Read Online The Regency by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
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Morland Place!'
‘ She'd have found some fault, to be sure, madame,' Marie said with a small smile. 'The seams, or the set of the sleeve. Once a mantuamaker, always a mantuamaker.’
Héloïse had lent from her own wardrobe a spangled gauze shawl, and said as she arranged it, 'You wear a shawl so nicely, chérie. Some girls can, and some girls can't. It makes you look very elegant.’
Mathilde gave her a nervous but grateful smile. 'I'm sure I shall trip over or drop my fan or something,' she said.
‘ Nonsense, why should you? You had a whole Season in London, and your come-out ball in Chelmsford House, and you didn't fall over once. Have some sense of proportion, ma petite. This is a small affair.'
‘ I know, I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being so silly,' Mathilde said contritely, and Héloïse put an arm round her and kissed her heartily.
‘You're not silly, you're a good girl; and you look lovely.’
‘ Madame, please!' Marie protested, dropping her comb. 'Attention aux cheveux, s'il vows plait!'
‘ Now, what have you for ornament?' Héloïse asked, when Marie had finished with the head. Mathilde's hair was the burnished, surprising colour of a marmalade cat, and she had arranged it in a cluster of shining Greek curls, threaded with narrow silver ribbon. 'The crystal beads that Lady Chelmsford bought you in Brighton, perhaps?'
‘ No, Madame, if you please,' Mathilde said hesitantly, her cheeks colouring. 'I have something else, if you think it is suit able — a present. Look — it was from Mr Edward Morland.'
‘ Oh, but how pretty!' Héloïse said, as Mathilde brought forward a small white jeweller's box and, opening it, revealed a necklace of gold filagree interspersed with small gold beads: very simple, delicate and pretty. 'When did he give you this?'
‘ This morning, after chapel,' Mathilde said. 'For my birth day, he said, but he wanted me to have it in time for the ball. May I wear it?'
‘ Of course, love. It is the very thing. How kind of him to think of it!' Héloïse said. She had thought Edward too preoccupied with the estate, and too wrapped up in his sadness, to notice Mathilde's existence.
‘ But he is kind,' Mathilde said, surprised, giving the neck lace to Marie to fasten for her. 'Whenever I speak to him, he always listens so kindly, even when he is busy.'
‘ I am glad to hear it. Well, then,' Héloïse said, 'are you ready? Shall we go down?'
‘ Quite ready, Madame.' Mathilde gathered up her train, picked up her fan, and made her way downstairs. James and Edward were waiting in the great hall, warming their tails at the fire, and Héloïse thought how very handsome James looked in black and white, and just for a moment wished that it was not exclusively a young people's ball, and that she might dance with him. Edward had graced the occasion by powdering; the contrast with his brown skin made him look younger, and rather handsome.
‘ It is an elegant custom,' she told him approvingly. 'It is only a pity you men don't power more often.'
‘I've never powdered in my life,' James said in horror at the thought. 'Not voluntarily, that is. God forbid! Of course, Ned doesn't crop either. He's the old-fashioned sort.'
‘ We're not here to discuss our appearance,' Edward said sternly. 'This is Mathilde's evening. Miss Nordubois, I should call you now, shouldn't I?' he said, smiling at her. 'May I say you look quite lovely tonight?’
Mathilde returned the smile shyly. 'Thank you sir. And thank you again for the necklace. It was very kind of you.'
‘You compliment me by wearing it, my dear,' Edward said.
James caught Héloïse's eye and raised his eyebrows mock ingly, and putting his mouth to her ear murmured, 'A very pretty scene — and a credit to all concerned.’
Héloïse frowned him down. 'James, behave yourself,' she said firmly. 'Is that a carriage I hear?’
The first arrival had come the furthest: Mathilde's old friend Lizzie Spencer from Coxwold, who was to stay
‘ She'd have found some fault, to be sure, madame,' Marie said with a small smile. 'The seams, or the set of the sleeve. Once a mantuamaker, always a mantuamaker.’
Héloïse had lent from her own wardrobe a spangled gauze shawl, and said as she arranged it, 'You wear a shawl so nicely, chérie. Some girls can, and some girls can't. It makes you look very elegant.’
Mathilde gave her a nervous but grateful smile. 'I'm sure I shall trip over or drop my fan or something,' she said.
‘ Nonsense, why should you? You had a whole Season in London, and your come-out ball in Chelmsford House, and you didn't fall over once. Have some sense of proportion, ma petite. This is a small affair.'
‘ I know, I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being so silly,' Mathilde said contritely, and Héloïse put an arm round her and kissed her heartily.
‘You're not silly, you're a good girl; and you look lovely.’
‘ Madame, please!' Marie protested, dropping her comb. 'Attention aux cheveux, s'il vows plait!'
‘ Now, what have you for ornament?' Héloïse asked, when Marie had finished with the head. Mathilde's hair was the burnished, surprising colour of a marmalade cat, and she had arranged it in a cluster of shining Greek curls, threaded with narrow silver ribbon. 'The crystal beads that Lady Chelmsford bought you in Brighton, perhaps?'
‘ No, Madame, if you please,' Mathilde said hesitantly, her cheeks colouring. 'I have something else, if you think it is suit able — a present. Look — it was from Mr Edward Morland.'
‘ Oh, but how pretty!' Héloïse said, as Mathilde brought forward a small white jeweller's box and, opening it, revealed a necklace of gold filagree interspersed with small gold beads: very simple, delicate and pretty. 'When did he give you this?'
‘ This morning, after chapel,' Mathilde said. 'For my birth day, he said, but he wanted me to have it in time for the ball. May I wear it?'
‘ Of course, love. It is the very thing. How kind of him to think of it!' Héloïse said. She had thought Edward too preoccupied with the estate, and too wrapped up in his sadness, to notice Mathilde's existence.
‘ But he is kind,' Mathilde said, surprised, giving the neck lace to Marie to fasten for her. 'Whenever I speak to him, he always listens so kindly, even when he is busy.'
‘ I am glad to hear it. Well, then,' Héloïse said, 'are you ready? Shall we go down?'
‘ Quite ready, Madame.' Mathilde gathered up her train, picked up her fan, and made her way downstairs. James and Edward were waiting in the great hall, warming their tails at the fire, and Héloïse thought how very handsome James looked in black and white, and just for a moment wished that it was not exclusively a young people's ball, and that she might dance with him. Edward had graced the occasion by powdering; the contrast with his brown skin made him look younger, and rather handsome.
‘ It is an elegant custom,' she told him approvingly. 'It is only a pity you men don't power more often.'
‘I've never powdered in my life,' James said in horror at the thought. 'Not voluntarily, that is. God forbid! Of course, Ned doesn't crop either. He's the old-fashioned sort.'
‘ We're not here to discuss our appearance,' Edward said sternly. 'This is Mathilde's evening. Miss Nordubois, I should call you now, shouldn't I?' he said, smiling at her. 'May I say you look quite lovely tonight?’
Mathilde returned the smile shyly. 'Thank you sir. And thank you again for the necklace. It was very kind of you.'
‘You compliment me by wearing it, my dear,' Edward said.
James caught Héloïse's eye and raised his eyebrows mock ingly, and putting his mouth to her ear murmured, 'A very pretty scene — and a credit to all concerned.’
Héloïse frowned him down. 'James, behave yourself,' she said firmly. 'Is that a carriage I hear?’
The first arrival had come the furthest: Mathilde's old friend Lizzie Spencer from Coxwold, who was to stay
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