Hetty bit her lip, delighted to share her plans with somebody at last.
‘I should like to learn more about the nature of time, and what has been discovered in these intervening years. How time can be bent and travelled through. So much progress must have been made.’
The way her aunts looked at one another made Hetty begin to feel uncertain.
‘Have scientists not yet learned to travel through time?’
Aggie winced. ‘Not quite yet, as far as we know, dear. I’m sure we can try to find out though. What next?’
Hetty sighed. The next, at least, would surely be achievable on some level.
‘The second on my list is to be able to converse with fellow students. To learn from others. To create bonds. As a young woman in my past environs, I was very much discouraged from academic exploration with peers.’ She hesitated. ‘Although, I suppose if humanity has not yet discovered time travel, my options might be limited?’
This time, both her aunts winced. ‘You might need to catch up on your studies,’ explained Aggie. ‘Nowadays, you have to get quite a few exams out of the way to get into those circles.’
‘But we can try and help you,’ added Jemima. ‘It’ll take a few years, but I’m sure you can manage it. A very smart girl, you are.’
Hetty continued, trying to stay positive. She blushed furiously, but forced herself to press on regardless.
‘Finally, I should like … Please do not suppose that I lack a moral compass, but I should like very much …’
Jemima and Aggie leaned in, gripping their mugs tightly.
‘If it is not too outrageous, I should like to experience my first kiss.’
The aunts leaned back again.
‘Yes, I reckon that one’s doable,’ said Jemima.
Chapter 10
1817
That first day was a long one for Etta. Nobody quite seemed to know what to do with her. A doctor was indeed called – one clearly well-known to the family and familiar with Hetty since childhood – and had pronounced Etta ‘remarkably well-recovered’ and ‘completely sane’. Good-oh, she thought, as Dr Withings gathered his ominous-looking metalwork back up into his huge leather bag and shuffled off. Always good to have confirmation.
With this miraculous news, her brand-spanking-new mother found purpose. It seemed the house had been shrouded in gloom since the last Lord Bainbridge, Hetty’s father, had died the year before. As the oldest male, Charlie had become the de facto head of their household – but the widowed Lady Matilda Bainbridge seemed to require very little input or permission from her son, barring access to the family coffers.
Charlie, seemingly stunned by his mother’s new zest for society (or perhaps from general lack of desire for anything approaching responsibility), just continued to do as he was asked.
And he wasn’t alone in this approach. The servants of the house seemed shaken by the energy Lady Bainbridge now possessed. Notes were frantically written and sent to all sorts of people; boxes of fabric and ribbons were unearthed from the attics.
They were to take Etta to London, just in time for the Season.
And yet at the centre of the storm, all was relatively quiet for Etta. Having reappeared and been determined suitable for display, nobody seemed willing to ask any difficult questions of her – her mother didn’t seem to want to jeopardise their collective good luck.
Etta spent the afternoon being measured and excitedly quizzed about her favourite colours over various drawings of stick-like elegant ladies in fancy dresses. It wasn’t until much later in the day when Etta found herself free to hunt down Bessie, who, thankfully, was more than willing to be found.
By this point Etta had a mental wish list. Right at the top: knickers.
Oh, there were so many other questions, but knickers rose to the surface every single time.
‘Bessie. Where are my knickers? I didn’t want to ask Mrs Cummings, but I can’t carry on like this.’
Bessie frowned. ‘Your whats, miss?’
Etta felt dread seep through her very soul. ‘Knickers, Bessie. Pants. Underwear. I don’t know … “Unmentionables”?’
Bessie continued to look confused, before a look of horror began to creep across her face.
