she’s finished, why don’t I walk you across the park and I can meet Philip at the headquarters.’
‘I thought women weren’t allowed inside?’
‘They’ve introduced a ladies’ room. I know – imagine the scandal. Philip said that when the vote was passed Augustus Rokewood nearly shouted himself into an apoplexy. And , even worse, wives are now permitted in the green dining room. Not in the main one though – that really would cause an outcry. Where would all the men go to hide?’
‘Only wives?’ Rosa asked.
‘Well, I expect they’d stretch a point for sisters,’ Clemency said, folding her napkin. ‘And fiancées,’ she added, with a sly sideways look. ‘But I think that would be the outer limit. Otherwise, Philip says, all the wives would rise up in fury imagining their husbands’ mistresses running amok over the vichyssoise.’ She nodded at Rosa’s cup. ‘Have you finished?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Well then, I shall ring for Liza to clear before the dressmaker gets here.’
‘Clemmie . . .’ Rosa said desperately as Clemency stretched her hand towards the bell. The words came rushing quick before she could think better of them, regret them. ‘Clemmie, isn’t there anything Philip could do for Alexis? He does so want a post and I know—’
‘I can ask,’ Clemency said, but her eyes were sad. ‘But I wouldn’t hold your breath, Rose. You know I love you, and I know we’re cousins, but it’s not a strong link compared to the bonds that tie the Ealdwitan together. It’s not easy to break into their ranks. You need a close connection, really. A first-hand relationship, either by blood or . . .’
She trailed off. She didn’t have to finish. Rosa knew. Or by marriage.
She swallowed.
‘Would you do it?’ Her voice was low and caught in her throat. ‘Would you marry him?’
‘It’s not as simple as that, is it?’ Clemency looked at her pragmatically. She pressed the bell and the chime rang out deep in the bowels of the house. ‘He hasn’t asked you, after all. Sebastian Knyvet is no boy to be had for the asking, you know. He’s brought back more than wealth and trinkets from the East, he’s brought a reputation too, and not entirely the good kind. I dare say you’ve not heard the rumours, but I’m a married woman – I hear more. He has broken hearts, and more than hearts. You won’t ensnare him by batting your eyelashes and lowering your fan. Unless I’m very wrong, he’s looking for something more than a bread-and-butter school miss.’
‘Is that what you think I am?’ Rosa stood. She felt her magic crackle across her skin, like a prickle of anger. Clemency shook her head.
‘Don’t be a fool, Rose. You’re my cousin and my friend – my sister in all but name. Sebastian is intrigued, I can see that. But he’ll want a woman who can meet him halfway, match him strength for strength.’
I have strength , Rosa thought. Her fists clenched inside her kid gloves.
‘You will have to play this very carefully if you want him. Do you want him?’
Do I want him? Rosa thought. She bit her lip, staring into Clemency’s wide blue eyes.
‘Do you want him?’ Clemency repeated, impatiently this time. ‘Do you want to save Matchenham and give your brother a future, yes or no?’
It was as if a hand had closed around Rosa’s heart, crushing it. She felt as if she were drowning in the blue of Clemency’s gaze.
‘Yes,’ she said in a whisper. ‘Yes . . . yes I want to save them.’
‘Good. Then the first step is to get you a habit that doesn’t look like it was fitted on a badly stuffed scarecrow.’
‘I like my habit,’ Rosa said mutinously. ‘It was good enough for hunting at Matchenham.’
‘Hunting at Matchenham won’t win you any suitors other than fat, red farmers. You look good on a horse; no, you look devastating on a horse. If we’re to make him fall in love with you . . .’
‘We?’ Rosa said tartly. Clemmie opened her eyes
‘I thought women weren’t allowed inside?’
‘They’ve introduced a ladies’ room. I know – imagine the scandal. Philip said that when the vote was passed Augustus Rokewood nearly shouted himself into an apoplexy. And , even worse, wives are now permitted in the green dining room. Not in the main one though – that really would cause an outcry. Where would all the men go to hide?’
‘Only wives?’ Rosa asked.
‘Well, I expect they’d stretch a point for sisters,’ Clemency said, folding her napkin. ‘And fiancées,’ she added, with a sly sideways look. ‘But I think that would be the outer limit. Otherwise, Philip says, all the wives would rise up in fury imagining their husbands’ mistresses running amok over the vichyssoise.’ She nodded at Rosa’s cup. ‘Have you finished?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Well then, I shall ring for Liza to clear before the dressmaker gets here.’
‘Clemmie . . .’ Rosa said desperately as Clemency stretched her hand towards the bell. The words came rushing quick before she could think better of them, regret them. ‘Clemmie, isn’t there anything Philip could do for Alexis? He does so want a post and I know—’
‘I can ask,’ Clemency said, but her eyes were sad. ‘But I wouldn’t hold your breath, Rose. You know I love you, and I know we’re cousins, but it’s not a strong link compared to the bonds that tie the Ealdwitan together. It’s not easy to break into their ranks. You need a close connection, really. A first-hand relationship, either by blood or . . .’
She trailed off. She didn’t have to finish. Rosa knew. Or by marriage.
She swallowed.
‘Would you do it?’ Her voice was low and caught in her throat. ‘Would you marry him?’
‘It’s not as simple as that, is it?’ Clemency looked at her pragmatically. She pressed the bell and the chime rang out deep in the bowels of the house. ‘He hasn’t asked you, after all. Sebastian Knyvet is no boy to be had for the asking, you know. He’s brought back more than wealth and trinkets from the East, he’s brought a reputation too, and not entirely the good kind. I dare say you’ve not heard the rumours, but I’m a married woman – I hear more. He has broken hearts, and more than hearts. You won’t ensnare him by batting your eyelashes and lowering your fan. Unless I’m very wrong, he’s looking for something more than a bread-and-butter school miss.’
‘Is that what you think I am?’ Rosa stood. She felt her magic crackle across her skin, like a prickle of anger. Clemency shook her head.
‘Don’t be a fool, Rose. You’re my cousin and my friend – my sister in all but name. Sebastian is intrigued, I can see that. But he’ll want a woman who can meet him halfway, match him strength for strength.’
I have strength , Rosa thought. Her fists clenched inside her kid gloves.
‘You will have to play this very carefully if you want him. Do you want him?’
Do I want him? Rosa thought. She bit her lip, staring into Clemency’s wide blue eyes.
‘Do you want him?’ Clemency repeated, impatiently this time. ‘Do you want to save Matchenham and give your brother a future, yes or no?’
It was as if a hand had closed around Rosa’s heart, crushing it. She felt as if she were drowning in the blue of Clemency’s gaze.
‘Yes,’ she said in a whisper. ‘Yes . . . yes I want to save them.’
‘Good. Then the first step is to get you a habit that doesn’t look like it was fitted on a badly stuffed scarecrow.’
‘I like my habit,’ Rosa said mutinously. ‘It was good enough for hunting at Matchenham.’
‘Hunting at Matchenham won’t win you any suitors other than fat, red farmers. You look good on a horse; no, you look devastating on a horse. If we’re to make him fall in love with you . . .’
‘We?’ Rosa said tartly. Clemmie opened her eyes
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