A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde

Almack’s board, before I got there.”
    â€œOh, well.” Lady Blanchard attempted a careless attitude. “We knew it could not be kept quiet for long. Men talk as well as women, and all of Blanchard’s ministry friends knew about the posting days ago.”
    Rosalind fixed her attention on her hostess. She did not dare blink lest she miss some subtle point of her friend’s reaction to what she said next. “Lady Edmund wants to become a patroness.”
    Lady Blanchard froze, a heartbeat of absolute stillness. “She
what?
”
    â€œShe asked me to use my influence with you to smooth her way.”
    Lady Blanchard set her cup down. She rose then, and walked to the window. Rosalind watched with a growing sense of alarm. For Lady Blanchard, such a gesture was as forceful as another woman’s shout.
    â€œTell me what she said,” ordered Lady Blanchard without turning around. “And what she did. Tell me exactly.”
    Rosalind did, describing as best she could the scene and the conversation she had endured. She even told Lady Blanchard about the offer of a house and an annuity.
    â€œWho was there when she did this?”
    The question took Rosalind aback. How could that matter?
No
, she stopped herself. Of course it mattered. Who heard a thing was at least as important as who said it. “No one at that time. We were alone until Lord Casselmain arrived.”
    â€œAh. Yes. He’d be there to visit Honoria. I’ve heard the rumors coming from that quarter, and I’m sorry.”
    â€œThere is no need,” murmured Rosalind, trusting the distance between them to mask any telltale note of falsehood. LadyBlanchard had, after all, been the first to warn her that setting her heart on Devon was a mistake.
    Lady Blanchard maintained her post by the arched window, staring out at her walled garden and the cobblestone street beyond. Rosalind felt something very close to panic bubbling up in her. It was ridiculous, and she knew it. She was behaving as if her friend were threatening harm or dissolving into hysterics. But that was how she felt. For all the time she had known Lady Blanchard, she had never seen her betray such indecision that she could not even look at the person to whom she spoke.
    Then, just as Rosalind was certain she could endure no more, Lady Blanchard turned, and it was not indecision Rosalind saw shining in her expression. It was triumph, cold and absolute.
    â€œThis is an excellent turn of events,” Lady Blanchard said. “Lady Edmund should not only seek the post of patroness, she should have it. It’s perfect.”
    â€œLady Blanchard . . .”
    â€œNo, no, you must trust me, Rosalind.” She returned to her seat and took both of Rosalind’s hands. “It is positively providential. Lady Jersey will not approve of her at first, but we can change her mind. I’ll enlist the Countess Lieven to help. She can persuade Mrs. Drummond-Burrell and Lady Sefton. Then we’ll all work together on Sarah . . . yes.” Lady Blanchard’s eyes darted back and forth, following the thoughts that flickered through her mind. “You’ll have your work cut out for you as well. We must build up Lady Edmund’s social presence, and show off her hostessing skills. That will be your work. She must hold a series of routs and supper parties, and they must be exquisite. You will send me the guest lists and I will make sure the required persons, in fact, attend. Getting Lady Edmund out into the most useful settings without tipping our hand might be a little more difficult. I can arrange only so many invitations . . .”
    â€œStop, please, Lady Blanchard.” Rosalind withdrew her hands so she could smooth her brow. “Just a moment so I can catch my breath! I am ready to stand by you, and do whatever you need and whatever you ask. But please, can’t you take me into your confidence? How can I