suppose I shall have to comment on the wallpaper again," Mary said, none too quietly.
Louisa turned to stare over Aunt Mary's head and shared a subtle grimace with Amelia. Mary, Lady Jordan, was very short.
"You wouldn't think a room needed to be redone every year," Mary continued, fussing with her jade necklace, green being a color that did not suit her at all, "but when one has money, I suppose one must find ways to flaunt it."
"I'm sure I shall," Amelia said pleasantly, arranging her simple necklace of sapphires and diamonds, a combination that suited her to perfection. Naturally. One did not go about attracting the attention of a duke by wearing the wrong color.
"I'm sure I don't know what money is for if not to enjoy spending it," Louisa said. "I expect to have a spectacular time in spending Dutton's money."
"Darling," Sophia Dalby said, entering their company and their conversation without a moment's hesitation. Louisa had not even seen her coming. "While a woman must be aware of a man's financial strength, she must always refrain from discussing such things in public. While a man likes to have a fat purse, he does not want his value to be based upon it."
"I would never...I meant no such thing!" Louisa said in a hushed voice, looking behind her to see if Dutton or anyone who knew Dutton had heard her. Which was ridiculous, really, for who didn't know Dutton?
"But, naturally, it must be considered," Sophia said, continuing on as if Louisa had not spoken. "Isn't that so, Lady Jordan?"
Aunt Mary, who had married for love and married badly, simply scowled at Lady Dalby in response.
Mary and Sophia, from what Louisa could gather, had entered London at almost the same instant. That Sophia had clearly worked things to her very prominent advantage was not something Mary enjoyed contemplating. It should not have been so. Logically, it should not have been so.
After two years in pursuing Lord Dutton, Louisa was increasingly aware that logic had very little to do with anything, particularly men and marriage.
"But, of course," Sophia continued, moving their small group by slow degrees through the crowd at the door of the blue reception room, "it is quite clear to me that Lady Amelia understands this very well. How wise of you, darling, to have grasped the situation so fully while so young."
Amelia smiled blandly in response and arranged her necklace more precisely than was necessary. To be hunting for a duke was one thing; to be known to be hunting for a duke was quite another thing altogether. It did not put a girl in the most advantageous light, even if it were a very practical goal. Most men did not require practicality in a wife when extravagant prettiness would suffice.
Men were rather stupid.
Louisa and Amelia had both found it annoying on more than one occasion that men were so necessary to a girl's future. That is, Louisa had found it annoying until she had set her eyes and, in rapid succession, her heart upon Lord Dutton. Even if she did think Dutton rather stupid for not falling to her charms after two years, she did not find him annoying. Dutton was too splendid to be annoying.
Sophia had gracefully led them to the Duke and Duchess of Hyde and their eldest son, Iveston, who stood near the far wall of the blue reception room to receive their guests. It really was a wonder how she had done it. The room, though as fully large as a duke's London residence ought to have been, was still quite full of people in the finest of gowns and the whitest of linen cravats.
Sophia smiled and dipped her greeting to the duke and duchess, leaning forward to whisper something in the duchess's ear. Molly, the duchess, turned a bright eye upon first Louisa and then Amelia. It was not friendly in the least. One might even have said her look was one of blatant suspicion and imminent dislike.
This is what came of trusting a courtesan.
Mary, Louisa, and Amelia made their dips in their turn, Amelia's curtsey was especially pretty
Louisa turned to stare over Aunt Mary's head and shared a subtle grimace with Amelia. Mary, Lady Jordan, was very short.
"You wouldn't think a room needed to be redone every year," Mary continued, fussing with her jade necklace, green being a color that did not suit her at all, "but when one has money, I suppose one must find ways to flaunt it."
"I'm sure I shall," Amelia said pleasantly, arranging her simple necklace of sapphires and diamonds, a combination that suited her to perfection. Naturally. One did not go about attracting the attention of a duke by wearing the wrong color.
"I'm sure I don't know what money is for if not to enjoy spending it," Louisa said. "I expect to have a spectacular time in spending Dutton's money."
"Darling," Sophia Dalby said, entering their company and their conversation without a moment's hesitation. Louisa had not even seen her coming. "While a woman must be aware of a man's financial strength, she must always refrain from discussing such things in public. While a man likes to have a fat purse, he does not want his value to be based upon it."
"I would never...I meant no such thing!" Louisa said in a hushed voice, looking behind her to see if Dutton or anyone who knew Dutton had heard her. Which was ridiculous, really, for who didn't know Dutton?
"But, naturally, it must be considered," Sophia said, continuing on as if Louisa had not spoken. "Isn't that so, Lady Jordan?"
Aunt Mary, who had married for love and married badly, simply scowled at Lady Dalby in response.
Mary and Sophia, from what Louisa could gather, had entered London at almost the same instant. That Sophia had clearly worked things to her very prominent advantage was not something Mary enjoyed contemplating. It should not have been so. Logically, it should not have been so.
After two years in pursuing Lord Dutton, Louisa was increasingly aware that logic had very little to do with anything, particularly men and marriage.
"But, of course," Sophia continued, moving their small group by slow degrees through the crowd at the door of the blue reception room, "it is quite clear to me that Lady Amelia understands this very well. How wise of you, darling, to have grasped the situation so fully while so young."
Amelia smiled blandly in response and arranged her necklace more precisely than was necessary. To be hunting for a duke was one thing; to be known to be hunting for a duke was quite another thing altogether. It did not put a girl in the most advantageous light, even if it were a very practical goal. Most men did not require practicality in a wife when extravagant prettiness would suffice.
Men were rather stupid.
Louisa and Amelia had both found it annoying on more than one occasion that men were so necessary to a girl's future. That is, Louisa had found it annoying until she had set her eyes and, in rapid succession, her heart upon Lord Dutton. Even if she did think Dutton rather stupid for not falling to her charms after two years, she did not find him annoying. Dutton was too splendid to be annoying.
Sophia had gracefully led them to the Duke and Duchess of Hyde and their eldest son, Iveston, who stood near the far wall of the blue reception room to receive their guests. It really was a wonder how she had done it. The room, though as fully large as a duke's London residence ought to have been, was still quite full of people in the finest of gowns and the whitest of linen cravats.
Sophia smiled and dipped her greeting to the duke and duchess, leaning forward to whisper something in the duchess's ear. Molly, the duchess, turned a bright eye upon first Louisa and then Amelia. It was not friendly in the least. One might even have said her look was one of blatant suspicion and imminent dislike.
This is what came of trusting a courtesan.
Mary, Louisa, and Amelia made their dips in their turn, Amelia's curtsey was especially pretty
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