Flossy opened her mouth to speak, but her mother got in first. “It is, but Lady Caldicott prefers to luncheon early.”
“Caldicott?” I asked. “Is she related to the banker?”
“Sir Lawrence, yes. She’s his wife. Youarewell informed, Cleo. Good for you. I’m so pleased you’re taking an interest.”
Flossy sighed, so I suspected that was a slight aimed at her.
We followed Aunt Lilian through the vestibule to the dining room where Mr. Chapman greeted us with a smile. “You’ll be served by Richard today, assisted by Gregory and Francis.”
The three men stood behind chairs at the family’s regular table, positioned in the center of the room. They allwore black ties as part of their uniform, but Richard, the head waiter, was the only one without an apron. He pulled the chair out for Aunt Lilian while Gregory and Francis did the same for Flossy and me.
Aunt Lilian was in one of her lively moods this morning as she conversed with the sommelier and Richard about the menu. She must have taken a dose of her tonic, which meant this wasn’t an ordinary lunch. If it was important, I ought to be prepared.
“Is Sir Lawrence my uncle’s banker?” I asked Flossy while her mother was occupied.
“Yes. He has two sons, both unmarried and in their twenties, and an older, married daughter. She and her mother are coming today.”
“Is this meeting intended to butter Lady Caldicott up so that she can speak to her husband on your father’s behalf?”
Flossy gave me a blank look. “It’s about Lady Caldicott meeting me. Mother wants me to marry one of her sons, so I must give a good impression.”
I pulled a face. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Save some of that sympathy for yourself. Now that you’re here, you’ll be considered for the other son.”
Ugh. So it was going to bethatsort of lunch. “Any particular son or do I just get the one you don’t want?”
Flossy suppressed a giggle. “You’re wicked, Cleo. Be sure not to let it show during lunch. Lady Caldicott and her daughter have no sense of humor.”
“Then I can tell you I probably wouldn’t want to marry one of her sons.”
She leaned closer. “Me either. But we mustn’t disappoint Mother. She’s gone to a lot of effort to arrange this lunch.”
The two guests arrived and I was introduced as the niece from Cambridge. Lady Caldicott and her daughter, Mrs. Mannering, both commented on how much I looked like Aunt Lilian, and expressed their sympathies over the recent loss of my grandmother.
Both women wore the latest fashions, like my aunt and cousin, and if they thought my black dress somewhat plain and out of date, they were polite enough not to show it. It wasn’t until sometime during the dessert course that I noticedMrs. Mannering watching me from beneath lowered lashes. I thought she’d been listening in to her mother and Aunt Lilian gossiping, but it seemed not. I waited for her to say something, but she didn’t.
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about Lady Rumford,” Lady Caldicott said to my aunt.
The name had me turning sharply towards them.
“What about her?” Aunt Lilian asked.
“Do you know Mrs. Preston-Lowe? She told me she saw Lady Rumford at the opera last week.”
Aunt Lilian looked up from her Bavarian cream. “She must be mistaken. If Lady Rumford is in London, she’d be staying with us.”
“While her husband is here grieving for his late mistress?” Lady Caldicott sounded triumphant, as if she knew Aunt Lilian was attempting to hide that fact. Lady Caldicott was reveling in spreading her gossip. “Come now, Lilian, don’t look so surprised. Almost everyone knows he kept that actress, even Lady Rumford.”
“So sad about her death,” Mrs. Mannering said.
“I doubt Lady Rumford is sad. I heard she and Rumford had blazing rows over his interest in Miss Westwood. Not the affair itself, you understand, but the expense of keeping her.” Lady Caldicott positively glowed with delight at imparting such salacious news. The three glasses of wine probably had something to do with the glow too.
“Mother,” Mrs. Mannering chided.
“Is Lady Rumford still in London?” I asked.
Everyone stared at me. Considering it was one of the few times I’d spoken throughout lunch, perhaps their surprise was warranted.
