this spectacle conceived and put on by a foreigner.”
Kate frowned. “I thought Prince Albert was the driving force behind the Exhibition.”
Edith pressed her napkin to her lips, then pinned Kate with a pitying gaze. “He is the foreigner of whom Dorcas speaks.”
“Prince Albert is German, Katharine, and he never allows anyone to forget it.” Sir Anthony’s voice held a trace of disdain. “He believes himself—indeed all Germans—to be superior to the English. It is even rumored he is a spy for the emperor of Russia and his uncle, King Leopold of Belgium.”
“I have heard that he and the queen both champion the rights of the working class and campaign for the abolishment of slavery.” Several speakers whose lectures Kate attended in Philadelphia supported their abolitionist and social-reform platforms with the example of how the leaders of Britain also fought for the same things.
Sir Anthony made a sound halfway between a grunt and a snort. “And they forget that it is with the aristocracy and land holders of this country that the power lies.” He sighed and held up his hand when Kate took a breath to respond. “My dear, we in England have seen too much revolution, too many heads lost amongst our European cousins over the ideas you so freely espouse in America—the rights and conditions of the working class, political access for the common man, voting rights, and the like. You would do well to remember sentiments flow in different directions here.”
Her uncle softened his rebuke with a kind smile. “Now, on to a more pleasant subject. Over the next few days, our guests will be arriving.”
“Guests?” Christopher asked.
“Yes, for the house party. Young men and women of appropriate social standing and wealth will be coming to stay for four weeks of dinners, balls, and entertainment. It is customary in winter, when it is too early to go to London to immerse ourselves in society, to bring society to the country. And this year there will be a ball to honor your arrival in England.” He glanced at Kate to include her.
Kate silently thanked the Lord that the house party had not begun before their arrival, giving her a day or so to acclimate herself to the customs and culture here. She had a lot to learn.
In the sitting room after dinner, Kate entertained Florie and Dorcas by answering their many questions about Philadelphia as best she could. They had a good time teasing her about her accent and trying to mimic it. Edith sat apart from them, a book in her hands and a scowl puckering her brows and lips.
“There is entirely too much laughter coming from this room.”
They all startled, but Sir Anthony entered wearing a wide smile that belied his reprimand, Christopher directly behind him.
“Cousin Christopher, come, sit.” Dorcas tapped the arm of the chair beside her. “Katharine has been telling us about Philadelphia, but she said you attended college near New York City.” She and Florie dived into questioning him about Yale and his years at college and law school.
Sir Anthony sat beside Kate. “Katharine, I hope you are not upset by what I said at dinner. I did not mean to scold you, only to guide you in how our ways are different here than what you might be accustomed to in America.”
Though Kate still struggled to push back the feeling of being an awkward adolescent—always saying the wrong thing and tripping over nothing but shadows—she smiled at Sir Anthony. “Think nothing more of it, Uncle. I am grateful for your guidance, as I do not want my behavior to reflect poorly on you or the Misses Buchanan during my time here.”
His eyes crinkled when he smiled, just as her father’s did. She couldn’t help but smile back. “If you choose your husband wisely, you will most likely find him to being amenable to discussing some matters of politics behind closed doors.”
Her smile twisted into a grimace. “I shall take that as a great compliment, sir.”
He cocked his head,
Kate frowned. “I thought Prince Albert was the driving force behind the Exhibition.”
Edith pressed her napkin to her lips, then pinned Kate with a pitying gaze. “He is the foreigner of whom Dorcas speaks.”
“Prince Albert is German, Katharine, and he never allows anyone to forget it.” Sir Anthony’s voice held a trace of disdain. “He believes himself—indeed all Germans—to be superior to the English. It is even rumored he is a spy for the emperor of Russia and his uncle, King Leopold of Belgium.”
“I have heard that he and the queen both champion the rights of the working class and campaign for the abolishment of slavery.” Several speakers whose lectures Kate attended in Philadelphia supported their abolitionist and social-reform platforms with the example of how the leaders of Britain also fought for the same things.
Sir Anthony made a sound halfway between a grunt and a snort. “And they forget that it is with the aristocracy and land holders of this country that the power lies.” He sighed and held up his hand when Kate took a breath to respond. “My dear, we in England have seen too much revolution, too many heads lost amongst our European cousins over the ideas you so freely espouse in America—the rights and conditions of the working class, political access for the common man, voting rights, and the like. You would do well to remember sentiments flow in different directions here.”
Her uncle softened his rebuke with a kind smile. “Now, on to a more pleasant subject. Over the next few days, our guests will be arriving.”
“Guests?” Christopher asked.
“Yes, for the house party. Young men and women of appropriate social standing and wealth will be coming to stay for four weeks of dinners, balls, and entertainment. It is customary in winter, when it is too early to go to London to immerse ourselves in society, to bring society to the country. And this year there will be a ball to honor your arrival in England.” He glanced at Kate to include her.
Kate silently thanked the Lord that the house party had not begun before their arrival, giving her a day or so to acclimate herself to the customs and culture here. She had a lot to learn.
In the sitting room after dinner, Kate entertained Florie and Dorcas by answering their many questions about Philadelphia as best she could. They had a good time teasing her about her accent and trying to mimic it. Edith sat apart from them, a book in her hands and a scowl puckering her brows and lips.
“There is entirely too much laughter coming from this room.”
They all startled, but Sir Anthony entered wearing a wide smile that belied his reprimand, Christopher directly behind him.
“Cousin Christopher, come, sit.” Dorcas tapped the arm of the chair beside her. “Katharine has been telling us about Philadelphia, but she said you attended college near New York City.” She and Florie dived into questioning him about Yale and his years at college and law school.
Sir Anthony sat beside Kate. “Katharine, I hope you are not upset by what I said at dinner. I did not mean to scold you, only to guide you in how our ways are different here than what you might be accustomed to in America.”
Though Kate still struggled to push back the feeling of being an awkward adolescent—always saying the wrong thing and tripping over nothing but shadows—she smiled at Sir Anthony. “Think nothing more of it, Uncle. I am grateful for your guidance, as I do not want my behavior to reflect poorly on you or the Misses Buchanan during my time here.”
His eyes crinkled when he smiled, just as her father’s did. She couldn’t help but smile back. “If you choose your husband wisely, you will most likely find him to being amenable to discussing some matters of politics behind closed doors.”
Her smile twisted into a grimace. “I shall take that as a great compliment, sir.”
He cocked his head,
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