Laura was happy to lean back in the carriage. The number of items that were deemed to be essential for a young lady attending a London Season seemed to be inexhaustible. After stopping at the library, they had visited a haberdasher, three dressmakers, a jeweler, and a tiny shop tucked away in a narrow lane that sold only parasols and fans.
“Have I overtired you, dear?” Lady Maria asked.
“My feet do ache but I don’t mind that in the least! I never imagined having so much variety to choose from. Poor Miss Henry!” Laura said, starting to giggle.
“Who is Miss Henry?” Lady Maria asked.
“Miss Henry is the dressmaker in the village. She doesn’t keep fashion plates in her shop. The bolts of material suffice only to make simple round gowns. Her stock of ribbons and laces is also inadequate. She does keep racks of stitched gowns which she alters for her customers. Bessie is always arguing with her. She believes Miss Henry purchases outmoded clothes in London at a cheap price and sells them at a tidy profit. One of my recent purchases was a gown in azure blue. Bessie found out from Lydia that the color was in vogue two years ago. She marched to Miss Henry with the gown and insisted she take it back. I fear Miss Henry will have to close down her shop. Bessie will make her life miserable!”
Lady Maria smiled indulgently. Laura was as excited and happy as any eighteen-year-old having her first London Season. Lady Catherine’s presence and the abundance of her love had made her blossom into a confident young woman. Only a few days ago, she had been reserved to the point of coldness.
“Why didn’t Bessie come with you today?” Gwen asked.
“She wanted to practice hairstyles. I arranged for a maid to serve as a model. Bessie is determined that she will do my hair tomorrow evening and not Lucy.”
“I like her spirit. But there is much she will have to learn. I’ll send Lucy so that she may guide her. Tomorrow’s do is an informal evening tea with the Duchess of Lambert. It will call for a simple style.”
“I thought so. Shall I wear the yellow muslin with the white embroidery?”
“That will be eminently suitable.”
“Will it be a large gathering?”
“I’m sure the guests will not number over a hundred. You may have already met them at Lady Malloy’s ball.”
“I can’t remember most of them. Did I meet the Duchess of Wimberley that night?”
“No dear, you didn’t. Her Grace passed away two years ago.”
“Oh,” Laura said with a sharp intake of breath. So that was why the duke wore a brooding look at the ball. He was missing his duchess. If he felt that lost in the midst of a social event, he must be quite desolate when he was on his own.
How different he had looked outside the library! Laughter suited him. She would try to make him laugh when she met him next.
***
Laura was grateful for Lady Maria’s advice. She was enjoying herself at the insipid affair only because she had made friends with some of the other debutantes. Lady Harriet was having her first Season and Lady Pamela her second. Both young ladies were lively and talkative. Laura enjoyed listening to them.
The yellow muslin with the while paisley embroidery was much admired by Laura’s new friends. The arrangement of tiny braids and a cascade of curls painstakingly created by Bessie was also exclaimed upon.
A tall lady with an impressive turban came over to Laura. Laura curtsied as it was proper. The woman barely inclined her head. “You have your mother’s looks. I remember her come out. She had no address at all and could barely string two words together. We were all surprised she snapped up Daventon. A pity that didn’t last.”
Angry words rushed to Laura’s lips but Lady Pamela discreetly put a calming hand on her back.
“Who is Lady Selena’s modiste, Lady Goodall? Her gown is most becoming,” Lady Harriet asked, fixing wide eyes on the obnoxious woman.
Lady Goodall tittered. “My niece is in uncommonly good looks, don’t you think? She shines in whatever she wears,” she said and walked away, looking for fresh prey.
“Breathe,” Lady Pamela murmured.
“Please do! I’m afraid you will burst if you don’t!” Lady Harriet said.
“Or swell up like a ...a frog!” Lady Pamela added.
“What a waste of this fetching frock!”
Laura’s lips twitched. “Stop it or I won’t be able to contain my laughter! We’re at Lady Lambert’s tea!”
