Carved, art echoes life
With all its pleasures and strife.
Once you look beside a book
You’ll find her there marked by a feather.
Scandal etched in sharp relief
To hide its gains just like a thief,
And when you lift the lady’s skirt
You’ll find far more than just a flirt.
After several minutes of quiet contemplation, Lady Matilda sighed down at the paper she held in her hands.
“I do believe that Grandfather could have perplexed the crown’s finest spies and scholars with this riddle. I’ve no idea what to make of it.”
Eliza nodded her agreement and tapped a finger against her chin.
“We are simply missing something, or perhaps over-thinking it. We could, for example, start in a library, at either Thistlewayte House or Billington House – because of that line about looking beside a book…”
Matilda regarded her with wide eyes for a moment, then leapt up and spun around happily.
“A starting point! You are so clever sometimes, Eliza!”
* * *
NOVEMBER 1812, MOWBRAY HOUSE, LONDON
Each Ball that Lady Mowbray held was either more extravagant or more eccentric than the last, and this one was no exception. It was a themed costume Ball, and all in attendance had been asked to dress in costumes inspired by figures from Ancient Greek myths.
Eliza’s gown was pastel mauve, with a pale spring green ribbon at the waist, and there were tiny mauve flowers and pearls woven into her coiffure, as well. Even her white gloves had mauve flowers and pastel green vines embroidered on them. She hoped that would be enough for the members of the ton in attendance to realise that she had chosen to appear as Persephone, goddess of spring and Queen of the Underworld.
Matilda sat opposite Eliza in the carriage, clad in a blue gown, wearing a diadem of stars, with a brooch shaped like a compass, and a blue ribbon choker with a globe charm at her throat. She reached across and tapped Eliza on the knee with her fan.
“What made you decide to attend the costume Ball as Persephone, Eliza? The Queen of the Underworld seems like a bit of a macabre, melancholy choice to me.”
Eliza laughed and shook her head.
“Well, she is also the goddess of spring, and I do love flowers. I am a widely acknowledged wallflower, after all. But, to be honest, that’s not why I chose Persephone as the inspiration for my costume this evening. I chose her because, after their marriage to one another, Hades was never unfaithful to Persephone, and I suppose that’s what I want for myself, should I ever marry.”
Matilda sat back, nodding as she took in Eliza’s explanation.
“That makes sense, and now I rather envy your choice.” Matilda laughed and motioned at herself. “I chose Urania because she is the muse of Astronomy, among other things, and I love to stare up at the stars in the night sky.”
“Do not belittle your choice, Matilda.” Eliza reached across and gave her friend’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Who could look up at something as beautiful as the night sky and not be awed? We are all different people, and we all love different things, but that is what makes the world such a wonderfully interesting, beautiful place. Urania is just as valid a choice as Persephone, and you are a far more beautiful muse than I am a goddess.”
“If I am not allowed to belittle my choice of costume, then you are not allowed to belittle your looks, my dear Eliza. We are each beautiful in our own way, as well. I will not tolerate you treating yourself as lesser than I, simply because we are different.”
“Very well.”
Eliza nodded, her eyes going a little misty at her friend’s fierce kindness. The carriage pulled to a stop in front of Mowbray House, and the coachman helped them out, and their mothers behind them, who had been so engrossed in their own conversation that they had not overheard what passed between Eliza and Matilda.
As they entered Mowbray House, Lord Gabriel Stewart stepped away from the group of men he’d been speaking with, bowing and smiling to each of them in turn.
“Lady Matilda, Miss Wingfield, it is so good to see you both again.”
