Andy's Story

Chapter Two - Invitations

                 

Two days after Andrea had arrived in London Lady Jemima Hearnshaw, Countess of Foyley, Lady Lucie Sparrowhawk, Countess of Melville, and Lady Annabella Underwood, Viscountess Underwood all descended on her for a morning visit.

Andrea called for the tea trolley and they all settled into the drawing room. When the trolley arrived she poured the tea and they settled back for a comfortable coze.

Laughter filling the drawing room every now and then as the four friends caught up. Once they had related all the news, and eulogized on all the joys of motherhood and how each of their children were going, Jemima, Lucie and Annabella all exchanged looks that made Andrea feel uneasy. They were up to something.

Closing her eyes briefly she took a deep breath to steady her nerves and waited for them to begin. Andrea looked at her friends all elegantly dressed sitting before her, they were no longer the wallflowers of years gone by. They were society hostess now. All that was left was for Andrea to learn what sort of hot water they were planning to place her in.

"What are you three planning?" Andrea asked suspiciously.

Silence hang in the air while her three friends looked at each other. It was as if some signal had passed between them all for Jemima nodded and was the first to break to silence. "You simply must come to this dinner party that I'm having," she told Andrea, a twinkle in her grey eyes. "You know Raoul and I won't hear of you saying no, here's the invitation." She added, pulling a slim cream envelope out of her dress pocket and passing it to Andrea.

Sceptical, Andrea asked: "Just a dinner party?"

"I'm hurt that you don't believe me." Jemima said, pouting comically as her eyes twinkled.

Opening the envelope Andrea took out the gilt edged invitation and looked down at it, yes it was just a dinner party. Then she saw the date, "tomorrow evening?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, and I can send Raoul around to get you. It's time society was graced with your presence once again my dear Andrea." A loving smile touched Jemima's lips as she looked at Andrea.

"Well, I don't know about that, they have done fine without me for the last three years. I'm sure that they can survive without me for a little longer." Andrea replied, raising her cup to hide the quirky smile upon her lips, a twinkle in her green eyes.

"Now Andy, don't be like that." Jemima said, swatting the air in front of her and pointed to Andrea. "It's settled, Raoul will come for you at seven and you can stand in the receiving line with us. You are my guest of honour, after all. We are going to re-introduce you to society."

"You know how I feel about society Jem," Andrea began.

"Yes I know, but what do they think about you?"

"Truly, I don't care. Only a few of them sent cards when my parents died, and only you three came down to see me. That tells me all I need to know about society!" Andrea told them. "But," she sighed, watching her friend's closely, "Since you have gone to all this effort Jem I will come, and having Raoul to pick me up would be wonderful. At least you will know that I am definitely coming then." Andrea smiled and then turned her attention on to Lucie and Annabella, "And what have you two got planned for me? Anything I should be worried about? A ball perhaps?" Andrea asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't dream of putting you through something so harrowing!" Annabella said as she too reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a slim cream envelope and handed it to Andrea. "And Marcus will be coming to pick you up on the night, he has already agreed to do so."