Page 23 of Anastasia and the Duke
"My son," the countess gave an amused laugh, "Excuse me, you may know him better as the Earl of Morris. He's convinced I'm goingcingléin my old age; if he thinks I am convinced that you are Anastasia, then he might have me sent away to the countryside."
Though Lady Lansdowne finished this sentence with another amused laugh, Hannah sensed an undercurrent of nervousness to her amusement.
"If he questions you," she said, quickly, "Then we shall simply tell him the truth. I am your companion, nothing more, nothing less. My resemblance to your daughter is but a coincidence, one which has set the tabbies talking, as they always do."
"Yes," Lady Lansdowne sighed, "I suppose thatisthe gist of it, he can find no complaint with that. Now, my dear, I must prepare myself for the day ahead; I have calls to make."
"Shall I accompany you?" Hannah ventured, but the countess waved her offer away with her hand.
"Non," she shook her head, "I am simply visiting some old ladies, to talk about the other old ladies with whom we are acquainted--you would find it dull. Take the other carriage to town and buy yourself some accoutrements for your bonnet in case we go out driving. I have an account with Mr Bobitol on Queen Street, in Cheapside; just add whatever you wish."
With that, the countess went in search of Gibbons to help her dress, leaving Hannah to finish her chocolate alone. She continued to peruse the papers for a while, marvelling at the sight of her name intertwined in black and white with that of a duke. What would Nan say if she could see it?
The thought of Nan set off another wave of guilt inside her. Hannah had been so lost in the fun and fantasy of thetonthat she had not thought of Nan for days. A few nice dresses and hats had pushed all thoughts of the woman who had reared her to the back of her mind. Though, in truth, Hannah had been grateful for the respite from constantly worrying about Nancy.
As much as she had looked after Hannah as a child, it was Hannah who had been looking after Nan since she was old enough to realise that there was a vulnerability to Nan that others exploited. Her child-like naivety and frail nerves had meant that Hannah had been forced to adopt the mind-set of an adult long before her time.
Hannah finished her brioche, though it now tasted dry in her mouth, and went off in search of a footman. A feeling of melancholy had stolen over her as she had reminisced over the hardships that she and Nan had endured, and she needed to do something to distract her from her thoughts.
Also, she thought, as she nervously tied her bonnet; if the Earl of Morris had read today's papers, then he might descend at any minute. Hannah did not want to face the earl without the support of the countess behind her.
Hannah traipsed downstairs and called for Philip, the youngest of the footmen, to summon a vehicle. As Lady Lansdowne had taken the carriage, Hannah was to travel in the Barouche.
The novelty of being in a vehicle, rather than looking at them from the footpath, had still not worn off, and Hannah insisted that the hood be left down so she could enjoy the views.
"It's cold, Miss Blackmore," Philip argued, askance, "And town is full of soot and grime. You'd be much more comfortable with the hood up."
"I'll put a blanket over my lap," Hannah shrugged, "I am hardier than you seem to think, Philip."
Philip shrugged, perhaps thinking her mad, and hopped up to sit beside the driver, Jacobs. With a flick of his wrists, Jacobs sent the two bay-roan horses into a gentle trot, and Hannah settled back upon the bench to enjoy the views of London.
The journey from Grosvenor Square and the surrounding locality was pleasant enough, but once they had passed through St James' and into the city proper, Hannah began to see why a lady might prefer to be shielded from view.
The road was filled with traffic--carriages, carts, riders, and even livestock--all jostling for a place amongst the swarms of people out shopping. Street-sweepers cleared the path of horse droppings for those able to afford such a luxury, whilst others dodged through dung and danger in their bid to reach the other side of the road.
The air was heavy with smoke and even more-so as they neared the river. Hannah surreptitiously sneezed into her handkerchief as the smoke tickled her nostrils, and as she opened her eyes again, she caught Philip wearing the smile of one who had been proved right.
Mercifully, the air in Cheapside was not as heavy, and Hannah breathed a sigh of relief as the carriage drew to a halt outside theplumassier's premises.
"Perhaps we shall put the top up on our return, Philip," she admitted, as the footman helped her down onto the path.
"As you wish, Miss Blackmore," he replied, without a hint of impertinence.
One of the perks of being wealthy, Hannah supposed, was that one could be wrong, and no one would dare say "I told you so".
Inside the cramped shop, Hannah spent a happy hour picking out ribbons and accoutrements for her bonnets. Mr Bobitol stocked a wide range of decorative ornaments, which included amongst them whole pieces of artificial fruits and flowers. Though he insisted that it wasà la mode, Hannah could not be talked into purchasing apapier-mâchépineapple, and instead opted for some green ribbon and a few sprigs of artificial Baby's-Breath and daisies.
Once she had made her choice, Mr Bobitol swept the items away to be wrapped, before handing the package over to Hannah without a word of what it had cost.
"Lady Lansdowne's account," Philip intoned, and theplumassiernodded discreetly.
The transaction was so different to those that took place in St Giles', where few merchants offered anything on credit. Hannah was so accustomed to counting every penny, that she could not quite believe that some people had so much money that they did not care what they spent.
"I think I shall peruse the rest of the shops, Philip," Hannah decided, once they were back in the fresh air, "I'll return shortly."
"Won't you need me to carry your bags, Miss Blackmore?" the footman replied, with some confusion.
"Hardly," Hannah grinned, "I haven't a groat to my name. I simply wish to browse."
