Font Size:

“That is simply amazing,” Blanche replied. Her voice was thin, high, and slightly nasal. “I have not been able to visit a hothouse since I was a child. It was found that the vapors from the plants clog up my nose and make my eyes run as copiously as if I had lost my last friend.”

“Dear me,” the Duchess seemed slightly taken aback by this information, as if she had not heard it every time she was in raptures over a berry or blossom. “That is simply dreadful, Blanche. I am so sorry for your plight. I simply cannot imagine not being able to stop and smell the roses.”

Blanche took this statement in good part. “I am afraid that if I tried, I would be smelling nothing at all for weeks to come. Just think how tragic that would be, not to be able to appreciate the aroma of a good, beef broth or the essence of a kidney pie.”

The Dowager Duchess lifted one eyebrow slightly, and gave a delicate little shudder. “You could have gone all evening without mentioning kidney pie. Dear George doted on them, but I simply cannot abide the flavor of organ meats. We had a cook who most delicately would make up a small fish pie for me on the nights when he made kidney pie for everyone else.”

“That was extremely kind of him,” Blanche remarked, diplomatically endorsing the cook from the past and his endeavors. She was just as aware of the Duchess’ aversion to kidney pie as the Duchess was of Blanche’s inability to appreciate the scent of most things that bloomed or leafed.

Darrius knew that if his mother and his intended were not interrupted, they would go on like this for hours. It was a game between them, one with almost all the moves mapped out, much like the maneuvering of two experienced chess players who are so well matched that neither loses a man to the other, allowing them to play for weeks, if not months, at the same game.

With the idea of breaking up this verbal competition, Darrius turned to Lord Carletane and asked, “Have you been hunting recently?”

“Nothing to signify,” his future father-in-law replied. “Bagged a few pheasants a week ago, Sunday. Good sport, though. Took out a young hound that I’m just now training.”

“Excellent,” Darrius commented. “Did he do well?”

“Well enough. At least he stuck to business, and didn’t go off hunting bunnies.”

“That’s impressive for a young dog on his first outing,” Darrius said admiringly.

Lord Carletane nodded, pleased by the approbation. “Isn’t it just? My kennel master knows his trade well. Turns out pups trained to a treat. What about yourself? Seen any sport lately?”

“A little fishing,” Darrius replied, fully aware that his bride-to-be had an aversion to all outdoor sports. But dash it all, he did not want to sit through an evening of the ladies’ verbal sparring. “They were biting well after that last rain. Our cook has an excellent eye as to what parts to save for bait, and had some choice bits ready for me. This last round, I was using pieces of bacon that had gone a bit off.”

Lady Carletane apparently decided that the hunting and sporting talk had gone on long enough. “Your Grace,” she addressed the Duchess, “Is that a new cap? It is quite fetching.”

“Oh, indeed it is!” the Duchess replied, pleased as Punch that someone noticed. “My companion, Mrs. Swinton, made it. She is an excellent hand with a needle.”

“Is that indeed so?” Blanche raised her lorgnette, and peered through it at Evelyn. “Are married ladies usually companions?”

“Widowed,” Mrs. Swinton replied, equably. “Married ladies would be much too busy with home and hearth. As it is, I find that it is my pleasure to create such small things for Her Grace.”

“Oh.” Blanche let her lorgnette fall to her lap. “I am sorry, I had no idea.”

“It is quite all right,” Mrs. Swinton replied. “How could you have known?”

“Perhaps you can become a milliner,” Lady Carletane sniffed, “Since it is clear you have few conversational skills.”

“Now that is unkind,” the Duchess said severely. “What sort of conversational skills should she have, Lavinia? I declare, marrying a Viscount has given you no more social graces than when we were girls in finishing school.”

Oh, no. Must head this off before it turns into a major row.

“I say,” Darrius put in, “It is a fetching cap. I believe that Mrs. Swinton is quite skilled in several needle and craft arts. She recently requested some lamb’s wool for knitting. She has kept my mother happy and entertained for the better part of two months, for which we are all grateful.”

The Duchess closed her fan with a snap, and gently rapped Darrius on the knuckles of his right hand. “Ungrateful boy! If I were not so pleased with Mrs. Swinton, I declare I should take umbrage. As it is, I will tell you, Lavinia, that she reads beautifully and is happy to discuss almost any topic. You must understand that Mr. Swinton was taken from her by consumption not quite a year ago. You cannot expect her to be equable about discussing it.”

“So recently as that?” Lord Carletane asked. “I’m sure many ladies would be prostrate with such a stressful event in the near past.”

Mrs. Swinton, who by now had two spots of high color on her cheeks, said quietly, “Consumption is a long and expensive illness, Lord Carletane. I am afraid I did not have the luxury of taking time to be prostrate.”

Lord Carletane chuckled. “You know, I quite like her, Lavinia. She is pert and she has backbone. Reminds me of Adelaide when she and George were first married.”

“Well, I never!” Lady Carletane sniffed. “I’m tempted to send for the carriage so that Blanche and I can simply go home.”

“There, there, my dear,” Lord Carletane soothed. “You know you are my favorite lady of all time. But you have to admit, that we have quite put Mrs. Swinton on the spot, and here we are talking about her as if she were a statue in our midst.” He turned to Mrs. Swinton and said, “I quite apologize. We are behaving abominably.”

“Not at all,” Mrs. Swinton said. “It is natural for people to be curious, and you can scarcely learn about anything if you do not ask questions. I will own, I do find it difficult to talk about Mr. Swinton. I do miss him a great deal, even though we were only married for two years.”