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Miss Balfour touched her tongue to the tonic. “I’m not sure I have the wherewithal for this.”
Miss Linfield braved a sip, then peered into the glass. “It’s not so bad,” she said, but doubt was in her voice. “Rather…sulphuric.”
Caroline downed hers in one gulp. “That’s the way to do it. It’s medicinal, after all. Not something one must savor.” Thank goodness for that, because it was the most bitter thing she had downed in all her life. Like Arabella, she had never bothered with the tonics before.
“Not the most ladylike approach,” Miss Balfour said. “But you make a good point.” She tipped the tonic down her throat with a shiver of revulsion, making a sound that had them all laughing.
“Well, we must follow suit,” Arabella told Miss Linfield, and with a count to three, they downed theirs as well amid the encouragement and laughter of the others.
“My eyes are watering,” Miss Linfield gasped. “This is more rigor than I was expecting for such an early morning.” She dabbed at her lips with a dainty handkerchief.
“I think a ginger comfit is in order,” Arabella declared. “I carry them at all times. They should clear away the taste.” She passed round her reticule and they each withdrew a paper-twisted sweet.
“Exactly what we need,” Caroline said, unwrapping the comfit. Arabella was always so thoughtful.
Arabella’s tongue darted out to catch sugar dust from her full bottom lip, and Caroline couldn’t stop staring.
“It is lovely of you to invite us, Miss Reeve,” Miss Linfield said. “I have been enjoying the novelty of Inverley very much, though I thought to see you and your sisters at more events these days.”
Caroline snapped her attention away from temptation and back to the matter at hand. “We intended to be. But we were turned away at the assembly rooms last week. Miss Linfield, Miss Balfour—I invited you here because I wish to know you both better. But I also thought you might be trusted to give me an honest recounting of what people are saying about myself and my family, so I can be prepared for the worst.”
It was their turn for the bathing machine, and in an excited flurry they were escorted by an attendant down the shore where two sturdy draft horses waited. They were hitched to a tall wooden structure with four sturdy walls, two windows, and not much inside except for two narrow benches—just enough space for the four of them and the two dippers who accompanied them.
“Does Inverley not have any scandal papers?” Miss Balfour asked once they had settled in, tucking elbows in against each other in a comfortable sort of squeeze.
“There’s no need,” explained Arabella. She was seated snug against Caroline, who was in a fever of awareness from the curve of her hip and thigh that pressed along her own. “Word of mouth is more effective at getting the news out long before a gossip rag could ever be typeset.”
The bathing machine lurched forward, the horses pulling it steadily into the sea. “What is the worst they are saying about us?” Caroline asked, pitching her voice over the noisy churn of water from the huge wheels.
“Are you sure you wish to hear?” Miss Linfield asked, darting a look at the dippers.
Caroline smiled. “Mrs. Green and Mrs. Harris know my sisters as well as I do.”
“Aye, that we do,” said Mrs. Harris. “I’ve known Betsy and Susan since they were wee nippers, and Jacob has been known to hang about my Alice from time to time. Suppose he has no such time for her now.”
Miss Balfour leaned in. “Well, if you must know… I was at the assembly last week, and the tale of your fortune was on everyone’s lips.” She hesitated. “The word of mouth is that excepting its eldest member, the Reeve family is droll—but vulgar.”
Caroline let out a sound of dismay, and Mrs. Green patted her knee. “There, there.”
“Well, at leastyouweren’t called vulgar,” Arabella comforted Caroline.
“I also was left out ofdroll,” she said, and was surprised at how much it stung. “Am I so cheerless?”
The bathing machine continued to lumber along, her stomach pitching worse than if they were on a boat. Echoes of Betsy’s accusations sounded in her head.No emotion. No heart.Was that what the whole town thought of her?
“You aren’t cheerless at all.” Arabella took her hand. “You are a delight and a credit to your family.”
Her hand was warm and soft, and Caroline stroked her thumb against her palm. Arabella was such a dear—always present, always comfortable.
“Who will excuse our vulgarity? Are thereanyprospective suitors for my sisters among the visitors who are here?”
Miss Linfield considered the matter as she adjusted her bathing cap. “There are a few eligible gentlemen that have been introduced to my charge so far. Perhaps Mr. Smith would do for one of your sisters? He is an easygoing man, likes to fish. But Lady Edith considered him rather dull. Forgive me, if your sisters truly are vulgar, I am not sure how high you can aim,” she said apologetically. “I don’t imagine any of the titled gentlemen may do.”
“My sisters are more high-spirited than anything,” Caroline said firmly. “They are good girls at heart. This gentleman might do for Susan. But who for Betsy? She’s the one I worry about. She has grown frightfully ambitious, talking about how she will be the one to make the most advantageous match of the summer. I cannot tell if it is fancy or not.”
“Mr. Worthington is newly arrived in town. Again, he isn’t titled, but he is very respectable. A widower, with two children.”
Caroline felt Arabella stiffen as straight as a board, but when she glanced over, she was staring out the tiny window at the sea. Her jaw was set and she was scowling. Perhaps she was nervous now that they were approaching the dipping.
