A London Season by Anthea Bell Page A

mentioned the matter to him, and moreover that it would be quite improper for her to go about town in the outmoded dresses she had brought from Cheltenham.
    There was a good deal of truth in this: she did need new gowns, and could not disgrace her cousins by wearing dowdy old-fashioned ones in the kind of circles where they moved. Though more than a little bewildered to find herself the owner of so much finery, she came to the sensible conclusion that there was nothing she could do but accept it with a good grace, and enjoy the wearing of it.
    She had been quite surprised to learn that, in early April, the Season was not yet in full swing, since it seemed to her that she and Persephone had attended a staggering number of parties during their first two weeks in London. They had already crossed the sacred threshold of Almack ’ s, that decorous but most exclusive club, to whose balls admission could be obtained only by vouchers from one of the Lady Patronesses. But as Sir Edmund had promised, there had been no difficulty here. Isabella Yoxford ’ s cousins were sure of admission, and Emily Cowper herself, calling in Upper Brook Street, professed to be charmed by Sir Edmund ’ s ward.
    Once again, Elinor felt a little nervous when Lady Cowper asked if Persephone would not play something, saying she had heard from Sir Edmund of his young cousin ’ s musical gifts. But Persephone ’ s conduct was admirable. She executed a short piece on the instrument in the Grey Saloon beautifully but not showily, and accepted the visitor ’ s praise with composure (if not with the blushing protests that some might have thought becoming in so young a girl). Lady Cowper only wished her own Minny could play the pianoforte half so well! She happily sponsored Persephone and her companion on their first visit to Almack ’ s, where Miss Grafton wore a very pretty gown of white organdy with an overdress of pink gauze embroidered with knots and flowers, while Elinor could scarcely believe her own elegance in an evening dress of apple-green silk trimmed with velvet ribbons, its full sleeves stiffened with book - muslin. With an impish thrill of excitement, she allowed a quite wickedly improper thought to cross her mind: If only Samuel Spalding could see me now ! Then she sternly put such notions from her mind. She was here only to take care of Persephone — though it was certainly gratifying to feel she looked so little like a chaperon that several gentlemen had asked her to dance. Of course she had refused them all, since chaperons did not dance, but all the same it was very pleasant! Her own private regret was that Sir Edmund was not present: he had gone up to Westmorland a few days after their arrival in London, and so did not make up one of the party. But of course, it was for just such reasons that she had been engaged, and it would be ridiculous to repine at it!
    She knew that she did fulfil a useful purpose, for it was very soon apparent that, as the Miss Maddens had foreseen, Persephone ’ s beauty allied to her fortune had all the attractive powers of a magnet on the young gentlemen who came thronging round her. But it might have surprised the sisters to see that Persephone, who to their certain knowledge had already dabbled extensively in the game of breaking hearts, seemed indifferent to the members of her little court. Elinor thought that, while pleasant in her manner to them all, she favoured none above the rest: not even young Viscount Conington, heir to the wealthy Earl of Wintringham and a great catch on the Marriage Mart, who had quickly become most particular in his attentions. One of Persephone ’ s charms was that, though she could not help being aware of her own looks and their devastating effect on susceptible young men, she seemed to set little store by them herself, although she did display what could be justified as a very proper pride in her musical talents. This, of course, served to attach her suitors further,