a title is a worthwhile catch as a husband, however unfaithful he would be.
In her bedroom that night, Julia thought about what she had learnt. It seemed to be very unlikely that the information about Dominic’s behaviour in Spain would be of any consolation to her mother, and nothing could bring David back. It might, she reflected, be in her own interest for her mother’s opinion of Dominic to be damaged, but she would have to keep that idea to herself as a last resort.
The following morning, the two young ladies went shopping at Wilding and Kent in New Bond Street for fabric to have made up into new gowns when they returned to Derbyshire.
“The Countess has told me to charge her account with a length of French silk for you as well,” said Emily.
Julia demurred, not only embarrassed at this unexpected generosity, but anxious not to do anything that might imply a closer connection with Dominic Brandon.
Her friend was not deceived. “Julia, the Countess is very generous, and would not want me to purchase for myself without getting something for you. Forget about Dominic, this has nothing to do with him.”
“Can you tell me, please, whether this is genuine French silk?” Emily asked the assistant.
“Of course, Madam, all our silk fabrics are French.”
Julia chose a length of pale blue, and it was not until they had taken their purchases and were on the way to the carriage that her friend continued, “What that girl didn’t say was that the silk must have been smuggled into the country, because of the blockade in the Channel.”
“Oh!” said Julia, horrified. “Should we have been buying something illegal?”
“Everybody else does, so why not us?” said Emily, quite unconcerned.
Freddie had a business appointment in the afternoon, but he had arranged for the carriage to take the two friends to Somerset House in the Strand, where the Royal Society’s annual exhibition of paintings was on display.
“There are said to be nearly a thousand pictures on the walls this year,” said Emily, “although with this throng of people we shall be lucky to see a tenth of them!”
Julia silently agreed, for the noise and hubbub were so great that she could hardly hear her friend speak. For people of quality, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving going on in the galleries, so that the busy road outside seemed quite peaceful when they finally emerged and found the carriage waiting for them in a side street.
To celebrate their last night in London, Freddie had been persuaded by Emily to take them to the famous Vauxhall Gardens. Julia had heard so much about these pleasure walks and entertainments. They both put on their best evening attire, Emily in pink and Julia in palest green. Freddie wore his full regimentals and looked very grand. It cost them a full two shillings to enter, which he kindly paid for each of them.
The gardens were alongside the river and were planted with beautiful trees arranged in lines. On the paths around the gardens was every kind of person— people of quality walking in groups, all dressed in the latest fashion, but also ladies whose raiment proclaimed them to be looking for more intimate attention from the many young single gentlemen roaming the paths, seeking an assignation for the night. Julia was glad that they had Freddie to escort them.
There were musical groups playing in each corner, illuminated fountains, fireworks, and magicians performing tricks to deceive the eye. Freddie said that the gardens attracted people from all levels of society, from English royalty to shop boys and their sweethearts. In between the musical events, people paraded along the walks in their finery.
Turning a corner, Emily suddenly exclaimed, “Isn’t that Dominic over there, under those trees?”
They all peered across the throng and saw that it did indeed appear to be Dominic. He was dressed in the height of fashion and had his arm around the waist of a willowy blond beauty wearing a diaphanous pink muslin dress topped by a fur tippet, and displaying a great deal of expensive-looking jewellery.
“Is that Christina, do you think? What a beautiful dress! It is so elegant,” said Emily.
“Yes,” said Freddie shortly. “Probably a very expensive garment, and rather too revealing if you ask me. Come, let’s go a different way.” And he led them in another direction along the gravel path under the lanterns.
They took refreshments in one of the supper boxes that Freddie had reserved overlooking the orchestra. After that, they did not stay too late, for the carriage was to leave for Bath early on the following morning.
Julia and Emily said good-bye to Freddie rather anxiously, as he was due to rejoin his regiment and leave for Spain within a few days. Emily was rather quiet for the first few miles of the journey, and Julia suspected that she was thinking of the difficulties that might lie ahead for her cousin on the Continent. There didn’t seem to be any very effective way of consoling her, except by saying that Freddie was one of those lucky people who always seemed to survive anything.
“Do you know,” said Emily, changing the subject firmly, “what entertainments your aunt has in mind for us in Bath?”
“Not yet. As Aunt Lucy has no children of her own, she always spoils us when we stay with her, which is so very kind. Look at all the nice things that she bought for Harriet at the end of her time at school. She is very generous, but I expect that she really enjoys having someone to fuss over. What I do fear is that she will want to introduce me to every eligible young man in Bath. I really would like not to have to think about marriage at all whilst I’m there.”
“I have told my aunt, the Countess,” said Emily, “that I am not going to marry until I am at least thirty years old!”
“Well, you will be quite on the shelf by that time, Emily. But perhaps Freddie will find you some elderly officer from the regiment who is looking for a bride?”
“Perhaps, but I hope that the war will be over by then, otherwise I might find myself a widow within a few months of marriage.”
They then turned their conversation to more cheerful subjects, and the rest of the journey seemed to pass quite quickly. The carriage soon passed through the village of Marshfield and turned down the long slope on the hill into the city of Bath. Aunt Lucy’s house was situated in the Paragon, just along the street from the Royal York Hotel. She gave both of them a very warm welcome.
“Julia! And this is your friend Emily Brandon? I’m so delighted to meet you, my dear. Have you had a pleasant journey? I have been looking forward so much to seeing you both, and have all kinds of plans for your entertainment.”
Her butler collected the trunks from the carriage and arranged for the footman to take them upstairs. The house was on four levels, with the main entertaining rooms on the first floor stretching from the front to the back of the house, each beautifully furnished with silk curtains and handsome carpets.
Soon their trunks had been unpacked by the maids and they were able to change from their dusty travelling clothes into fresh apparel.
Both Julia and Emily had bedrooms at the front of the house, overlooking the street, where there was a constant parade of fashionable people visible below, going to and from the Baths and the Assembly Rooms. However, they did not stay long looking at the view, as a delicious repast awaited them in the dining room below.
“How is your father, Julia? I know that your dear mama has been worried about him, and goodness knows he has had a few problems, one way and another, over the past two or three years.”
“I am concerned about him, too, and the doctor does not seem to be able to do very much to improve the situation. I would have liked him to have come with me, but he seems to get tired so easily, and Mama said that the journey might be too much.”
Aunt Lucy looked very concerned. “That’s a great pity, for there are many expert medical men practising in Bath who might be able to help him.”
Emily agreed with her. But the conversation turned to more cheerful subjects, and it was clear that Aunt Lucy did not intend Julia to have very much spare time in which to worry about her father.
There was to be a concert at the Lower Assembly Rooms tomorrow afternoon, and Aunt Lucy had purchased tickets for all three of them so that they could attend. She had in mind a little shopping in Milsom Street before that, interrupted perhaps by taking a few cakes in one of the tearooms during the morning. She had seen a very modish new dress in the window of one of the dressmakers, and wondered whether Julia would be interested in having that style made up from the length of silk that Emily had purchased for her at Wilding and Kent’s emporium in
