THE SEASON

SOPHIA HOLLOWAY

DEDICATION

For K. M. L. B.

CONTENTS

1. TITLE PAGE
2. DEDICATION
3. CHAPTER ONE
4. CHAPTER TWO
5. CHAPTER THREE
6. CHAPTER FOUR
7. CHAPTER FIVE
8. CHAPTER SIX
9. CHAPTER SEVEN
10. CHAPTER EIGHT
11. CHAPTER NINE
12. CHAPTER TEN
13. CHAPTER ELEVEN
14. CHAPTER TWELVE
15. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
16. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
17. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
18. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
19. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
20. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
21. CHAPTER NINETEEN
22. CHAPTER TWENTY
23. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
24. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
25. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
26. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
27. COPYRIGHT

CHAPTER ONE

‘I have received a letter from your Aunt Elstead, my dear.’ Sir John Gaydon looked up from his perusal of the missive, held at arm’s length both to facilitate his reading and to keep the peculiarly scented paper from his nose. He smiled at his daughter.

‘How is my aunt, Papa?’ Miss Henrietta Gaydon put down the sock she was darning in a housewifely manner.

‘Well, very well, as it appears you will be able to see for yourself, quite soon.’

‘She is coming to visit us?’ Henrietta was astounded, since she could not actually recall having met her aunt since her mother’s funeral, some eight years previously.

‘No, Henrietta, you are going to see her. I … you are eighteen, ready to make your curtsey before the polite world, and your aunt has kindly agreed to present you this Season, with your cousin Caroline.’

‘You mean go to London?’ Henrietta made it sound as if it were St Petersburg.

‘Yes, of course. It would be unfair, even cruel of me, to keep you cooped up here, and prevent you making your mark, taking advantage of meeting … people.’ In truth, Sir John did not relish the idea of losing his daughter to a husband, but recognised it was selfishness on his part.

‘London,’ repeated Henrietta, in an awed voice. ‘Almack’s?’

‘I cannot conceive why not. I am sure your aunt will be procuring vouchers for your cousin.’

‘But what shall I wear?’

‘Gowns.’ Sir John blinked at the question, which, as a man, he took quite literally. ‘No need to fear there are not sufficient funds put by to cover your junketing about. Your aunt was always quite the fashionable lady, and will rig you out in fine style.’

Henrietta sat down in the nearest chair in a manner that the lady would no doubt have considered lacking in deportment.

‘I cannot believe it, Papa. I had thought perhaps the local assemblies …’