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Authors: Elizabeth Thornton
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into his mama's drawing room if that young lady has given offense, and many a girl," continued Lady Margaret, relishing her role as tutor, "has ruined her chances by flirting with the young men while ignoring the civilities due their female relations."
Catherine and Lucy had no wish to offend the young ladies or their mamas and they exerted themselves to be as charming as they could, and found that they were enjoying themselves enormously. Their circle of friends increased rapidly, and before many days had passed, they could not drive in the park, or enter a shop, or walk down Bond Street, but they were certain to run into one of the young ladies whose acquaintances they had so recently made. And if, as it sometimes happened, a brother or gentleman were introduced to the Misses Harland and they conversed somewhat shyly, not pushing themselves forward in any way, to the eyes of the watching mamas it only proved that the Harland girls knew how to behave and that they need have no fears in promoting their society to their daughters and sons.
Lady Margaret, so it seemed to Catherine, knew everything about everyone. She kept up a running commentary on all their acquaintances. They learned that one might be only a plain Mr. or Miss, yet be related to half the great houses of England and be better endowed financially, and that the holding of a title, in itself, was not considered enough inducement to ogen the doors to more "discriminating homes if there was anything lacking in propriety.
Catherine and Lucy absorbed it all as if learning their lessons in the schoolroom, for there was much that they needed to know before being fully launched. How much more improper did Catherine's conduct with Lord Rutherston now seem to her than it had before, and she wondered what these sedate mamas would think if they knew that she had almost succumbed to his seduction. She became aware that the qualities that Rutherston so much admired in her were the ones that she must now take the greatest pains to conceal from the watching world.
A few weeks in London had made a remarkable difference to Catherine and Lucy. They no longer felt so countrified as they had at first, since they were now in possession of the extensive wardrobes for which they had been fitted a month before. They had come up to town, accompanied by their mama, for the sole purpose of choosing the silks, muslins, and fine cambrics that were to be fashioned into the numerous gowns that every young lady of quality required to be successfully launched into her first Season. The expenses were prodigious, but not unexpected, and the funds for the occasion had been carefully set aside for many years.
In the normal course of events, Catherine would have had her come-out before her younger sister, but Lady Mary's pregnancies, always resulting in confinement at an inopportune moment, had delayed it for two years. At the same time, Catherine and Lucy were more than pleased that they should have each other for company in town, since they found Lady Margaret's manner rather daunting, much as they appreciated all her endeavors on their behalf.
Catherine was sitting by a window, idly reading a morning paper, impatiently waiting for Lucy to dress so that they might walk to Hookam's Circulating Library in Bond Street, when her ladyship's butler announced Mr. Charles Norton.
"Charles!" she greeted him as if he had been a long-lost friend, then, aware that she had inadvertently used his first name, colored, and began again. "I do beg your pardon, Mr. Norton. How glad I am to see you."
"No, no, Catherine, I believe that we are better friends than that! I am glad to think that the formalities can be dispensed with between us two. Let it be Catherine and Charles!" He looked at her with admiration. "I can hardly believe that the young lady of fashion before me now is the Catherine that I knew three weeks ago in Breckenridge."
"Oh, Charles, you will not know me at all, for besides the fine
Catherine and Lucy had no wish to offend the young ladies or their mamas and they exerted themselves to be as charming as they could, and found that they were enjoying themselves enormously. Their circle of friends increased rapidly, and before many days had passed, they could not drive in the park, or enter a shop, or walk down Bond Street, but they were certain to run into one of the young ladies whose acquaintances they had so recently made. And if, as it sometimes happened, a brother or gentleman were introduced to the Misses Harland and they conversed somewhat shyly, not pushing themselves forward in any way, to the eyes of the watching mamas it only proved that the Harland girls knew how to behave and that they need have no fears in promoting their society to their daughters and sons.
Lady Margaret, so it seemed to Catherine, knew everything about everyone. She kept up a running commentary on all their acquaintances. They learned that one might be only a plain Mr. or Miss, yet be related to half the great houses of England and be better endowed financially, and that the holding of a title, in itself, was not considered enough inducement to ogen the doors to more "discriminating homes if there was anything lacking in propriety.
Catherine and Lucy absorbed it all as if learning their lessons in the schoolroom, for there was much that they needed to know before being fully launched. How much more improper did Catherine's conduct with Lord Rutherston now seem to her than it had before, and she wondered what these sedate mamas would think if they knew that she had almost succumbed to his seduction. She became aware that the qualities that Rutherston so much admired in her were the ones that she must now take the greatest pains to conceal from the watching world.
A few weeks in London had made a remarkable difference to Catherine and Lucy. They no longer felt so countrified as they had at first, since they were now in possession of the extensive wardrobes for which they had been fitted a month before. They had come up to town, accompanied by their mama, for the sole purpose of choosing the silks, muslins, and fine cambrics that were to be fashioned into the numerous gowns that every young lady of quality required to be successfully launched into her first Season. The expenses were prodigious, but not unexpected, and the funds for the occasion had been carefully set aside for many years.
In the normal course of events, Catherine would have had her come-out before her younger sister, but Lady Mary's pregnancies, always resulting in confinement at an inopportune moment, had delayed it for two years. At the same time, Catherine and Lucy were more than pleased that they should have each other for company in town, since they found Lady Margaret's manner rather daunting, much as they appreciated all her endeavors on their behalf.
Catherine was sitting by a window, idly reading a morning paper, impatiently waiting for Lucy to dress so that they might walk to Hookam's Circulating Library in Bond Street, when her ladyship's butler announced Mr. Charles Norton.
"Charles!" she greeted him as if he had been a long-lost friend, then, aware that she had inadvertently used his first name, colored, and began again. "I do beg your pardon, Mr. Norton. How glad I am to see you."
"No, no, Catherine, I believe that we are better friends than that! I am glad to think that the formalities can be dispensed with between us two. Let it be Catherine and Charles!" He looked at her with admiration. "I can hardly believe that the young lady of fashion before me now is the Catherine that I knew three weeks ago in Breckenridge."
"Oh, Charles, you will not know me at all, for besides the fine
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