Growing Good (5)
Jun. 27th, 2024 08:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Leda considered it a prudent civil matter to accept Maude Coggin’s invitation to take tea with her after dinner at Mrs Mitchell’s lodging-house – after all, 'twas still early of the e’en and would not be expected at Dumaine’s in the character of Babsie Bolton for some hours yet!
Maude gave out a sigh, and said, with a complacent tone that contradicted her words, that here we were, not even the Season yet, and a terrible bustle at Mamzelle Bridgette! at which crack modiste’s she had long been head of the workroom and recently advanced to partner. Leda responded with the proper compliments concerning ladies wishing to be beforehand in being leaders of style when the time came!
Quite so! And sure Mr Maurice and little Jupp will cry down the French, and say, sure they have a great conceit of themselves in matters of dress, but I fancy it does well for us to say that, o, Mr Maurice and Miss Thomasine lately visited Paris, saw all the latest modes.
Leda grinned. She had been in the party that had visited Paris early in the autumn, and been privy to those opinions.
But, my dear Miss Hacker, do you go away for the Christmas season?
Leda conceded that indeed, she was leaving Town and going to stay with her friends in Surrey – that would be very agreeable. Hannah and Flora and darling Verrie, Mrs Verriker, and sweet Ellen and her husband Gordon, and the adorable supposed orphans that they were bringing up and educating, o, she was entirely looking forward to it, and Clorinda would be there, and Mr MacDonald, and Mr Josh Ferraby, Flora’s brother, the explorer and zoologist –
But did Miss Coggin go away?
No, she did not, Mrs Mitchell made the lodging-house very agreeable for those that did not go away at this time o’year, and furthermore, she was having her friend Eppie Palton to come stay for the season, Eppie having no chick nor child, brought up by an aunt that died some years since –
Leda remarked that as she would be away, Miss Palton might have her room – for sure she could make sure anything she did not care to have pried into was well secured! locks were one part of her business –
Maude responded that Mrs Mitchell had already kindly offered the room that that Mrs O’Malley was occupying – she is going to pass the festive season at that nunnery where a friend of hers is a nun, imagine! – cannot be very festive, surely – do they not rise in the dark and go pray kneeling on hard stone for some several hours?
Leda, who knew somewhat of the matter as Sister Benedict had, in her previous life, been a very close friend of Clorinda’s, said that she fancied such rules did not apply to guests, and that also, they made some kind of celebration for the Nativity.
Even so – when I think of the good food that Mrs Mitchell sets before us – beef – goose – plum pudding – but I said to Mrs Mitchell, we should be quite happy with a truckle bed in my chamber, like our early days –
Rather more comfortable, I fathom it!
Very true! But Eppie will be desolate not to see you – is ever grateful for that service you did over that deceiving scoundrel that made a suit to her –
La, said Leda, somewhat embarrassed, 'tis all in the day’s work at the agency, and she has done very well for us in matters of recommendation!
For by now they had quite a Rogue’s Gallery of fellows that made up to women that had some nice little property of their own with a view to getting their fingers upon it and living like a lord! Though sure, there were women – ladies even! – very forward in being deceived, like that poor creature Lady Wauderkell presently in Newgate, awaiting trial for stabbing Mr Miles O’Neill, that had beguiled her into a bigamous union. His true wife, Mrs O’Malley’s sister-in-law, having not sat down and wept when he deserted her, but gone seek her fortune in America, where she now had a flourishing little business in Chicago.
Sure the aristocracy seemed less cautious than those of a middling sort about looking into the characters of suitors! – here one saw the Earl of Blatchett a-making up to Lady Isabella Beaufoyle, daughter of the Duke of Mulcaster, and Leda could tell a tale or two of him, having been fee’d to repossess the letters a certain married lady had writ to him in the past. Mayhap he had pulled up and changed his conduct for the better.
And mayhap he had the consideration that Lady Isabella would come well-dowered and was of a fecund line.
Well, said Maude, stretching out her feet, dared say she should get an early night, the way business was –
Fell very convenient for Leda, that had been puzzling over how to make her excuses in order to leave and make her way to St James to effect her transformation into Babsie.
