an unprintable combination of the sacred and the profane

Sister Linnet Whitterby, of the sisterhood that was associated with St Wilfrid’s Church, looked down at the neat bundles of wool and said that they had done a good morning’s work. The ladies of the working party would be very pleased – was seldom they had such good wool to work with – was mostly a matter of unravelling, not fine and new.

Nora – Lady Eleanor Upweston – stroked one of the hanks and said, indeed would be a pleasure to work with! Then sighed. But I daresay I shall be going out of Town very shortly – 'tis considered entirely prudent that Myo should remove to Worblewood sooner rather than later –

For she understood, in the rather discreet way it was hinted before young unmarried women, that her sister-in-law, Hermione, Countess of Trembourne, was in the way to becoming a mother. That was entirely delightful. The household already contained her elder sister Grissie – Griselda, Lady Undersedge’s – toddling son Edmund and daughter Adelaide still at breast, and they were charming, but Nora was entire eager to see more babies and children bringing life to Trembourne House.

Indeed country air must be entirely the best thing, said Sister Linnet, that would no doubt consider it part of her duty to remain in the East End throughout the worst of a London summer. Aggie – Nora’s cousin Lady Agatha, that was married to Mr Hugh Lucas, Hughie, the incumbent of St Wilfrid’s – always sent their children to his parent’s country rectory during the hottest months.

Quite so, said Nora, and Surgeon-Major Hicks has promised to come visit – his exercizes do her a deal of good – but he would wish to keep her under observation. And besides that matter of his theories of how to improve damaged limbs &C, when was in India also gained a deal of more general experience.

One of the other sisters came in with tea and a plate of biscuits, looked about, praised their work, and said she would be about putting it in the storeroom.

Sister Linnet poured tea, and enquired after Lady Theodora.

Alas, said Nora, Lord and Lady Pockinford still show no disposition to permitting her to come visit her sister here –

For the Tractarian leanings of Hughie Lucas, that appealed very strongly to his sister-in-law, were quite anathema to the Evangelical views of her parents.

– and anyway, they will very shortly be going to Shropshire – everybody seems to be leaving Town about the election – she sighed – there is Undersedge off to their coal-mining district, and Grissie getting matters in order for the decampment to Monks Garrowby – Jimsie – Trembourne – feels obliged to go spend some time at Carlefour Castle even though 'tis let, out of family tradition – but at least may present Myo’s apologies. Thea will say, that she dares say 'twill be less of an ordeal now that Simon has sailed for Peru, though she then says that is wicked uncharitable of her and sure Simon had been improving considerable.

Excessive scrupulosity is a great burden, in particular when it is applied wholesale around! Sometimes we have a little of that amongst the sisters.

Nora gave a little sigh, thinking of her late father’s tedious hypochondriacal whims, and nodded her head.

So, went on Sister Linnet, the Undersedges will not be at Worblewood?

No – Jimsie and Myo – and Lady Saythingport – and Lewis – and Myo’s brothers Lord Peregrine and Lord Lucius, that are not in the least like the late Lord Talshaw, very civil young men – and Jimsie has had the most agreeable letter from Mr Chilfer, that is a great savant in archaeological matters, that he is entirely free to come about some preliminary excavations – I think we may be a comfortable party. We shall all be in mourning, so will not be going out in company –

Such a relief! thought Nora.

Will not your mother, the Dowager Lady Trembourne, be with you?

Oh! cried Nora, did I not tell you? How could I have forgot that news! We had a letter from Mama, in Baden-Baden, saying that she had been quite in seclusion for several months, but now goes recruit her health and spirits at that spaw. 'Tis all very mysterious. One must suppose, Grissie says, that her nerves were more shaken by Papa’s shocking sudden death than one would have anticipated.

Indeed that had been shocking, for all had supposed the late Lord Trembourne an entire malade imaginaire, so his sudden demise, and being found in an exceedingly low part of Town, had given rise to considerable scandal and speculation. But that fine physician Dr Asterley had give evidence that His Lordship had shown very inclined to the beguilements of galvanic quacks, entirely the worst thing in his condition.

The clock on the mantelpiece began to chime, and Sister Linnet said that Lady Eleanor was welcome to join the sisters in the refectory for their midday meal. Nora sighed and said that would be most agreeable, but she felt obliged to return to Trembourne House.

Sister Linnet responded that they would not in the least stand between her and family duties, then conveyed to her certain messages to pass on to Thea.

