Revenants 22

That required a fine business-like desk

Lady Rachel felt that she would learn a very great deal about holding an effective drawing-room meeting from Lady Bexbury, that was so well-known for those that she held in her exquisite reception room. But sure it must take more than merely having an exquisite chamber in which to invite company – for Rachel had been to a deal of such occasions in fine houses, sometimes even with painted ceilings that one might contemplate did the proceedings grow ennuyant, but they had not gone like unto Lady Bexbury’s.

Mama had sent Umphlinge with her in the carriage – Rachel had no doubt 'twas so that Umphlinge might have a good cozy gossip with Sophy, she dared say over a fine cake-stand of Euphemia’s providing! But could it be that Mama was growing a little suspicious? It was less easy to make occasions to meet Artie now that Scilla had left Town and there could not be those encounters they had contrived.

But here they were, at Lady Bexbury’s charming little house, and here was the famed Hector, opening the door to her and bowing, and showing her into the parlour.

Lady Bexbury rising from the sopha, looking quite deliciously fresh and cool on such a warm afternoon, saying that Sophy was in eager anticipation of convoking with Umphlinge, and she should go straight up to the dressing-room, as she motioned Rachel into a chair.

On their previous visit Rachel had been far too agitated to take in all the charms of the parlour, but now she looked about her with considerable interest. The cabinets containing Lady Bexbury’s famed collection of fine china. The Sir Zoffany Robinson portrait of her in earlier years, wearing the Hindu rubies. Bookshelves! A painting on one of the shelves of an Indian lady, next to an ivory statue of a lady riding upon a tiger, very quaint. The one thing that perhaps did not quite fit the entire polished elegance of the room was the desk: it had excellent lines, and one saw that the woods were inlaid very pretty, but it had the air of being a working desk and was, she observed, a little worn, though by no means shabby.

But Rachel considered upon it, and surely Lady Bexbury must have a deal upon hand that required a fine business-like desk the like of that, rather than some flimsy escritoire suited only to dashing off an occasional note.

Came in Hector with two goblets of Euphemia’s fine cooling sherbet, followed by Euphemia herself with a cakestand. Rachel let out a little squeak of pleasure.

La, my dear, we need sustenance! Do you help yourself.

Currie puffs – cheese straws – potted salmon sandwiches – Euphemia’s quite fabled curd tartlets –

Lady Bexbury smiled upon her and nibbled at a sandwich, and at length said, well, Lady Rachel, you are determined upon Lord Demington?

Rachel licked her fingers, and wiped them upon the napkin, and sat up straight and said, o, she had been a sad frivolous flirt at the beginning of the Season, but then – had quite by chance met Artie when they were both hiding out at the Abertyldds’ ball, and found that they had both suffered from the designs of Olverham and Plumwell, created a certain sympathy –

And I fell into a liking to him, and then it became more, and I became friends with Scilla, that had no mind to the match that was being proposed any more than he did, and – I came about to think that we should be excellent partners. She then quite babbled of Artie’s great excellencies of character and personage.

Lady Bexbury looked down into her empty sherbet goblet and remarked that ‘twas an most entirely eligible match – equality of rank and age – their fathers in considerable political sympathy – here was Lady Rachel showed a most exemplary interest in matters of philanthropy –

However, said Rachel, I am not brung up as a meek modest Evangelical young lady – and – she gestured at her visage – Daughter of Israel.

Why, child, I must suppose that you have been baptized and confirmed in the Anglican communion? – and has Lord Pockinford come about to swallow the camel of Hughie Lucas’s Romish leanings and approved his engagement to Lady Agatha, I think 'twould be straining at a gnat to object to your ancestry. And, her smile was positively wicked, do you endear yourself to Lady Pockinford by a good serious interest in philanthropic causes, why, the battle is more than half-won. Has already remarked upon how very business-like you showed about the matter of the orphans’ clothing supplies.

Rachel blushed and said, 'twas entirely a matter of good sense.

Why, I know not why sense is called common, for there is less of it about than one might like – but, my dear Lady Rachel, have you eat your fill, we might proceed to the reception room.

As they went upstairs Lady Bexbury remarked that of course, the chairs had not yet been delivered – explained that one hired 'em and the matter of how one undertook that – Rachel frowned a little and said, sure she should never remember all this – at which Lady Bexbury smiled, and said, as they entered the reception room, had ever found it a prudent matter to carry about a little memorandum book and a pencil to note such matters down – la, ivory tablets might look exceeding genteel, but there was some danger of one’s notes upon 'em being inadvertent erased, and did one have a useful little book, was a more permanent record –

And there, on the corner of the table upon which the prizes in the raffle were already set out, was a little memorandum book and a pencil, that she took up and placed in Rachel’s hands.

Rachel carefully indited the information about chairs – though took the thought that in a larger establishment, one might have a sufficient quantity of chairs already? – and then looked about the chamber. Another painting of Lady Bexbury, with a volcano in the background –

O, that is Mr de Clérault’s portrait of me dressed in Neapolitan peasant garb, very picturesque –

And who is that other lady? For there was also a portrait of a fine darkhaired, very décolletée lady with a roguish smile.

La, that is Abigail Gowing, by Sir Zoffany Robinson –

O, was that the lady that married a Russian grandee that defied the Tsar over freeing the serfs and was exiled to Siberia?

Quite so – one of course hears nothing from those parts – but to business. You will observe the table of prizes, that I know many will set out quite higgeldy-piggeldy but I fancy will look a deal better does one draw attention to the more desirable items and keep the lesser in the background –

Aggie’s hideous purses, murmured Rachel.

Or that woollen muffler, that I fancy each one that wins passes on to the next raffle. But one shows off somewhat such as Helen Horrocks’ fine painted china.

Or, cried Rachel, a new volume of verses by A.M.! How enchanting!

Now, said Lady Bexbury, to the entertainment. I think 'tis a great mistake to have anyone perform just because they are a friend and have offered –

Rachel spluttered – had she not sat through some very dreadful performances that could only be thus explained –

– so 'tis advizable to have the matter under hand already so you may make apologetic and say, o, the programme is already full, mayhap upon some other occasion. But, of course, do you have friends that are accomplished musicians there can be entirely no objection.

Now, perchance you may offer some professional artist as a particular treat, that has volunteered their services, as Miss Addington so kindly did for the Helena Fund. At this next meeting young Lyddie Marshall will be delighting us with harp-music, though in this instance I offer the opportunity so that she will become known to ladies that may offer her paying commissions to play at their parties next Season, or, observing how very graceful a young woman shows at the instrument, have her come give their daughters lessons. But although they are not paid for their performance, there will be some matter of expenses – such as transportation of herself and her harp – and they must be give refreshment and a good meal.

Rachel nodded.

Had I thought of this somewhat more beforehand, I could have took you through the matters of dealing with printers over making up of pamphlets.

Rachel observed a pile of pamphlets already resting upon the top of the piano. Might I take one? she asked.

Certainly!  Now, what we might be about is making out raffle tickets, while I discourse a little of how the meeting is like to go –