Mrs Mitchell was quite used to Miss Hacker being obliged to go out of an evening about the business of the agency – had provided her with a latchkey, as she had other ladies that might need to be out after the front door was locked, so that Dillie did not need to wait up – remarked as she saw Leda put on her coat and bonnet that 'twas a nasty sharp night –
Leda sighed that business was business, though indeed she was glad that Dumaine was prepared to stand the charge of a hansom cab. Sure, she fancied that on account of her upbringing in Seven Dials she was better able than most women to keep safe about the streets, day or night, but she had very much rather not have the bother. And on a night like this, preferred to be out of that nasty biting breeze, the only merit of which was that it somewhat cleared the fog.
She had the cabman drop her in a side-street, and made her way into the alley behind Dumaine’s, where she found a couple of Nat Barron’s boys already in place, in case of any trouble. Bart, she thought, that was coming about in Nat’s esteem and she dared say Nat considered him one that could suitably be preferred to Dumaine’s good opinion, and Carlo. She nodded to them very civil, and they nodded back – they knew her better in her guise as Larry Hooper! – as she went in.
She climbed the backstairs to Dumaine’s office, where she found him before a pier glass in the final stages of preparing himself to go perambulate about the rooms downstairs in the club.
Any particular matters I should look out for?
He looked considering and shook his head. Nothing I have a particular concern about – and since the Exhibition closed there are a deal fewer provincials come in and start crying about sharping when 'tis their own poor play –
Leda grinned.
But even so – 'tis ever prudent to be watchful.
And no special commissions? For it was known that Dumaine was the man to come to did a gentleman, or indeed a lady, have some little trouble, as it might be letters that had got into the wrong hands, that one would not like a fuss to come about over.
Not at present. Dumaine suddenly grinned. I was in some anticipation that, quite as in some play, after that matter of re-appropriating Lady Iffling’s letters to him, Blatchett would make some attempt to reclaim his and mayhap those as well –
Leda laughed.
Well, here he is goes aim high for a bride, and I fancy Lady I does not like it that he is about marrying.
Leda snorted and remarked that in their station, surely that did not always make much difference.
Dumaine grinned. True! But he seems quite taken with Lady Isabella, that is a very different style of woman.
She nodded, and said, must be about getting herself up as Babsie.
For that was no quick matter – for Babsie was a fine St James doxy with black ringlets and rosy cheeks and red lips, darkened lashes and eyebrows, and a very ample bosom, and high-heeled boots, very unlike pale mousy-haired slender Leda that could easily masquerade in male garb.
Eventually Babsie strutted out onto the balcony that overlooked the main gaming-room at Dumaine’s, where she encountered Marabelle Myrtle, leaning over to look down at the company.
How now, Marabelle – He cometh not? –
Marabelle turned and smiled and wrinkled her nose. O, I am not quite expecting Iffling yet – said he had some tiresome dinner with Saythingport, shall not go down until he comes.
How is Iffling?
Marabelle beamed. O, he is in fine spirits these days, positively jovial! Has moved me into a deal finer establishment, and look – She displayed a very flash bracelet on one arm.
Babsie whistled. I say! That is something like! – she took a closer look and Leda, that knew somewhat about jewels, said, that is something like! For gaudy as it was, those were very good stones.
Marabelle, smiling, turned it around her arm. Has had some luck lately with investments – this new brother-in-law of his put him in the way of some good thing –
O, that is the kind of chap one wants in the family! I hear he is quite fabulously rich.
Fabulously! But look, here they come now – and I see they have the wealthy Mr Grigson with 'em – let us go down and make civil –
I would, said Babsie, but I am avoiding that horrid creature the Delgado, that I perceive is flaunting herself on Saythingport’s arm.
O! – did she – ?
Babsie nodded. Even she will not do aught in full view of company, but I had rather keep away from her.
Nasty bitch, said Marabelle. Sure a nice cozy womanly friendship is one thing, and her goings-on quite another.
Quite so. I will descend shortly, and perambulate about the room.
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Date: 2024-06-27 02:39 pm (UTC)And crossing fingers that Bella isn't lured by Blatchett.
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Date: 2024-06-27 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-27 11:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-28 05:32 pm (UTC)Clever!
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Date: 2024-06-29 02:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-29 02:59 pm (UTC)A new cholera epidemic looms: the good news is, this is the one during which John Snow establishes that it is waterborne and not miasmatic.
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Date: 2024-06-30 12:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-30 12:42 am (UTC)