“A most insipid affair. The tea isn’t even hot. It tastes like dishwater,” Lady Pamela said.
“Are you complaining about the taste or the temperature? Would you find hot dishwater more palatable?” Lady Harriet teased.
“My mother insisted we have tea at home before coming. The duchess’ teas are notorious for the bland fare. Of course, that doesn’t keep anyone away,” Lady Pamela said.
“Thank you,” Laura said, feeling tears prick at her eyes. She would have taken Lady Goodall’s bait and it wouldn’t have helped her mother’s cause.
“Lady Goodall does it with everyone. You weren’t here at the beginning of the Season. She had singled out Harriet.”
“At my come out ball, she praised my gown for looking so countrified. It wasn’t. Mama had spent a fortune on it. She said that only to discomfit me.”
“What did you do?” Laura asked.
“I almost wept. Lady Maria guessed something was wrong. She came over and started praising the trimming on Lady Goodall’s gown. In truth, it clashed horribly with the yellow satin.”
“That’s what you did! You praised Lady Selena’s gown and diverted her attention!” Laura exclaimed.
“Mama says Lady Goodall has several nieces and female cousins. For the past many years she has been sponsoring female relatives. She is jealous of anyone making a good match. Mama says your father was most eligible. Many matrons tried to entice him into paying court to their daughters. But he had eyes only for Lady Catherine.”
Laura grew uneasy. Her friend was about to pry. But Lady Harriet, with her color high, said, “I’ve heard they quarreled later. But that is the way it usually is. Mama and Papa care deeply for each other but also fight. It’s sad about whatever happened but at least they reconciled before it was too late.”
Laura looked away. The ton, seeing the family together, had concluded that her parents had reconciled in later years but had kept away from Society.
When Laura had first heard the story, she had asked her brother, “What should we do?”
“There’s nothing we can do. Refuting it will only give rise to more stories. We don’t owe the truth to anyone except to Lady Maria and her grandmother. And they know.”
***
The Duke of Wimberley rode out with Lord Daventon on most mornings and later stayed talking with him in his study. Laura often joined them.
“How many flowers did you receive yesterday, Lady Laura?” Wimberley would ask, waggling his eyebrows.
Laura would get into the spirit and allow him to tease her mercilessly. She even thought up witticisms beforehand about her beaus. Their conversations were banal, even silly. Sometimes she surprised herself at the ease with which she conversed with Anthony. He was Anthony to her now, at least in the privacy of her thoughts.
“You were a very particular young person,” Anthony said one day. “I remember you took affront that I addressed you by your given name. Do you remember, Daventon?”
“I do,” Gareth said, breaking into a smile. “Laura had fallen down from the swing. You helped her up and carried her indoors. She kept wailing. We thought she was hurt. She was crying because you kept calling her Laura. Her nurse had told her she must only be addressed as Lady Laura!”
Laura smiled. “I remember. I also remember the nurse. She was very strict. Aunt Nell dismissed her after she found me crying in the schoolroom. She had inserted pencils between my fingers and pressed my hand. It wasn’t the first time either.”
Anthony looked aghast. “Why didn’t you tell your aunt?”
“I was terrified she would find out and punish me more. After Aunt Nell sent her packing, she made it a point to visit the schoolroom during lessons.”
“I will write to my mother. She has hired a new nurse for Mary Jane. Her earlier nurse left last month to help her sister-in-law with some domestic issue. Now you see why I must wed soon. If my mother leaves for Harrogate, my daughter will be at the mercy of nurses and maids.”
Without stopping to think, Laura said, “Children need a mother or a mother figure. Girls need them more. I was lucky to have Aunt Nell. She loved me. You must look for someone who is kind and who will love Mary Anne as her own. A cruel stepmother will be worse than a cruel governess. You will not be able to dismiss her.”
Gareth raised an eyebrow and Laura flushed. She had no business to offer advice of such personal nature. Murmuring something inaudible, she fled.