“Yes. Thank you, Helena. I so appreciate your help with this.”
The carriage stopped, and the driver climbed from his perch. He opened the carriage door and handed the women down.
“Well, we must make a day of this then,” Helena said. “I hate to see such despair in you.”
“You must not push yourself too much in your condition. Please tell me if you’re feeling tired, and we’ll leave. Lord Evans would never forgive me if anything happened to you or the babe.”
“I assure you I’m quite well. I’ve told Evans he worries too much, but I will tell you if I’m feeling overly tired. I promise.”
“Good,” Lydia said, linking their arms and walking up the stairs to the museum. “Do you have somewhere special you’d like to start?”
“I’ve always loved the Egyptian section.”
“I do as well.”
They spent an enjoyable several hours poking about and finding new treasures and visiting some much-loved displays. As the two women explored the museum, Lydia heard a familiar voice. “Oh no,” she whispered.
Helena looked at her. “What is it, my dear? Are you feeling unwell?”
Lydia wanted to grab Helena’s hand and drag her away, but she wasn’t fast enough.
“Lady Evans, what a pleasant surprise to see you here today,” Miss Darvey said with a curtsey.
“Miss Darvey,” Helena said.
“You remember my friends, Miss Burton and Miss Adams?”
“Lady Evans,” the young women said with curtseys.
Miss Darvey was deliberately ignoring Lydia, and that suited her just fine. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with the Society miss.
“Of course, you know my dearest friend, Miss Weston,” Helena said.
“Miss Weston,” Miss Darvey said reluctantly, as if she had a sour taste in her mouth. “Lady Evans, we plan to go to Gunter’s after our museum tour. Would you care to join us?”
Lydia watched Helena closely. Would she agree to go with them? Lydia would have to decline if Helena wanted to join them. There was no way she wanted to spend any time in their company. She’d endured enough of their disdain in Bath last summer.
“Miss Weston and I are otherwise engaged. Good day, ladies,” Helena said, linking arms with Lydia and walking away from the trio.
Lydia was so grateful for Helena’s loyalty. She wanted this to be a pleasant day, and having to endure Miss Darvey’s company was the opposite of pleasant. “Thank you for that,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For declining the invitation to join them.”
“My dear Lydia, Miss Darvey and her friends are the very last people I’d ever want to spend time with.”
Lydia chuckled. “I’ve never heard you disparage anyone before. I thought I was the only one who didn’t particularly like that trio.”
“Not at all. I sincerely doubt those three have any true friends outside of each other. Come to think of it, I’ve never actually seen them with any other young ladies.”
“Perhaps there’s a reason for that. Unless a young woman is willing to bow down to Miss Darvey’s every dictate, there’s no benefit to being in their circle.”
“I quite agree. I was going to suggest we go to Gunter’s after the museum, but knowing those three are planning on being there, I suggest we skip it this time.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
“Would you care to join me for luncheon instead?”
