“You were going to tell me about Miss Notley,” Constable Morris reminded the physician. While he waited for a reply, he took another sip of the bitter liquid, trying not to grimace.
“Ah, yes. I am afraid I might have burned my bridges there. But we were talking about matters of health back there at the inn. You see, consumption has a stage where the sufferer has two high spots of color on their cheeks, yet the rest of their skin can be pale as milk. Their eyes look dark and mysterious, sunken into the head. Such an appearance is sometimes described aspale and interestingand many young ladies strive to achieve the seeming of it.”
“How would they go about doing that?”
Dr. Alton rocked meditatively for a moment. “They do it by applying a white powder derived from arsenic and they apply carnelian color to their faces, which also contains a toxic element. They often compound their condition by nibbling little wafers that contain arsenic, and by putting belladonna drops in their eyes. The toxins are highly addictive, of course, as is the desire to be extremely beautiful. It is a positive relief to see a lovely woman such as Mrs. Swinton, who employs no artifice at all, yet whose looks are incomparable.”
“She is a handsome figure of a woman,” the constable agreed. “Yet also polite, soft-spoken, and seems kindly.”
“I believe her to be so.” The physician rocked, and meditatively sipped his drink.
“But why would anyone do these things?” Constable Morris burst out. “Don’t they know it is bad for them?”
The physician sighed. “Of course they do. It is amazing the lengths to which some ladies will go in the name of beauty, especially when their personal security is on the line. I might add that some of them are so knowledgeable that they are fully capable of using their beauty powders and potions to commit murder.”
“That is... unthinkable.”
“Oh, but many do think of it,” said Dr. Alton. “I was amazed at how Lady Carleton took umbrage when I explained the cause of her daughter’s condition. If the young lady does not stop using the cosmetics and draughts her renowned London physician has prescribed, there is an excellent chance she will not live to see her wedding day.”
“Do you think her mother has designs on her own daughter?”
Dr. Alton shrugged. “She would not be the first to cause the demise of a child, either by intent or through ignorance. While one does not like to say it, the beasts of the field are better examples of enlightened parenting than many humans.”
“That is beyond astonishing, Dr. Alton. I swear, I shall be afraid to walk my rounds tonight lest some damsel in distress slip a powder into my drink or sprinkle me with her face powder.”
The physician laughed. “I do not think you are in such danger as all that, but it never pays to stay alert.”
The young constable bade Dr. Alton good night, and let himself out the door. “I’ll never understand the posh coves,” he muttered to himself. “Me mum warned me there would be days like this.” He could not help but shudder a little as he looked up the hill to the stately manor that topped it.
Chapter 26
The Duchess stared despondently at the piece of gross-point embroidery on her loom. “It is all wrong, my dear Mrs. Swinton,” she said.
“What is, Your Grace?” Evelyn looked up from sorting a tangled basket of embroidery threads that she was attempting to bring to order by winding them onto bobbins.
“This piece, of course. The orange is too garish against the yellow. It needs something in between.”
“Perhaps this spool of gold ochre would bridge the gap,” Evelyn suggested.
“No, no,” the Duchess shook her head. “Too dull. I want it to look lively, vibrant.”
Evelyn gazed thoughtfully at the Duchess. Her Grace’s cap was askew, and her eyelids were suspiciously pink. “This is not about the yarn, is it, Your Grace?”
“No, dash it all,” the Duchess admitted, blowing her nose with an unabashed honk. “How could I have been so blind as to not recognize Lady Carletane’s distress? I should have had you to take her aside and distract her. I would have done it myself in my younger years.”
“I cannot think how you could have anticipated her reaction, Your Grace,” Evelyn soothed. “Nor is it easy to learn that the paints and powders that you use to make yourself beautiful are causing you to feel ill.”
“No, I suppose not,” the Duchess sighed. “If I were able to be up and about as I was in my younger days, I would go to them and apologize. Ordinarily, I would send you to tender my regrets. Not for the information, but for upsetting them. I never meant for that.”
“Of course you did not, Your Grace. But, even though neither of us can go to them personally, you could send a letter. You could even invite them to tea. Promise not to include your physician, and ask M… that is, Mr. Rudge to cook up something soothing.”
“A superb solution!” the Duchess exclaimed. “Are you prepared to take a letter, Mrs. Swinton?”
“I can be in just a trice, Your Grace. I’ll ring for the footman to set up the writing table and bring me my small writing desk.”
In just a few moments, the desk was set up and Evelyn set to work on a draft of the letter. “What would you like to say, Your Grace?”
“You know my feelings,” the Duchess said. “Write out a formal apology, then read it out to me. We shall then work to improve it.”