of dark hair rising above a pair of broad, muscled shoulders.
Chapter Five
It was late when Richard ushered his ladies into the house on Half Moon Street. Tally, thinking of her early morning appointment with Jonathan, bid Cat a hasty good night and repaired to her bedchamber. Much to her surprise, she had just snuggled under her comforter, when a light tap sounded on the door, and Cat thrust her head into view.
Observing that Tally was still awake, she paused for a moment, and, chuckling mischievously, she scuttled into the room and launched herself in a flying leap onto Tally’s bed. Tally, after an astonished moment, snatched up a pillow and began to pummel her friend. Cat availed herself of a second pillow and retaliated with a fierce barrage of feathery thumps. Soon the two young women dissolved in a fit of giggles.
“If Miss Pinfold could only see us now,” gasped Cat at last.
“Young ladies, I declare!” cried Tally, contorting her face into an expression of frigid disapproval. “You must stop this instant, or I shall be forced to....”
“... deal with you most severely!” they finished in unison.
The two, collapsed against each other in a final burst of laughter.
“Oh, Cat,” wailed Tally, “you absurd creature. Whatever made you think of those days? You’re a respectable matron now!”
“I don’t know. I guess it was the sight of your two big, brown eyes, peeping over the comforter, looking for all the world like the mischievous chit I remember from so many years ago.”
With a last swipe at her tormentor, Tally replaced the pillows and leaned back with a sigh, while Cat disposed herself comfortably on the counterpane.
“It was a long time ago, wasn’t it?” sighed Tally. “And look at us now. You, happily married, and I...”
“And you on the brink of a new life,” finished Cat. “Which brings me neatly to my next subject, Lady Talitha Burnside. You are starting out anew,” she continued in response to Tally’s questioning expression. “You said yourself that you will be going out and about. Now, Tally, I hope you won’t take offense at this, but you need a new wardrobe for your new life.”
“But, I have a new wardrobe. The gown I wore to the ball—the carriage dress I arrived in yesterday—Cat, what on earth are you talking about?”
“Who selected that new wardrobe?” demanded Cat.
“Why, Henry’s wife, Gertrude.”
“I thought so. And who was your modiste?”
Tally uttered a muffled snort.
“Modiste! Surely you don’t think Henry would go to the expense of hiring a modiste. He won’t do that even for Gertrude. No, the job of putting together my ensembles went to the village seamstress.”
Cat closed her eyes.
“Tally, have we or have we not been like sisters for the past sixteen years?”
“Well, yes, of course we have, you goose, but...”
“Then, as a sister, let me tell you, my dear, those clothes are absolutely dreadful!”
“Um, I guess they are, rather,” agreed Tally mildly. “But what difference does it make? I mean, they are in a reasonably fashionable mode, and they cover the areas of my person that are supposed to be covered. What more can I ask?”
Cat stared at her as though she had just given it as her opinion that tomorrow the sun would turn blue.
“Tally, even if those gowns fit properly, which they do not, they are screamingly unbecoming.”
“Well, I can see why that would be a consideration for you. You’re beautiful, and a beauty should be complemented by what she wears, but I—well, I guess that’s one more advantage of being plain. I could dress in a dish clout and it wouldn’t be particularly noticeable. Oh, I don’t mind, Cat,” she added quickly, as she observed her friend’s stricken expression. “Papa taught me when I was quite small that it didn’t matter that I am not pretty, since exterior beauty cannot compare with beauty of the spirit,”
At this Cat caught an astonished Tally by the shoulder
Chapter Five
It was late when Richard ushered his ladies into the house on Half Moon Street. Tally, thinking of her early morning appointment with Jonathan, bid Cat a hasty good night and repaired to her bedchamber. Much to her surprise, she had just snuggled under her comforter, when a light tap sounded on the door, and Cat thrust her head into view.
Observing that Tally was still awake, she paused for a moment, and, chuckling mischievously, she scuttled into the room and launched herself in a flying leap onto Tally’s bed. Tally, after an astonished moment, snatched up a pillow and began to pummel her friend. Cat availed herself of a second pillow and retaliated with a fierce barrage of feathery thumps. Soon the two young women dissolved in a fit of giggles.
“If Miss Pinfold could only see us now,” gasped Cat at last.
“Young ladies, I declare!” cried Tally, contorting her face into an expression of frigid disapproval. “You must stop this instant, or I shall be forced to....”
“... deal with you most severely!” they finished in unison.
The two, collapsed against each other in a final burst of laughter.
“Oh, Cat,” wailed Tally, “you absurd creature. Whatever made you think of those days? You’re a respectable matron now!”
“I don’t know. I guess it was the sight of your two big, brown eyes, peeping over the comforter, looking for all the world like the mischievous chit I remember from so many years ago.”
With a last swipe at her tormentor, Tally replaced the pillows and leaned back with a sigh, while Cat disposed herself comfortably on the counterpane.
“It was a long time ago, wasn’t it?” sighed Tally. “And look at us now. You, happily married, and I...”
“And you on the brink of a new life,” finished Cat. “Which brings me neatly to my next subject, Lady Talitha Burnside. You are starting out anew,” she continued in response to Tally’s questioning expression. “You said yourself that you will be going out and about. Now, Tally, I hope you won’t take offense at this, but you need a new wardrobe for your new life.”
“But, I have a new wardrobe. The gown I wore to the ball—the carriage dress I arrived in yesterday—Cat, what on earth are you talking about?”
“Who selected that new wardrobe?” demanded Cat.
“Why, Henry’s wife, Gertrude.”
“I thought so. And who was your modiste?”
Tally uttered a muffled snort.
“Modiste! Surely you don’t think Henry would go to the expense of hiring a modiste. He won’t do that even for Gertrude. No, the job of putting together my ensembles went to the village seamstress.”
Cat closed her eyes.
“Tally, have we or have we not been like sisters for the past sixteen years?”
“Well, yes, of course we have, you goose, but...”
“Then, as a sister, let me tell you, my dear, those clothes are absolutely dreadful!”
“Um, I guess they are, rather,” agreed Tally mildly. “But what difference does it make? I mean, they are in a reasonably fashionable mode, and they cover the areas of my person that are supposed to be covered. What more can I ask?”
Cat stared at her as though she had just given it as her opinion that tomorrow the sun would turn blue.
“Tally, even if those gowns fit properly, which they do not, they are screamingly unbecoming.”
“Well, I can see why that would be a consideration for you. You’re beautiful, and a beauty should be complemented by what she wears, but I—well, I guess that’s one more advantage of being plain. I could dress in a dish clout and it wouldn’t be particularly noticeable. Oh, I don’t mind, Cat,” she added quickly, as she observed her friend’s stricken expression. “Papa taught me when I was quite small that it didn’t matter that I am not pretty, since exterior beauty cannot compare with beauty of the spirit,”
At this Cat caught an astonished Tally by the shoulder
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