‘If I come with you, there will be no need for a maid to accompany us,’ Marianne said. ‘Now, my dearest. The reason I came to look for you was that I have received some silk I ordered from the merchant a few days ago, and the seamstress is coming later this morning to discuss styles and fashions. Do come and look at the fashion plates she left for me to peruse. I need your advice.’
Caroline followed her mother obediently to her bedchamber, where various bales of silk were spread out on the bed. She was delighted to find that her mother had purchased some colours as well as grey, and there was not even a black ribbon to be seen.
During the next hour before the seamstress arrived, they had a pleasurable time discussing the styles that would most suit Marianne, and the colours she ought to choose for each ensemble.
Caroline left her mother when the seamstress arrived, retiring to one of the small parlours overlooking the garden at the back of the house to read her book. She returned to her bedchamber before the bell sounded for nuncheon and she was joined by her aunt and her mother, to partake of a cold meal.
After they had eaten, Caroline went up to change into an afternoon gown of pale green. She put on a bonnet tied with matching ribbons and a pelisse of creamy white, adding a pair of white gloves and a green reticule. She had hardly reached the bottom of the stairs when Mrs Holbrook joined her and they went out to the carriage.
‘Well, this is nice, my dear, just the two of us,’ Marianne said. ‘Perhaps we should do this more often.’
Caroline forbore to answer that they might do it as often as she chose. It was nice to see her mother looking better and to know that she seemed to have begun to throw off her grief at last.
Mrs Fairchild welcomed them to her At Home, and invited Mrs Holbrook to sit opposite her, while Caroline shared a small sofa with Julia. There were only three other guests: Mr Bellingham, Mr Milbank, a gentleman of mature years, and also a gentleman Caroline had not particularly noticed before this day. She was introduced to him as Mr Farringdon, a man of some thirty-odd years, attractive but not as gentlemanly in his manners as Mr Bellingham in Caroline’s opinion. He seemed to her to be ill at ease, and she disliked the way he spoke to her, as though trying to claim an intimacy that did not exist.
When Julia got up to help her mother by serving tea and cakes, Mr Farringdon came to sit beside Caroline. He began by being very complimentary to her, remarking on her dress and asking if she was enjoying her stay in town. Caroline replied politely, but did not smile or allow her tongue to run away with her as she so often did. She was glad when Julia looked at him expectantly, and he was obliged to relinquish his place to her. He took his leave soon after, and Caroline was pleased that he had gone. The tea party now became more intimate, and she was entertained by Mr Bellingham, who was relating a saucy tale that was going the rounds of London’s drawing rooms.
‘Well, you can imagine what Prinny made of that,’ George said. ‘He asked the lady to remove herself if she could not control her excess wind and she went off with her cheeks the colour of puce.’
‘Oh, how embarrassing for her,’ Caroline said. ‘We should not laugh, for it must have been awful for her.’
‘Think of poor Prinny. He was seated next to her, you know. I think it must have been just a little unpleasant for him.’
‘Oh, my dear,’ Mrs Fairchild said. ‘I am not sure you should repeat that tale in mixed company. You may have offended Mrs Holbrook.’
‘Not offended,’ Marianne said. ‘Surprised might be a better word—for I had not thought the Regent would mind his words to that extent…’
Silence greeted her sally, and then they all laughed. It was unlike Marianne to make a jest, but she had certainly attempted it and was given generous approval for her efforts.
‘There, you see, it was quite acceptable,’ George said and turned his attention to his niece. ‘I am glad that you did not encourage Farringdon, Julia. I have every reason to believe that he is hanging out for a rich wife. From what I hear, he is all but done up.’
‘Oh, I need no warning against that gentleman,’ Julia declared. ‘He asked me if I would take the air with him at Mrs Peterson’s musical evening, but naturally I refused.’ She laughed, a look of unusual naughtiness in her eyes. ‘In any case, I believe he has turned his attention to Caroline—so I shall not receive a proposal after all.’
‘Oh, dear, I do hope not,’ Caroline said and gurgled with laughter. ‘If he has hopes of me, I fear he will be sadly disappointed on two counts. I do not care for his manner so very much—and I am not the heiress he needs.’
‘Caroline, my love,’ her mother reproved. ‘You are from a good family, and you have a small trust fund from your father. And your grandfather may give you something when you marry.’
‘He might if he chose,’ Caroline said. ‘But I do not expect it.’
‘I dare say your face is your fortune,’ Julia said and looked at her admiringly. ‘I wish I were as beautiful as you, Caroline.’
‘Oh, I am not beautiful,’ Caroline said, ‘and you are very pretty, Julia. You must know that you are?’
‘Pretty is not beautiful—is it, Uncle George? Caroline is beautiful, do you not think so?’
‘Oh, most certainly,’ he replied obligingly. ‘But Caroline is right, Julia. You are very pretty, and you have your share of beaux so you do not need to pull caps with each other.’
‘Oh, we shan’t do that,’ Julia said. ‘I like Caroline best of all my new friends, and I intend to see a lot of her while she is in town.’
‘Do you intend to stay in London long, ma’am?’ Mr Milbank asked of Marianne. ‘I myself have come only for a short visit. I find Bath suits me better and I have only come up to visit my tailor—there is no one to rival a London tailor, you know.’
The conversation immediately turned to the merits of various tailors of note, and the time passed quickly. Indeed, they stayed for much longer than the polite twenty minutes, and Julia was reluctant to let Caroline leave.
‘You are coming to my dance tomorrow evening, are you not?’ she asked. ‘Please, you must say yes, for if you do not I shall be so disappointed.’
‘Yes, of course we are coming,’ Marianne said before her daughter could answer. ‘We are looking forward to it very much—but now we must go. Lady Taunton has arranged a dinner party this evening, and we must not be late.’
She stood up and Caroline followed her, Mr Bellingham coming out into the hall to say goodbye to them.
‘It was a pleasure to have your company,’ George told her. ‘It is seldom that one gets the chance to talk as we have this afternoon. I do not dine with Lady Taunton this evening, but I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening. May I beg that you will reserve two dances for me, Miss Holbrook?’
‘Yes, of course,’ she said. ‘I shall be honoured, sir.’
She followed her mother into the carriage, accepting Mr Bellingham’s hand as he came to assist her. She sat forwards and waved, and then relaxed against the squabs as they were driven away.
‘Well, that was very pleasant, was it not?’ Marianne said. ‘I thought I should be quite tired, but do you know, I feel very well. I think the air in London must agree with me. It is not as damp as the air at home, I believe.’
Caroline thought that it was perhaps being out in company that had helped her mother recover her spirits, but she said nothing. It was too soon to be sure of anything, and she would not embarrass her mother for the world.
When they arrived home, Caroline found a package waiting for her on the hall table. She knew immediately that it was the book Sir Frederick had promised her, and picked it up with a pleased smile. He had brought it as promised, which was kind of him, and improved her