Sally James by Otherwise Engaged

white satin, with deep flounces at the hem, and the whole was worn over a large ungainly hoop.
    'Do you like it?' Charlotte asked wistfully. 'Emma has one very similar, but hers is pink.'
    Prudence swallowed her instinctive retort. How could the woman, even at a masquerade, allow the girls to appear as such frights?
    'Don't you think it will be difficult to manage those skirts?' she asked instead.
    'It will be awkward, I suppose, especially dancing, but Mama says we shall soon get used to it. She wore such gowns when she was young.'
    Not if she was a cook, Prudence thought wrathfully. A fierce determination to prevent Charlotte from wearing such a disastrous gown seized her.
    'Charlotte, I've had an idea! I haven't found a costume yet, but Uncle Dudley has several books with illustrations of ancient Greek and Roman people, and from what I recall their dresses were simple tunics and cloaks. Come and look at them with me, and we will find costumes which are easy for us to make. And let us keep it as a surprise for your Mama,' she added hurriedly.
    By the way Charlotte's eyes lit up Prudence knew she had her own doubts about the gown, and they gleefully arranged for Charlotte to come later that day to talk about ideas.
    Apart from distracting Charlotte's mind from the threat of marriage with Hubert Clutterbuck, and trying to bolster her courage, there was nothing Prudence could do. Back at home she tried to weave plans for discovering whether Edward Gregory's affections were engaged, but there seemed little hope of this. She had always treated him coldly, as the author of the wager with Lord Mottesford, and could scarcely change towards him in order to demand whether he loved Charlotte.
    And while Lord Mottesford himself kept at a distance there seemed little hope of making any useful inquiries.
    At last she decided to confide in Sarah, and urge her to try to discover what Mr Gregory's feelings were. They were both attending the opera that evening, and as they waited for it to begin Prudence signalled to Sarah, in a box opposite, that she needed to talk with her.
    It was a moment later that she realised Lord Mottesford was one of the party in Sarah's box, and during the first act she followed none of the action on stage. If he should accompany Sarah to the Fromes' box in the interval, should she make it plain he was forgiven? Would this enable her, perhaps, to find out more?
    She had not decided when the first interval began, so when Sarah appeared, escorted by Lord Mottesford, Prudence gave him a rather uncertain smile. He raised his eyebrows fractionally as he greeted her, and she blushed furiously, and as soon as possible drew Sarah away to the back of the box where she rapidly told her all that Charlotte had revealed to her.
    'Mr Gregory is her only hope, or that wretched woman will force her to marry the odious Hubert,' she concluded. 'How can we discover what he intends?'
    'I'll tell Edward he has offered for her, but she is reluctant,' Sarah said after a moment's reflection. 'If he loves her that will spur him into making his own declaration. If he does not there is nothing we can do.'
    Prudence sighed with relief.
    'Is it so easy?' she asked. 'I am certain he loves her, he looks at her so tenderly. Is he going to their masquerade?'
    'Yes, for he was wondering what to wear when I saw him yesterday.'
    'That woman!' Prudence exclaimed. 'She was going to make Charlotte wear some frightful outmoded dress with hoops, and even make her powder her hair! We spent the afternoon deciding on something else, and concluded the quickest thing to make was a Roman toga. Why don't you suggest that Edward wears Roman costume as well?'
    Sarah just had time to agree before it was time to return to their own box for the second act. As he rose to depart Lord Mottesford paused beside Prudence.
    'May I come back?' he asked quietly. 'We can walk outside and talk for a few moments, if you will.'
    Without waiting for her reply he nodded and left,