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Authors: Jane Aiken Hodge
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given you this sooner, but I have been down to the locksmith’s to have its mate cut, since the men could not find it in the wilds at Ruffton. In the meanwhile, I hope you will find the chain some substitute for the one you have lost.’
‘Oh!’ Could she think of nothing else to say? What a fool he must think her. ‘You are too good. It’s beautiful—’
‘Like the wearer.’ He smiled that heart-stirring smile of his. ‘You will be glad to be reunited with your jewels, I know. I shall expect to see you in diamonds at least at Scarbrough’s tonight. But I am keeping you from your toilette . With Anne and Alice, you will hardly need me to act your maid, as I used to in Paris.’
‘I should rather think not! But, a thousand thanks, just the same.’ Why was the picture of him acting as lady’s maid to Josephine so intolerable? It was a relief to see the door close behind him. She turned to Anne. ‘What diamonds?’
‘I cannot imagine. He never gave her diamonds.’
‘Strange. He was funning, I suppose. I wish I understood him, Anne.’
‘Oh, well.’ It was rough comfort. ‘It’s more than madame ever did.’
***
Josephine had had a dress specially made for the opening of the theatre, and the party to follow. ‘No one’s been inside the theatre,’ she had explained. ‘At least no one who counts. But by what Mr. Jay tells me it is to be a perfect riot of colour — gold, crimson and green. I’m sorry for the women who decide to wear colours. For me, I shall be all in white, with just the faintest touch of silver.’
It was the most beautiful dress Juliet had ever seen, and she actually spared a moment to feel sorry for her cousin who would have delighted in the occasion she, herself, so dreaded. ‘You’ve lost more weight,’ said Anne disapprovingly as she watched Alice’s neat hands at work on the dress’s tiny buttons.
‘Well, do you wonder!’ And then, remembering Alice. ‘With all the preparations for tonight’s party! I wish to goodness Hyde had not insisted on inviting Mr. Jay to dine first: I would much prefer to be alone.’
‘The master’s mighty sociable these days.’ Alice stepped back to study the fit of the dress. ‘I don’t remember so much dining and wining since the old mistress was alive.’
‘Yes, I’m quite worn out with it.’ Juliet was also very much puzzled. What had happened to the man Josephine had described as ‘socially a barbarian’? Had he gone through some kind of change of heart while his wife was away at Winchelsea? They had not sat down alone together once since she arrived. Admittedly this had all kinds of advantages for her, since it both spared her the hazards of tête - à - têtes with him and gave her a chance to meet, one by one, or two by two, the people who were to be her guests tonight. But just the same, it would be a crowning mercy if she got through the evening without some disastrous faux pas .
‘It’s beautiful!’ Alice was satisfied.
‘Yes —’ Doubtfully. The stark white tissue, with its thin thread of silver was undoubtedly the most ravishing dress she had ever seen. The only trouble was that it showed her frightened face, under the heavy auburn hair, white as a ghost’s.
‘Just the faintest touch of colour?’ Alice’s hand reached knowledgeably for one of the little pots of French make-up that Juliet had investigated with distaste.
‘No!’ And then, more mildly. ‘Not tonight, thank you, Alice. Remember, it is bound to be scorching hot in the theatre, so crowded as it will be. I shall have colour enough by then. Yes, the pearls, I think.’ What a disaster if she should lose them. Most things Josephine would forgive, but not that. Better to lose her husband? It was a disturbing thought.
‘And for your hair?’
‘I don’t know.’ She was interrupted by Venus’s son Sam with a florist’s box. ‘Oh, how lovely. But where in the world —’ It contained two perfect white camellias, and a note: ‘Rare
‘Oh!’ Could she think of nothing else to say? What a fool he must think her. ‘You are too good. It’s beautiful—’
‘Like the wearer.’ He smiled that heart-stirring smile of his. ‘You will be glad to be reunited with your jewels, I know. I shall expect to see you in diamonds at least at Scarbrough’s tonight. But I am keeping you from your toilette . With Anne and Alice, you will hardly need me to act your maid, as I used to in Paris.’
‘I should rather think not! But, a thousand thanks, just the same.’ Why was the picture of him acting as lady’s maid to Josephine so intolerable? It was a relief to see the door close behind him. She turned to Anne. ‘What diamonds?’
‘I cannot imagine. He never gave her diamonds.’
‘Strange. He was funning, I suppose. I wish I understood him, Anne.’
‘Oh, well.’ It was rough comfort. ‘It’s more than madame ever did.’
***
Josephine had had a dress specially made for the opening of the theatre, and the party to follow. ‘No one’s been inside the theatre,’ she had explained. ‘At least no one who counts. But by what Mr. Jay tells me it is to be a perfect riot of colour — gold, crimson and green. I’m sorry for the women who decide to wear colours. For me, I shall be all in white, with just the faintest touch of silver.’
It was the most beautiful dress Juliet had ever seen, and she actually spared a moment to feel sorry for her cousin who would have delighted in the occasion she, herself, so dreaded. ‘You’ve lost more weight,’ said Anne disapprovingly as she watched Alice’s neat hands at work on the dress’s tiny buttons.
‘Well, do you wonder!’ And then, remembering Alice. ‘With all the preparations for tonight’s party! I wish to goodness Hyde had not insisted on inviting Mr. Jay to dine first: I would much prefer to be alone.’
‘The master’s mighty sociable these days.’ Alice stepped back to study the fit of the dress. ‘I don’t remember so much dining and wining since the old mistress was alive.’
‘Yes, I’m quite worn out with it.’ Juliet was also very much puzzled. What had happened to the man Josephine had described as ‘socially a barbarian’? Had he gone through some kind of change of heart while his wife was away at Winchelsea? They had not sat down alone together once since she arrived. Admittedly this had all kinds of advantages for her, since it both spared her the hazards of tête - à - têtes with him and gave her a chance to meet, one by one, or two by two, the people who were to be her guests tonight. But just the same, it would be a crowning mercy if she got through the evening without some disastrous faux pas .
‘It’s beautiful!’ Alice was satisfied.
‘Yes —’ Doubtfully. The stark white tissue, with its thin thread of silver was undoubtedly the most ravishing dress she had ever seen. The only trouble was that it showed her frightened face, under the heavy auburn hair, white as a ghost’s.
‘Just the faintest touch of colour?’ Alice’s hand reached knowledgeably for one of the little pots of French make-up that Juliet had investigated with distaste.
‘No!’ And then, more mildly. ‘Not tonight, thank you, Alice. Remember, it is bound to be scorching hot in the theatre, so crowded as it will be. I shall have colour enough by then. Yes, the pearls, I think.’ What a disaster if she should lose them. Most things Josephine would forgive, but not that. Better to lose her husband? It was a disturbing thought.
‘And for your hair?’
‘I don’t know.’ She was interrupted by Venus’s son Sam with a florist’s box. ‘Oh, how lovely. But where in the world —’ It contained two perfect white camellias, and a note: ‘Rare
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