“I should say not.”
“Perhaps you should, but is that in fact what you are saying, Hannah?” Lady Farnsworth drawled.
That brought the dowager’s attention on her. “Dorothy. How odd to find you here.”
“I daresay Clara welcomed my call at least as much as she welcomes yours,Hannah.”
Her grandmother did not miss the insinuation. “Well, what a nice little party.” Face pursing, she looked around for a seat.
“Please, ma’am.” Mrs. Clark shot up and offered her chair.
Her grandmother accepted, only to turn once she sat to give Mrs. Clark a long, hard inspection.
“Please join us over here, Mrs. Clark,” Clara said, indicating the spot where the portable desk had recently been.
Clara made introductions. She only gave her visitors’ names and hoped that her grandmother did not take to quizzing them on their histories. Lady Grace of course already knew the dowager, as did Lady Farnsworth.
“Do not let me interrupt,” Grandmamma said. “Continue on.”
“We were discussing the sad history of the late Princess Caroline,” Lady Farnsworth said. “I am sure you have views on that, Hannah.”
Indeed she did. Given the stage, she produced a soliloquy. From the way Lady Farnsworth’s smile tightened, Clara guessed thatDorothydisagreed with every wordHannahsaid.
“You are most severe, Hannah. Yet you befriended her at first, only to turn against her when her profligate husband did.” Lady Farnsworth sipped her sherry. “I suppose you did not want to risk losing invitations to his obscenely excessive parties by standing up for a friend.”
The dowager momentarily appeared dismayed at the direct attack. She recovered quickly. “I was never her friend, Dorothy. Your memory fails you. Perhaps it is all that sherry.”
“My memory is excellent, Hannah. In fact, I was present when you tried to arrange being one of her ladies-in-waiting. Would that she had agreed. It would have given you something to do besides terrorizing everyone.”
The dowager’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Bysomething to do, I suppose you mean writing naïve essays on politics that are published in journals of suspicious origins, like you do these days.”
“If you knew anything about politics, you would know the essays are far from naïve, and the journal is above reproach. But, yes, I meansomethinglike that.”
Clara and Althea exchanged desperate glances. Mrs. Clark saw it, sitting as she did between them. She leaned forward and picked up the plate of cakes. “Would anyone like another one? They are delicious.”
“I would.” Lady Grace took one. “Say, did anyone hear any details about that little drama in Brentworth’s stand at the race? It is said that Rothborne insulted Stratton and only one of the royal dukes prevented a challenge then and there.”
The dowager’s attention swung to Lady Grace. She looked as shocked as if someone had slapped her.
“This is news to you, it seems, Hannah,” Lady Farnsworth purred. “I do not know why. Eventually someone would start talking, and Stratton would start dueling. One does wonder what Rothborne said. I trust he did not name names. Goodness, what a problem that would be forsomepeople.”
Lady Grace looked from one woman to the other. “I do not think names were named.” She took a big bite out of her cake.
Lady Farnsworth gathered herself and stood. “Well, it is only a matter of time before someone does. I must go, Clara. I have dallied too long over your hospitality, and I havesomething to do.” She almost shouted the last words right in the dowager’s ear as she passed.
Clara saw Lady Farnsworth to the door.
“I am sorry our meeting was interrupted.”
“I’m not. I would not have missed it for anything. I will write to you with some ideas for my next essay.”
Lady Farnsworth’s departure gave the others a good chance to take their leaves too. One by one they escaped, until only Clara remained in the sitting room. Not alone, unfortunately. Her grandmother had chosen to remain.
“What a dreadful woman Dorothy is. Beyond the pale.” Her grandmother had retreated into rigid hauteur. “I can’t understand why you received her. She has no notion of propriety. She is loud and overbearing and voices opinions as if speaking for God Himself. It is a wonder anyone can bear her company.”
Clara barely kept a grin off her face. “Well, she is gone now. How nice that you stayed.”
“I had to stay. I came for a reason. I heard you attended the Derby. With a friend. Not Dorothy, I hope.”
