“You shall, I am sure of it. You must only meet the gentleman who takes your breath away, as I have met mine.”
“I wonder who that will be,” Lily said softly. It was an idea she had wondered on quite a lot in recent weeks.
“That, I cannot know, though I hope the thing is done with far less trouble than I encountered.” Cassandra straightened her skirt, suddenly appearing thoughtful. “Speaking of trouble, I would caution you about some rather highflyers that you will wish to avoid. You already know about the Dukes’ Pact from my own difficulties.”
“And you would warn me against those gentlemen?” Lily said.
Cassandra smiled and said, “I know, it seems exceedingly strange, as I have married one and dear Sybil has married another. Nevertheless, I warn you against them as I think the four gentlemen who are left can each be dangerous in their own way. I would not wish to see you hurt, Lily.”
“I shall avoid them, then. I do not suppose it will be difficult, as I am unlikely to travel in the same circles as those high-flying gentlemen.”
“Indeed, youwilltravel in those circles. I have seen to that,” Cassandra said merrily. “I have visited all my friends and they will call on you and you will call on them and the invitations will begin to arrive. As a matter of fact, I believe you and your dear aunt will be invited to Lady Blakeley’s dinner on Tuesday. She was exceedingly kind to me last season and I have since learned there is little the lady likes more than to sponsor some worthy young person. I have got her quite enthusiastic over you.”
“Goodness,” Lily said, “Lady Blakeley! Even in Surrey she is known to be the first in fashion.”
“Indeed, though do not attempt to imitate her style, only she can carry off a kimono.” Cassandra said, laughing. “Though I am afraid Lady Blakeley does favor a few of those highflyers I mentioned and so we may encounter them at the dinner. Particularly Lord Ashworth and Lord Cabot.”
“I will not be daunted over it,” Lily said, chin up. “You do remember Mr. Mignon and his dogged advances? I stepped lightly round them until he finally gave it up. If one of those gentlemen attempted to play with my affections, he should find himself quite unsuccessful.”
“I am glad to hear it. I will stay in town for another week, and then I am afraid I will be retiring to the country. I wish to see you well on your way to success before I depart.”
Lily was rather taken aback. She had counted on Cassandra to be nearby throughout this new adventure. “You will not stay for the season? Has Lord Hampton pressing business on his estate?”
“Hewilldo,” Cassandra said, “though he does not yet know of it. For now, it is only my own pressing business.” She gently laid her hand across her midsection and gave Lily a knowing look.
“Are you really?” Lily cried, all thought of her own discomfort flown from her. What a ninny she was to have noted Cassandra’s more substantial middle and not have guessed it. “Oh, Cassandra, how wonderful!”
Before Cassandra could reply, Lily’s aunt came into the room. “Ah, Cassandra, Ranier told me you were here. Oh, I suppose I should call you Lady Hampton but that does seem formal. After all, I have been in the habit of seeing you wail over a scraped knee or weep when you were denied cakes. Dear me, though, I suppose I ought to call you whatever it is you wish. You are quite the grown lady now and I suspect you do not care to be reminded of any wailings or weepings that may have taken place in your youth.”
Cassandra suppressed her giggles, always vastly amused by Amelia Hemming’s winding thoughts. “Cassandra will do perfectly well for me, my dear Mrs. Hemming. Now, I must be off, but rest assured I have Lily’s season firmly in hand.”
*
Lily had thoughtshe’d need to muster her courage as she’d entered Lady Blakeley’s house. After all, the lady and her husband were quite famous. Lord Blakeley was outspoken in the House of Lords, the couple held progressive ideas, and there seemed to be nothing the lady would not dare when it came to her mode of dress. How often had Lily seen a sketch of her in some newspaper or other as she sat by a sunny window at Farnsworth House? In those moments, Lady Blakeley had been tall, exotic and very far away from Lily’s own little sphere. It seemed extraordinary that Lily Farnsworth should find herself in the company of such a woman and she had prepared herself to be overwhelmed.
And yet, the fine muslin gown she wore, embroidered with delicate gold thread, had instilled some little bit of confidence. Then, there had been Lady Blakeley herself. She was just as tall and graceful as Lily had imagined, and daringly dressed as an ancient Roman in elegant waterfalls of white silk. Her appearance was everything Lily expected—what Lily hadnotexpected was to find the famed London hostess so cordial.
“Dear Mrs. Hemming,” Lady Blakeley said, “I am honored to receive you. And this must be Miss Farnsworth.”
Lily curtsied at the introduction.
“Goodness,” Lady Blakeley said, “Lady Hampton told no tales, I see. Very pretty and even prettier manners.”
“Oh, yes,” Aunt Amelia said, “my brother’s children are all very pretty. All daughters, you see, so I suppose it is well they are pretty. One never knows what to do with a plain girl. But then, one must eventually do something, otherwise they just hang about the house forever.”
Lily had begun to become alarmed by her aunt’s speech. While many in her aunt’s circle found Amelia Hemming’s racing thoughts charming, she could not expect the great Lady Blakeley to think so.
Much to her surprise, the lady’s soft laughter reached her ears. “I see you are a woman of good sense, Mrs. Hemming, with the delightful habit of saying a truth most pretend does not exist.”
Lily was more than grateful for Lady Blakeley’s kind treatment of her aunt and they had passed on to the drawing room.
Though she had supposed the house would be all luxury, Lily had not guessed it would be all eccentricity. She had never seen a room like it in all her life.
The wallpaper was red silk, the pattern of Chinese temples embroidered in gold. The carpet was not of a pattern, but rather the darkest indigo and made one feel as though one might fall through it and into a bottomless pit. The pianoforte was painted white, giving it the illusion of floating over the indigo bottomless pit, and stood next to a marvelous golden instrument that appeared to be a foreign harp of some sort. Perhaps most alarming, there was something standing in a corner that Lily thought might be an Egyptian sarcophagus.
Aunt Amelia looked in that direction and said, “My goodness, I hope there is not some old and dried up fellow lounging about inside. I should not like to think of him dropping out at an inopportune time. But then I suppose whoever put him in there knew what he was doing and we must trust to that workman’s skill. At least, I would like to think so.”
Before Lily could comment on whether they might view an Egyptian mummy tumbling out of his casket, Cassandra crossed the crowded drawing room.
