‘Do you find that eringio root flourishes better on a poor–’ but she was cut off. The withdrawing was announced, and the gentlemen were summoned by the King’s council. For the first time in a long time, she was almost disappointed. She straightened and demurred. ‘It was a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen,’ she said with a bob. They bowed deeply, returning the false sentiment all too sincerely, and took their leave.
Chapter 3
Thea took a deep breath, closing her eyes and searching for a minute of peace before the next, inevitable interaction.
‘Had fun with the gents?’ Thea turned to find Harriet with a huge grin on her face.
‘Shut up.’ However annoyed she was, Harriet never failed to make her feel a little better, or to bring out the child in her.
‘So many words, so little substance,’ said Harriet.
‘As ever,’ Thea said drily, but she was still a little buoyed by the tiny snippet of conversation with Speckle. ‘Your apprentice seems nice.’
‘Excellent man,’ said Harriet, as they turned towards the back of the room, but then she grasped one of Thea’s arms firmly in her hand. ‘Oh lord,’ she muttered out of the side of her mouth. ‘They’re coming.’
And they were. Emma and her retinue of polite ladies were on their way. Thea felt a small, exasperated noise leave her body.
‘Difficult to tell where one ends and the others begin,’ muttered Harriet, as six wide floral gowns advanced in a menacing array.
‘It’s so you can’t pick off the weakest.’
‘They’re all f– flipping formidable.’ Harriet checked her language as Thea bumped her with a hip.
‘Scared, Mrs Henry?’
‘Never.’
‘Ready?’ The florals were coming closer.
‘Also, never.’
‘You first.’
‘Ladies,’ boomed Harriet, spreading her arms wide. ‘What a delight to see you on this most excellent of occasions.’ Thea chose a bob and a demure tilt of the head. They settled into a circle, Cecily happily shuffling in next to Thea.
‘Your Grace,’ said Emma, nodding to Thea. Thea had never seen a less deferential nod – not that she felt she deserved one – but while she did rank as the highest amongst the group, Emma had a way of being technically respectful whilst maintaining an undertone of derision. ‘And Mrs Henry.’ One comfort Thea could take was that Emma was almost as cool to Harriet as she was to her. Despite the scandalous rumours about what their early relationship had become – perhaps because of it, Thea thought – Emma made sure to maintain a friendly demeanour without any hint of warmth or affection. As ever, she was exactly who she was supposed to be. Monty’s wife, lady of society, always polite. She and Helena Crowe were a constant reminder to Thea that this life did not come naturally to her, as it did to others.
The ladies greeted one another in turn. Thea could take or leave them all, apart from Cecily, for whom she had an inexplicable soft spot. They had met in Scarborough over five years ago when Cecily had been searching for a husband. The conversation with Cecily was never awkward, and she hardly had to make any effort at all. Also, she assumed social occasions provided respite to Cecily as the husband she had found wasNeville Knatchbull, and that had to be worse than being married to George. Cecily squeezed Thea’s arm with both hands.
‘I am so excited to see you. Alice and Catherine have been telling us all about their most recent visit to the theatre. It is fascinating.’ Thea could never help be impressed by Cecily’s enthusiasm about everything society. She smiled across at the two ladies, standing primly with their hands clasped at their fronts.
‘How wonderful.’ She affected interest. ‘What was the play?’
‘The Discoveryby Sheridan,’ said Catherine. ‘Nothing too highbrow butquiteamusing. The lead was played by David Garrick…’ Thea drifted off in her own mind. Whenwasn’tthe lead played by David Garrick? A play about boring men, adulterous flirting and unfulfilled longing. Just for a change. She peered around the circle at the party and mused that they probably only bothered going so they had something to talk about at the drawing room. There was only so much conversational distance one could gain from the lavish furnishings of St James’ Palace. After talk of the play dried up, Emma smiled politely, and Cecily stared in rapt attention as Winnie Hatchett droned on about her latest piece of porcelain.
Thea was busy wondering if she could arrange to be at Harriet’s when Doctor Speckle came to care for her boils so they could talk more about plants, when she realised that six pairs of eyes were trained on her.
‘I beg your pardon?’ she asked, hoping she could feign mishearing, rather than inattention.
‘Winnie asked if you had picked up any new oddities recently,’ said Emma, glancing sideways at her disciples. ‘You always seem to have picked up an additional one or two whenever we meet.’
‘I, er…’ said Thea, the duchess demeanour wavering whilst she considered how to respond to this blatant hostility. She knew theladies thought she was strange, but it was another thing entirely to come right out and say it.
‘Your curiosities, Thea,’ asked Cecily kindly. ‘Winne was wondering if you had acquired any new specimens?’
‘Oh.’ That was a relief at least. She knew Winnie would be asking out of dutiful politeness rather than genuine interest, but that was better than them openly highlighting her social awkwardness. The truth was that she had few new specimens, as George dissuaded her collecting in his passively effective way.
‘I had a haliotis from Valtrevers recently,’ she tried, thinking of her most prized acquisition of the last few months. ‘A little unexpected.’
