‘Oh, yes, I’m sorry, of course. I was quite forgetting myself. So, do you always sew initials?’
Clarissa blinked, still looking slightly shaken. ‘No, not I. I like to add a few flowers in satin stitch.’
‘What about woodland creatures?’
‘Goodness, that would be quite … unique.’
Etta sighed, knowing this was Clarissa Code for unacceptable. ‘Yes, I suppose so. Where do you buy your embroidery threads? I’ve been using my mother’s. I really should have some of my own.’
Back on safer ground, Clarissa recommended a shop around the corner and they set off, having both purchased handkerchiefs to monogram.
‘Is there anything else you might monogram? I need to be thinking about Christmas, too, and I don’t suppose I can buy everyone hankies.’
‘Oh yes. I like to embroider my uncle a pair of slippers every other year.’
‘But how do you know his size?’
‘I don’t. Gosh, I hadn’t thought about that. For all I know, he might have a pile of them somewhere.’
They both giggled at the thought. Etta proceeded to buy one skein of practically every colour of embroidery silks in the shop. The colours weren’t as vibrant as she used to prefer, but Etta was finding her tastes had changed since The Switch. Life was vibrant enough already.
Clarissa took her back to her own sprawling London mansion for tea – a cold, forbidding place, but without any sign of her mama. Clarissa grabbed her hand and towed Etta up to a more scruffy-looking room at the back, stuffed with worn armchairs, scuffed but serviceable tables and piles of sewing.
An older woman was sewing in the scarce light by the small window.
‘Nanny, could you go and ask for tea, please?’ Clarissa gave the older lady a hug, then welcomed Etta into a very comfortable armchair.
‘Mama would be horrified to know I brought you here,’ Clarissa continued. ‘But although it’s cold, it’s the most comfy room in the house. Mama likes to keep the place impeccable for visitors, but we seldom receive any unless Papa is home.’
Etta frowned. She knew why – there was no point denying it, because Lady Best was a downright awful woman disliked by nearly everyone – but she felt bad for her friend.
Clarissa didn’t seem concerned, though, and was clearly delighted to have her friend for tea. They chatted about their purchases as Nanny brought in tea then retreated into a corner to finish her sewing in the gloom. Clarissa lit a candle – it was a slightly stinky tallow one, unlike the sweet-smelling beeswax Lady Bainbridge preferred – and showed Etta some of her sewing. It was impeccable – theyspent a good half an hour discussing the neatness of her stitches.
As she looked through Clarissa’s stitch-perfect samplers, Etta reached for another biscuit, but the plate was empty. Clarissa was nibbling the last one thoughtfully, poring over an embroidery book.
Oh well. She liked a woman who knew what she wanted, even if it was the last bit of shortbread.
Chapter 28
2023
‘What on earth are you giggling about now? So much for your O-levels. Come on, share with the rest of us.’
Hetty took her Bluetooth headphones off and gave Aggie an apologetic look.
‘It’s Stella. She’s been sending me these brilliant video things on my phone. She calls them me-mes.’
‘Memes,’ chorused her aunts.
Hetty studied them from her position on the sofa. The two had been quarrelling over the remote control all evening, so she’d returned to her phone under the pretence of signing up to study for her GCSEs online. The call of social media notifications had been too much, however.
‘I’m sorry,’ Hetty sighed. ‘I’m being anti-social, aren’t I?’
‘Yes,’ Aggie replied, as Jemima opportunistically grabbed the remote.
‘Maybe she’s just not a fan of theAntiques Roadshow, Aggie,’ chirruped Jemima.
Hetty grinned. She was much more relaxed around the aunts now – much more relaxed, in fact, than she’d been withanyone in her whole life. She found herself being sucked into the strong temptation to be cheeky.
