“I beg your pardon?” Susan said, not understanding. “TheRow?”
“Rotten Row…HydePark.”
Susan shook her head. “No, Idon’t.”
“You don’t ride?” Patricia asked inastonishment.
“I don’t live in London, Mrs.Comerford.”
Patricia looked at her, bewildered. “Oh, I thought youdid.”
“No, ma’am I’m a school teacher. I live here and teach Elizabeth, the Duke’sdaughter.”
“I could have sworn I saw you riding theRowjust last Thursday with Sir Malcom. No? Are youcertain?”
“Quite certain, Mrs. Comerford. It must have been someoneelse.”
“How extraordinary, I could have sworn it was you. Are youabsolutelycertain it wasn’tyou?”
“As certain as one can possibly be,” Susan said smiling and amused by this cluelesswoman.
“My, my,” Patricia said and then turned to speak with her husband at the foot of thetable.
How bizarre can things get?Susan wondered. She never in her life had encountered such strange folks. But then she remembered the folks she’d met in Bath, and thoughtagain.
Aunt Clarissa had been speaking with the Duke and Miss Fitz, but she turned to Susan and asked quietly, “How are you doing? Are you finding this as strange a group as Ido?”
Susan looked at her and smiled. “Need youask?”
Clarissa laughed. “We’ll talklater.”
Susan looked across the table and saw Katherine conversing with SirAndrew.
“Like this,” he was saying as he held up his right hand as though he were holding a teacup—his pinky in theair.
Katherine did thesame.
“No, no, no… Like this,” he insisted, arching his little finger, justso.
Katherine tried to mimic his exactarch.
“Almost. But it’s not just the position, it’s the attitude. See?” He demonstrated again and held his head slightly tilted back. “It’s in the neck.” And he waved his finger at the curve of hisneck.
Katherine tried but he was not satisfied and sighed. “I guess one is just born with it,” he said and turnedaway.
Katherine looked over at Susan and shrugged with agiggle.
Standish and the footmen served the rest of the dinner and Susan and Katherine were able to converse together without further interruption during the rest of themeal.
At the conclusion, Clarissa stood and announced, “Ladies, shall we retire to the drawing room, and leave the gentlemen to their cognac and cigars? For those who smoke…” She nodded to John who she knew didnot.
The ladies rose and followed Clarissa out of the dining room. Susan glanced back and saw Miss Fitzwilliam reluctantly leaving the Duke, trailing her hand along John’s sleeve as she finallyleft.
* * *
After the ladies left,Bentley tapped Sir Andrew’s arm andnodded.
Sir Andrew nodded back and stood, addressing John, “I am in the mood for neither cognac nor a cigar this evening. I believe coffee is being served in the drawing room, and the idea of coffee this evening suits me to a T, so to speak.” He laughed at his little joke. “So, if you’ll excuse me, I think I shall join theladies.”
