“That quickly?” I felt a small flutter in my chest but ignored it. I remembered my promise. “Of course, I can see how that would solve a lot of problems.”
“Yes, it would, but it’s more than that. I want to see you well looked after and taken care of. After that awful business with George, this could be a second chance to have it all. We mustn’t waste it.” She gestured to her back where the strings of her corset dangled limply. I braced my feet and pulled them as hard as I could, knowing how tight she liked them. “So you must make a good impression. I’ll help you with your corset. We’ll make a game of it. Who can tie them the tightest.”
It was not my idea of fun, but I finished hers, knotting the strings in a neat bow, and stepped over to my trunk. Opening it, I looked down at the folds of fabric and instantly regretted my decision to leave my unpacking till later. My one good evening dress was terribly wrinkled. I tried it on and admired myself in the mirror. Despite the wrinkles, I thought I looked rather fine in the pale yellow-and-green tartan dress. It had wide accordion-pleated sleeves and a matching pleated midriff that flattered my figure. It would look even better once Hari tied me into my corset, I conceded.
Hari, of course, looked magnificent dressed in the very latest style from one of the finest shops in London, a dark green velvet off-the-shoulder affair with small puffed sleeves and two rows of satin ruffles at the bottom of the skirt. The one flaw in her deportment was her jewels. They were fake, paste glass like most of mine. Charles had insisted she leave her diamonds and other precious gems with him for safekeeping. I had planned to keep the emerald necklace locked in the bottom of my trunk for the duration of the voyage, but making Hari happy seemed a priority at the moment, and I dug my red-lacquered jewellery box out of the trunk.
“You can wear Wiggles’s beautiful necklace, if you like,” I offered. “You’ll want to impress Lady Persephone.”
“Oh, yes, I would love to,” Hari said, her eyes lighting up in a way that reminded me of our days as children. She loved to dress up in our mother’s old discarded gowns and pretend we were having a fine tea in high society. It was not a game I enjoyed so much, but I went along with her then, just as I did now. Seeing her smile was my reward.
As I helped her with the clasp, I hoped I wouldn’t have to sell the necklace right away. It was a beautiful piece, and Wiggles wanted me to do something meaningful with it.
“When we get to Victoria, will we have enough money to live on?” I asked Harriet.
She stroked the green pendant at her throat thoughtfully. “Charles gave me a modest allowance for the journey. Our needs will be taken care of.”
“But what if we can’t find a match for me right away?” I hoped she couldn’t hear the slight optimism in my voice. “How will we live? Will I need to find employment?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ve found an alternate source of funds.” She turned away from the mirror.
“From where?”
“I’ve always taken care of you, so try not to worry about money. We’ll be all right.” She clasped one of her paste-glass necklaces around my neck. “There. Exquisite. Now, you just focus on delighting Sir Richard and Lady Persephone tonight.”
As we walked to dinner, Hari briefed me on the other invitees. Two clergymen, Reverends Burk and Crossman, Mrs. Burk, and Dr. Carson, the ship’s surgeon. I murmured the names to myself, anxious to avoid any faux pas.
When we arrived at the captain’s small dining quarters, the other guests were already there, and a waiter was serving predinner drinks. He handed Hari and me each a glass of sherry. I took a sip and looked around.
The chamber, panelled on both walls and ceiling in dark wood, doubled as the chart room by day. The cramped space was barely large enough for the dining table, so the chart tables had been pushed hard into corners to make room. Four men lounged with their Scotches over a card game at one of the chart tables. I easily picked out the captain in his dress uniform, and another slim man in a less formal uniform I guessed to be Dr. Carson. The other two men, undoubtedly the reverends, were only remarkable in how different they were from each other, one round and short, the other lean and tall.
When he saw us enter, Captain Hellyer left the game to welcome us. He was a man of average build about fifty years old, and his eyes were framed by starburst wrinkles—the aftereffect of years of squinting into the sun over reflective water.
“Let me introduce you to the other ladies,” he said, and gestured towards two women in the centre of the room. One was short and plainly dressed, but the other was a regal woman with silver hair piled high on her head, a long prominent nose, and large blue eyes under heavy brows. She was dressed in elegant black, but her silk gown was decidedly staid with its high round neck, wide sweeping skirt, and raglan sleeves. Diamonds sparkled around her throat and wrists.
“Lady Persephone,” Hari whispered in my ear, then turned to the captain. “Don’t worry about making introductions, Captain Hellyer. The lady and I
