‘Good morning, Aunt, Uncle.’
Mr Pridham put down his newspaper and nodded towards the sheet of paper in her hand.
‘Ah. Mrs Ancrum’s invitation to you to take tea with her.’
‘Yes.’ Natalya was aware that all correspondence was taken first to her uncle and she pushed aside the familiar spurt of irritation. ‘As you are aware, sir, she asks if I might be permitted to remain for dinner, too, if I am not engaged.’ She looked to her aunt. ‘May I accept, ma’am? If we have no other engagements this evening, then there is no need for me to hurry back.’
She waited hopefully. Mrs Ancrum was one of the few people in Bath of whom Mr and Mrs Pridham approved and she was relieved but not surprised when, after a glance at her husband, Mrs Pridham agreed she might go.
‘Thank you!’ Natalya beamed at her. ‘If the rain has stopped, then Aggie can walk there with me, but she need not remain. Mrs Ancrum says she will send me home in her own carriage after dinner.’
‘I hope you will manage an hour at the pianoforte before you go out,’ put in Mr Pridham, glancing at the clock. ‘Mrs Ancrum’s patronage is important for you, my dear, and you must not neglect her, but you must work on your accomplishments, too. Especially now.’
Natalya looked up and was about to enquire what he meant by the last remark when her aunt came forward and touched her arm.
‘Well, well, that is a treat for you, Natalya. When you go, you must be sure to give Mrs Ancrum our regards. Now, what do you say to practising your music this morning, my dear? I have an hour free to sit with you while you play and you know how much I enjoy listening to you. Shall we go to the drawing room now?’
It was less than a mile from Sydney Place to the Paragon, where Mrs Ancrum lived in some style. Natalya’s maid waited only until her mistress had been admitted to the house before walking on to Milsom Street to carry out an errand for Mrs Pridham. Natalya breathed a sigh of relief. Whenever she left the house her aunt insisted she should be escorted by her maid or a footman and if she joined her friends it was on the understanding that they were similarly accompanied. Her visits to the Paragon were the only ones where she felt she was not under constant surveillance.
She was shown into the drawing room where she found Mrs Ancrum alone and sitting in her favourite wing chair beside the fire.
‘No, no, pray do not get up on my account, ma’am,’ she said, crossing the room and planting a kiss upon her hostess’s faded cheek.
The old lady’s hand came up briefly to touch her shoulder. ‘Bless you, child, you are like a ray of sunshine!’
Natalya blushed and turned away the compliment with a laugh.
‘That is because, despite the rain earlier this morning, it is such a warm day and my face is glowing from the exertion of walking here! But how are you, ma’am? In prime twig, I see. Pomona-green suits you, it matches your eyes.’
‘Flatterer. Now, ring the bell, my love. We shall have tea and catch up on all the gossip. Why, it must be a full week since I have seen you.’
The afternoon passed pleasantly with no lull in the conversation. Mrs Ancrum gave her young friend a spirited account of all she had done and seen since they had last met and, as she did not believe in holding back her opinions, Natalya was vastly entertained by her comic descriptions of the people she had seen at the Pump Room.
‘Overdressed frights, for the most part,’ declared Mrs Ancrum, with a blatant disregard for the garishly coloured flounces and ribbons of red and purple that adorned her own gown. ‘And the Conyers were there, Mrs Conyer wearing another of her eye-catching gowns. Bright yellow silk with so many frills and flounces I swear she looked just like a dandelion! And it is not at all helped by the fact that she is as broad as she is tall!’
‘No, no, you are too cruel, ma’am,’ Natalya protested, laughing. ‘She is a most agreeable lady. Always cheerful, which, considering her health, is a virtue, I think. Such a generous nature, too. I can overlook her bright colours because she is always so kind when we meet.’
‘And why should she not be kind to you?’ exclaimed Mrs Ancrum, bridling.
‘Not everyone thinks as highly of me as you, ma’am,’ said Natalya, blushing a little.
‘Well, they should!’ came the gruff retort. ‘And their son was here in the spring, was he not? I remember he came with them, once, to the Pump Room.’
‘Yes, Mr Gore Conyer. A very pleasant gentleman.’
Mrs Ancrum helped herself to another small cake and said casually, ‘He had a friend with him, I believe. A Mr Erwin. Handsome young buck, if I recall. I believe you danced with him, Natalya.’
‘I danced with both gentlemen, ma’am.’ Natalya eyed her hostess warily, wondering where this was leading.
‘But I hear you found Mr Erwin the more agreeable?’ Mrs Ancrum laughed. ‘Oh, do not poker up, Natalya, you know I am one for plain speaking.’
‘So, too, am I and I should like to know what has brought on this sudden interest in Freddie Erwin!’
‘I met his uncle earlier this week. Lord Dalmorren. He was asking about you.’
‘He had no right to do so!’
‘He appears to think you and his nephew are in love.’
Natalya blushed furiously, which only added to her indignation. ‘Ooh, how dare he, when I expressly told him it is nothing of the sort!’
‘If you showed such vehemence in your response then he may well have thought the lady doth protest too much,’ murmured the old woman, her shrewd eyes fixed on her young guest. She laughed suddenly. ‘Now drink your tea,
