"Because we're in the country, sir?"
"When in the country, one can't dress in country colours," Tewkbury lectured.
"One can't?" Lionel looked bewildered.
"No, my silly boy. One will merge with the vegetation and be mistaken for a shrub. That can hardly be the purpose of high fashion."
Lionel swallowed. "Very well, sir. Let's find another coat, then."
Ellen had followed the conversation with confusion and watched as they disappeared into the dressing room.
That was her cue to change as well.
It was a good thing she actually had clothes to wear, and in retrospect she was grudgingly grateful that Tewkbury had insisted on buying her an entire wardrobe from Madame Minion.
Her maid, Annie, helped her into a lovely pale-green afternoon dress and brushed Ellen's ginger hair into a bun. It wasn't as severe as her usual hairstyle, and several copper tendrils floated around her face, framing it.
"May I say, your ladyship looks lovely in this dress."
"Thank you, Annie." Ellen smiled at her from the mirror.
Through the dressing room door, she heard the men's voices discussing waistcoats. The door was half open, and she glimpsed Tewkbury standing in his shirt and stockings as Lionel danced around him.
Ellen looked away quickly. It would take some getting used to, this invasion of each other's personal space.
"I suppose Tewkbury will be awhile," Ellen said. "I shall visit Noni in the meantime."
She fled.
Noni had been put in the nursery in another wing. His nurse, Susie, was with him, for she'd accompanied them to Dunworthy Manor. Noni stood by the window, two fingers in his mouth, watching the Dobberham children playing with wooden blocks on the floor. Ellen observed how he cautiously approached them, crouched down on the floor and picked up a block, playing quietly by himself.
Susie caught her eye. "He'll soon get used to his new surroundings. It will be good for him to be around other children."
Ellen agreed. Having seen Noni playing happily, she left to return to her room.
Tewkbury left the dressing room just as she entered. He stopped and posed.
Ellen was speechless.
He was a vision in pink. Salmon pink coat, rose waistcoat and flamingo-pink trousers. Even the handkerchief he'd pulled out to dab his nose with was pink. He wore a pink carnation in his buttonhole. And his cravat was mauve.
"Ah, my dear, there you are," he drawled, lifting his quizzing glass to study her new dress. "I say. Madame Minion's gown suits you to perfection. Something is missing, however. I wonder what that could be? Ah. I see. Lionel? Lady Tewkbury needs some carnations, too."
The valet scurried back to the drawing room and returned with two carnations.
"I'm not sure," Ellen began. “The pink will clash with my hair."
"Faradiddle. There is no such thing as clashing colours. Besides, my dear, remember that fashion statements are made by breaking conventions, not by bowing to them."
Her maid took the flowers and secured them in her hair with a few hairpins.
"Lovely." He regarded her approvingly. "Shall we, then?" He lifted his arm. After a moment's hesitation, she took it.
As he led her out of the door, she noticed that he'd lifted his arm and turned sideways, as if to sniff at her wrist. A puzzled frown formed between his eyebrows.
She wanted to ask him why he kept doing that. She'd washed her hands earlier, with the Pears soap provided.
But just then Louisa came tripping towards them.
