Blame It on Bath Page 0,63

a little taller, but otherwise, Katherine thought, their own mother might mistake one for the other.

Together, they were two of the most entertaining people she had ever encountered. From the moment they called, she was caught up in the rapid swirl of their conversation, sent in one direction, then another, flooded with information about other residents of Bath and the peculiarities of Queen Square one moment and barraged with polite questions about herself the next. All of it was done in such a deft and friendly way, though, she found herself smiling and answering freely.

“We are just so delighted to have such a pretty new neighbor, delighted!” declared Mrs. Woodforde, beaming. “Barbara, isn’t she the loveliest girl you’ve ever seen?”

Lady Darby nodded vigorously. “Indeed! What I wouldn’t give for such fine skin and eyes.”

“You flatter me,” Katherine said with a blush of discomfort.

“Stuff and nonsense. Barbara was considered a pretty girl in her youth, but she never had a good complexion.” Mrs. Woodforde leaned forward and whispered loudly, “Cow pox, you know.”

“Hush, Alice!” cried Lady Darby. “It is two trifling scars!”

“I think she must have been a great beauty,” said Katherine, not certain how to react.

“Well, perhaps,” allowed Mrs. Woodforde as her sister smiled in delight at Katherine. “We are twins, you know.”

“I am the younger,” put in Lady Darby.

“I am the prettier,” added Mrs. Woodforde with a triumphant air. Katherine bit back a smile, only to let it out when both older ladies burst into laughter at each other.

“You must forgive us, Lady Gerard. We have only each other most of the time, and sometimes forget ourselves.“ Mrs. Woodforde dabbed at her eyes, still chuckling.

“Yes, no daughters to pass on our great beauty to,” said Lady Darby, sending her sister into another gale of laughter. “And our sons all gone off here and there! Mrs. Woodforde’s eldest is at sea, like his father was, and my boy has taken up the law, in London. So you’ve done a great service to us all, bringing your tall, handsome husband to ornament our Square.” Lady Darby winked at her. “Shall we see you at the Assembly Rooms soon?”

“Er . . . Possibly.” Katherine smiled to cover the fact that she didn’t know if her husband liked to dance or play cards. “The captain has taken a box at the theater.”

“Excellent! We attend the theater every week, twice if the weather is poor. Good weather, as you must know, Lady Gerard, leads to a great many entertainments in Bath. And in the autumn, there are festive activities, which you will no doubt enjoy—you do plan to remain in Bath through the end of the year?”

“I—well . . .”

“Hush, Alice,” Lady Darby scolded her sister. “Bath is miserable in winter, and you know it. You fly for the coast at the first frost.”

“ ’Tis not miserable,” Mrs. Woodforde cried. “We go to Portishead for the admiral’s health.” Her husband was a retired Admiral of the White, as she had mentioned three times already.

Lady Darby sniffed. “By health, you mean his desire to be solitary.”

“He enjoys better health out of society,” her sister retorted.

“I am sure his absence does society no harm, either.” Both ladies went off in another fit of laughter. Making sport of each other’s husbands appeared to be a habit of theirs. “Quite unlike your husband, Lady Gerard. We do so hope to see a good deal of both of you.”

“They’re newly married, Barbara!” Mrs. Woodforde fanned herself. “We shall be lucky to see them at all!”

“Pish.” Lady Darby made a face. “Newly married was the only time Sir Philip would escort me about. We are hardly ever together now.”

“And I don’t see why you are complaining about it!” More laughter. “But really, Lady Gerard, you must have him wound around your little finger by now! He’s a very fortunate fellow in our opinion, surely you can persuade him.”

“Of course she can,” declared Lady Darby. “I implore you, Lady Gerard. We are so very delighted to have new neighbors. Queen Square shall be ever so much livelier now you are here. You must dine with us.”

“I should like that very much.” Katherine smiled a little nervously. She had gathered from Bragg that gossipy old ladies were not the company Gerard enjoyed best, but one must be neighborly. And it was so lovely to be invited anywhere, and to be free to accept as she wished, she decided she would go alone if she must. The two ladies were so warm and