Lady in Rags

Chapter Thirteen: Entrapment

The hotel was larger and more extravagant than the one they had stayed in in Blackpool, and the dining room attracted many fantastic visitors. Verity saw a man wearing a giant blue feather in his hair, and a woman in a dress made of so fine a fabric it was almost transparent – no, she saw, it was definitely transparent.

"Do all the French dress like this?" she whispered to her husband.

"I think you'll find that was an Englishwoman," he replied, scanning the room for the Walthropes. But Verity saw them first. They were at a quiet table in a corner, away from the crowds, half-enclosed by a drape coming from the wall. She got the feeling, suddenly, that Mrs Walthrope was the kind of woman who always managed to make sure things were arranged to her liking.

Armiger saw them too, and they went over.

"Are you quite well now?" Miss Walthrope asked solicitously as Armiger pulled out a chair for Verity.

"Much better, thank you. It was just sea-sickness."

"I never can handle the first day at sea myself," Miss Walthrope admitted. "Well, I say, never, but that was the first real sea journey I've ever been on. I was quite all right after the first day though."

Miss Walthrope was awkward, and pleasant despite it. Mrs Walthrope, sitting next to Armiger, had dressed extremely well in a pale green chiffon gown with dark green satin ribbon details. It set off her cream complexion very well, and she seemed to glow with more youth and energy than Verity. She was neither as awkward nor pleasant as her sister-in-law.

"Now," Mrs Walthrope said, sensing Verity examining her, "You must tell me more about yourself. I must know you."

There was a strange intensity, emphasis to almost every second word. Mrs Walthrope's blue eyes were fixed brightly on Verity's, and there was a half-hidden curve of her lips that made Verity sure she was laughing at her.

"I'm not in the habit of knowing myself to strangers," said Verity. "What should I say?"

"Well," said Mrs Walthrope, "You can begin with what you think of your husband. Is he not terribly unfeeling at times?"

"No, I don't think so," Verity said, and focused her attentions on a bread roll. Suddenly, she realized how hungry she was, having spent the past few days hardly eating. She ate it in two bites, and was swallowing when Mr Armiger said warningly,

"Really, Jane, you're teasing. I won't begin to ask what you think of your husband."

Mrs Walthrope shrugged. "He was fat. He was not handsome. His face was very red, like a brick, especially when I made him angry, and I did that frequently, didn't I Elise?"

Miss Walthrope assented. "Oh yes, you can be so trying, dear. I suppose it's your mind. You didn't ask for a sharp mind, but you've got one, and it makes your tongue sharp too."

"But now you know what I think of my husband," Jane said brightly, "So why don't you tell me what you think of yours?"

Verity had finished her roll and was looking to see when they would be served the entree. She was annoyed that Mrs Walthrope was still prying, especially when she herself was curious to have her questions about Armiger answered. So she only said, with a passable attempt at amusement,

"You can see yourself, he's slender and handsome and pale, and not angry. But that's not how you get to know a person anyway. Why don't you ask me about..." She paused. "Oh, Food." The footman was bringing a tray over.

For several minutes, the table was silent but for the scrape of forks against ceramic. Verity busied herself with the beef sirloin, and the kidney pie.