One did not like to say, Nora thought in the carriage as it drove through the shabby streets, that it was not entirely easy these days to have free communication with Thea! Did Nora go call at Pockinford House they were positively chaperoned by Lady Pockinford, that seemed to suppose that did she not, Nora would covertly admit a Jesuit priest that would steal Thea away into a nunnery.

Aha! She had it! She would go call upon Zipsie Rondegate, around about the time that she was having her singing and pianoforte lessons with Miss McKeown and Miss Lewis, that Thea also attended.

Perchance, Nora brooded, she was just a little jealous of this friendship that had sprung up 'twixt Thea and Zipsie founded in their mutual musical interests, but one could not deny that Zipsie showed an excellent good friend. Had found this means of enabling Thea to continue her singing lessons – Dumpling Dora having got into one of her frets over Thea going all by herself to visit the ladies in the modest quarter where they resided, even accompanied by a maid – encouraged her –

Sure Zipsie was quite a different person now she was married! It must be a great relief, Nora realized, to be quit of all the demands of being on the Marriage Market – all the constraints of what you must or must not do or risk becoming completely unmarriageable, as well as all the worries about not taking. Nora sighed.

When there had been that dreadful, that terrible, that sickening proposition that her father seemed entire complacent about, that she should wed the late Viscount Talshaw, Nora, that had been teased by her friends at the Miss Barnards’ school for her strict adherence to rules, had been almost tempted to do something that would put her entirely out of the running, if only she could think what. Beg Gerry Merrett, that was ever ready for a lark, to escort her to Cremorne, mayhap? Except that that might have come to having to marry Gerry, that seemed rather hard on him.

But here they were already entering entirely different broader streets. Nora straightened her posture and put on her family face.

There was somewhat of a bustle in Grissie’s parlour – a visitor? – a young man, in mourning – o, 'twas Myo’s brother, Lord Peregrine, that one supposed should now be styled Lord Talshaw? – kissing Lady Saythingport and remarking that he was now a Bachelor of Arts of Oxford – was staying with the Grigsons –

Came bow over Nora’s hand with great civility, remarked that he saw she was still making lace, with a nod at her lace-pillow on a table.

Do I have time, she murmured, along with wonderings in which everyone joined as to whether the fancy-bazaar for the benefit of the orphanage would take place as intended.

O, indeed 'twill, sighed Thea when Nora called at the Rondegates’ very impressive establishment in Belgravia. Mama will be entire worn to a rag and then we depart quite immediate for Shropshire and all the matter of election balls and entertaining the county, mayhap when 'tis all over we may prevail upon her to go recruit somewhere – mayhap by the seaside?

Zipsie, at the pianoforte, played what Nora fancied one of her improvisations that had a pretty effect suggesting little waves upon the sand.

Perchance, said Nora, one might get Lady Demington to persuade her?

Mayhap, said Thea. But I must confess, I shall be glad to have all that to occupy me – and then to be out of Town –

Oh? Nora raised her eyebrows.

Good, said Zipsie, here is tea. Let us go sit down in comfort.

As they disposed themselves, Zipsie disclosed that Mrs Knowles had become apprized of Thea’s rendering of Miss Billston’s settings of Lady Jane Knighton’s translations of certain poems of Sappho –

Lady Jane desired another private recital, said Thea, and while I was there Mrs Knowles called about some subscription concert and musical charities business. And Lady Jane mentioned what we had been about, and Mrs Knowles said that she had heard very well of Miss Billston’s talents, and sure I could hardly refuse to sing for her –

Indeed not, said Nora. Mrs Knowles, that was married to the brother of the Duchess of Mulcaster, that was something exceeding wealthy in the City, and was herself one of the Ferraby connexion? Quite famed not only for her own music parties and patronage of musicians but for her own talents as a pianist?

And she waxed positive effusive – did I ever consider a somewhat more public performance – as it might be at one of her musical soirées – it would be a shame for the songs to blush unseen – and I do entirely see that they should be better known –

But, o, Nora, I am thrown into entire panic at the thought of the matter becoming known! And performing!

Zipsie handed them teacups and gestured to the cake-stand. She cleared her throat and remarked that Rondegate had informed her that there was a certain amount of scandal attached to the life of Sappho: but that one could not in the least object to these particular lyrics.

Nora and Thea blushed and gazed from one to another in even greater confusion.