Missy: A Novel

Missy is a keen‑eyed, restless young woman whose life revolves around the precise order of her family home. She moves through the rooms with a mixture of elegance and quiet authority, arranging flowers, lighting candles, and correcting the slightest imperfections in the servants’ attire. Her taste is simple yet sophisticated—gray silks, crisp linens, and an aversion to unnecessary ornament—reflecting a personal code that hints at deeper convictions.

The story opens on an evening thick with anticipation as Missy waits for a guest she both dreads and feels compelled to impress. Her mother, frail and dependent, offers gentle counsel while Missy grapples with the uneasy quiet, the ticking clock, and the slow approach of the carriage. The household’s meticulous routine becomes a backdrop for Missy’s inner tension, setting the stage for a delicate dance of duty, desire, and the subtle power struggles that lie just beneath the surface.