands and silver mourning bands on her upper arms. For who? Vivalda's years-ago beau that Molly had killed or Molly herself--who was not dead?

As Sazzy watched, Vivalda finished one drink and started another.

Her one time friend caught her watching and turned her back to her pointedly--just as Sazzy had suspected she would...but it still hurt.

Sazzy turned her attention to Ulinda and friend and asked what the Hussies Club stood for.

Both young women answered (answers different and sometimes opposite).

Before Sazzy could comment, arms came around her from behind and Cousin J hugged her, then whirled her into the current dance.

Right, as the Prince had said, at least she was still an honorary Cousin.

When she said as much, Cousin J tweaked her chin. Not at all, Miss Sazzancy Jinn, private spy, you are a full Cousin. Even if you don't have gobs of talent, you have enough to count.

Unexpectedly strong relief ran through her in waves. She hid her reaction by ducking her head.

And, just for the record, the Cousins admire you for turning Molly Lyy in, Cousin J said.

I couldn't have done anything else, she answered and blinked back tears.

The end of the dance swirled to a halt. Sazzy lifted her head, and everyone around her seemed to smear. She made a disgruntled sound. Half way through the ball and her talent had already started leaving afterimages.

Coz?

My stupid illusion busting talent.

Ah, not, coz, no talents are any more stupid than they are of no use, Cousin J scolded lightly. Sazzy scanned for the Prince anyway. He nodded slightly, but lifted a finger to say he'd be a few minutes getting away from Elite Sardonic Yght.

Oh, oh, Cousin J murmured and laughed under his breath.

Sazzy sneezed, then sneezed again and turned. The lady who had worn the boat in her hair at Dankeri's come-back stalked by and sniffed disdainfully. Sazzy sneezed again and made plans to duck into the Lady's Parlor and take the handy emergency dose of allergy potion her Fate-magicked private spy kit would hold now that she needed one.

The lady scooped a chalice of wine from a passing server, before stopping at the next knot of people and saying with a titter, I almost didn't come. But, really, how could I refuse the Queen?

Take me to the sidelines, Sazzy said, before the lady's perfume combines with all the illusions and makes me heave on your elegant, shiny, new boots.

Cousin J winked at her and they were standing next to a group of four velvet chairs between the Prince, Ulinda, and two other young woman.

Sazzy tweaked Cousin Jay's chin for using his Cousin Talent in the crowd. Show off.

He grinned and bowed.

Sazzy turned back to stare at the lady's hair style, which was what she supposed had prompted Cousin Jay's words, and stifled a laugh. The hair style looked really odd, as if half of it had gone missing.

Try your handy bracelet, the Prince said from behind Cousin J, and she did. The hair style now looked like a gazebo in the moonlight with a dancing couple turning in the middle. Huh.

I have to dance with Mum, but I can leave after that.

If you don't want to leave, just tell me where your talent healer has her office.

Across the room, Cousin JayJay caught her eye and waved, then beckoned her brother. Cousin J tickled Sazzy's ribs briefly, and went.

I sent for her, the Prince answered. I was thinking your bracelet would keep your illusion talent from bothering you. He waved to his mother then turned back to her, winked and tugged her dress back--over her scar, she supposed. If I can't get away, I'll send Waller to escort you. He bowed slightly and left.

Ulinda came up on her other side. "I wanted you to meet my friends, Kirista Finehand and