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Elizabeth tried not to look nervous and almost managed to be convincing.
“That you entered with me, and were clearly under my patronage, kept the questions from being too intrusive. But you are a new addition to society and people were genuinely interested.”
“And the taint of trade?”
“Elizabeth! Sir Edward is now a gentleman and is descended from gentlemen. The intervening two generations are conveniently overlooked, at least by those who can read the signs. I have told you this several times, you must believe me.”
“I do believe you Lady Maria. I am sorry, it is nothing more than some ingrained prejudice. I will master it and make reference to it no more.”
Their arrival at Leonard House stopped the conversation for the evening and they bid each other good night. But as they separated Lady Maria heard Elizabeth ask Claire to bring paper and quills to her small sitting room. The following morning over breakfast she asked about the request.
“Claire and I spent time going back over everyone that I met, especially the gentlemen who danced with me. We noted down our impressions as well as what we talked about. I added the same from my time out on the dance floor.”
Lady Maria was flummoxed.
“May I ask what on earth for?”
Elizabeth’s grin was broad and genuine.
“Of course. My uncle taught me to observe and note down everything about the people that I met. Five days out of six I would visit his offices to collect documents for his review and approval.”
“Excuse my interruption but could not a clerk or a footman do such a thing?”
“Perhaps, but my uncle did not trust anyone but family with some of the documents. I would bring contracts, sales agreements, manifests, all manner of document back to the house. That was the reason for my regular visits. But while I was there I would observe the gentlemen, servants and tradesmen who called at the office or warehouse. He had trained me to note the appearance of the person, the appearance of any servants or coachmen, the state of the horses, the carriage and all the reins and brasses.”
“Good grief Elizabeth, for what purpose?”
“Intelligence and knowledge of the people he was dealing with, be they suppliers, competitors or customers. My observations were often the first sign that everything was not as it seemed. He would ask additional questions and, for example, credit might not be extended, or a more limited amount. Things like that.”
“And last night?”
“An extension of the same thing. I have found that so-called gentlemen can be inconsistent with their tales, shading them depending on their audience and the purpose. I will note what we talked of, what he bragged about, especially that one, and then reference these notes as I attend other events.”
“Do you trust anybody?”
‘It is not whether I trust someone or not. It is just common sense. We have focused on the issue that I am unknown in this society, but for me, all of these gentlemen are equally unknown. If I happen to dance with the same person at another ball then I can continue on our conversation from before. It allows me to make a better impression.”
“Is there anything else that you can tell me about the nine dancers from last night?”
Claire returned two minutes later with Elizabeth’s notes.
“So I danced with nine gentlemen. Of them six were uninterested in conversation beyond the usual found at such events. I do not know their impression of me, but mine of them was they were. I was going to say boring but that is too strong. Maybe the best way of describing them was as.”
Elizabeth stopped again.
“Constrained, almost afraid to deviate from an agreed script. Does that make sense?”
The word that Lady Maria did not say, even as she nodded, was normal. Perfectly normal society gentlemen.
“Two of them were perfectly pleasant but when I expressed an opinion out with the agreed script they could not hide their surprise or the subsequent dismissal. I will not dance with them again, not that I would expect an invitation.”
Also nothing out of the ordinary in society, and throughout the Kingdom.
“And the final gentleman?”
“He was a cavalry Colonel who was interesting, fascinating even, and I thoroughly enjoyed my set with him. It was after supper and during the dance I wished that he had requested my supper set as I would have enjoyed talking to him further.”
“What was his name?”
