Delilah burst out, ‘What odd behaviour! What peculiar standards! I ask that Mrs Tomlinson about her baby and everyone looks as shocked as if I had mouthed an obscenity. And yet they all start to show their legs, exactly like a group of demi-reps.’
‘There are some things you must not do or say,’ said Effy. ‘You must never mention that a lady is with child. It is different in the country, where you have people and farm animals breeding in such an undisciplined way. But here in Town, it is considered vulgar to remark on a lady’s condition. The marchioness is very good
ton
and therefore can be allowed a few eccentricities like showing her legs. You, Miss Wraxall, on the other hand, must behave with modesty at all times. Now, I noticed you flirting with Lord Andrew. You must be careful not to appear too forward. You may have given him a disgust of you.’
Delilah tossed her head. ‘He is to call to ask your permission to take me driving.’
‘Be warned,’ said Effy severely. ‘There are a great many rakey-hell gentlemen in London who think that when a lady flirts too openly, it means her morals are not of the purest.’
‘At least I do not go around showing my legs,’ said Delilah huffily.
‘Now we make a few more calls,’ said Effy, and Delilah just stopped herself from groaning aloud.
There were to be no more eligible men that day. Delilah met only elderly gentlemen and various ladies, all of whom went on as if she were not in the room.
She thought she heard one lady, after looking at her in surprise, whisper, ‘Another of the Tribbles’ difficult ones. I wonder what is up with
her.
’ But the whisper was so faint, she thought she must have misheard it.
When they returned to Holles Street, it was to find the squire and Amy sharing the tea tray in high good humour. Delilah took her father aside. ‘Take me with you when you leave, Papa,’ she whispered. ‘I do not think I like London.’
‘Give it a chance,’ said her father. ‘I shall call again in a month’s time, and if you are still of the same mind, then I shall take you away.’ And with that, Delilah had to be content.
Sir Charles Digby arrived in town a few days later. Lord Andrew was just about to leave to go out for the day. ‘Charles!’ he cried. ‘Are you come to stay?’
‘If you’ll have me.’
‘For as long as you want. You must excuse me. I am off to drive an angel around the Park, but I shall be back very soon.’
‘What angel is that?’
‘I am not telling you,’ said Lord Andrew. ‘She is but lately come to Town and I mean to keep her to myself for as long as possible.’
Sir Charles oversaw the unpacking of his trunks, changed, and decided to go out and walk to White’s in St James’s and renew his membership of that famous club. The sun was shining and everything looked fresh and glittering. The striped blinds were still down in front of the house windows and buff canopies protected the goods in the shop windows from the sun’s glare. The ladies were in their prettiest muslins and the men were even better-tailored than he had remembered.
He was strolling along Piccadilly when he met Mr Peter Macdonald, an old friend from a Scottish regiment. They hailed each other with delight and Mr Macdonald fell into step beside him, saying he would go to the club as well. ‘And what brings you to Town?’ asked Mr Macdonald.
‘I plan to enjoy myself,’ said Sir Charles. ‘My time is my own. I have only one duty to perform. Have you heard of a couple of ladies called Tribble?’
Mr Macdonald laughed. ‘I have only been in Town a month, but I heard about them almost as soon as I arrived. A great pair of quizzes.’
‘In what way?’
‘They are very good
ton
, but had fallen on hard times. So they began to advertise their services. That is, they swear they can take any difficult and unmarriageable miss and reform her. They have had two notable successes and the latest rumour is that they have just started
‘There are some things you must not do or say,’ said Effy. ‘You must never mention that a lady is with child. It is different in the country, where you have people and farm animals breeding in such an undisciplined way. But here in Town, it is considered vulgar to remark on a lady’s condition. The marchioness is very good
ton
and therefore can be allowed a few eccentricities like showing her legs. You, Miss Wraxall, on the other hand, must behave with modesty at all times. Now, I noticed you flirting with Lord Andrew. You must be careful not to appear too forward. You may have given him a disgust of you.’
Delilah tossed her head. ‘He is to call to ask your permission to take me driving.’
‘Be warned,’ said Effy severely. ‘There are a great many rakey-hell gentlemen in London who think that when a lady flirts too openly, it means her morals are not of the purest.’
‘At least I do not go around showing my legs,’ said Delilah huffily.
‘Now we make a few more calls,’ said Effy, and Delilah just stopped herself from groaning aloud.
There were to be no more eligible men that day. Delilah met only elderly gentlemen and various ladies, all of whom went on as if she were not in the room.
She thought she heard one lady, after looking at her in surprise, whisper, ‘Another of the Tribbles’ difficult ones. I wonder what is up with
her.
’ But the whisper was so faint, she thought she must have misheard it.
When they returned to Holles Street, it was to find the squire and Amy sharing the tea tray in high good humour. Delilah took her father aside. ‘Take me with you when you leave, Papa,’ she whispered. ‘I do not think I like London.’
‘Give it a chance,’ said her father. ‘I shall call again in a month’s time, and if you are still of the same mind, then I shall take you away.’ And with that, Delilah had to be content.
Sir Charles Digby arrived in town a few days later. Lord Andrew was just about to leave to go out for the day. ‘Charles!’ he cried. ‘Are you come to stay?’
‘If you’ll have me.’
‘For as long as you want. You must excuse me. I am off to drive an angel around the Park, but I shall be back very soon.’
‘What angel is that?’
‘I am not telling you,’ said Lord Andrew. ‘She is but lately come to Town and I mean to keep her to myself for as long as possible.’
Sir Charles oversaw the unpacking of his trunks, changed, and decided to go out and walk to White’s in St James’s and renew his membership of that famous club. The sun was shining and everything looked fresh and glittering. The striped blinds were still down in front of the house windows and buff canopies protected the goods in the shop windows from the sun’s glare. The ladies were in their prettiest muslins and the men were even better-tailored than he had remembered.
He was strolling along Piccadilly when he met Mr Peter Macdonald, an old friend from a Scottish regiment. They hailed each other with delight and Mr Macdonald fell into step beside him, saying he would go to the club as well. ‘And what brings you to Town?’ asked Mr Macdonald.
‘I plan to enjoy myself,’ said Sir Charles. ‘My time is my own. I have only one duty to perform. Have you heard of a couple of ladies called Tribble?’
Mr Macdonald laughed. ‘I have only been in Town a month, but I heard about them almost as soon as I arrived. A great pair of quizzes.’
‘In what way?’
‘They are very good
ton
, but had fallen on hard times. So they began to advertise their services. That is, they swear they can take any difficult and unmarriageable miss and reform her. They have had two notable successes and the latest rumour is that they have just started
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