What a lot I have to tell you about! I have now been presented, which sounds a wonderful thing, but in truth it was not as exciting as I had dreamed. Her Majesty is old and looks quite frail. Have you ever seen the King or Queen? I feel very sorry for the poor King.

You would have laughed to see me, and Cousin Caroline, in our court dress, for it is most outmoded and unbecoming, but it does mean that all the girls who are presented look equally awful. My Aunt Elstead was as nervous as we were in case we made some terrible mistake, but all went very smoothly, except for one poor girl whose heel caught in her hem as she made her curtsey. The rending sound was very audible, and unless Her Majesty is very deaf, she must have heard it, but she remained perfectly impassive. The other girls felt sorry for her, but the lady presenting her, and I do not know if it was her mama, looked exceedingly put out. It is a good job that the gentlemen do not come and watch the proceedings, or they would remain in their clubs and not come to any of the parties to see us again. Can you imagine me with ostrich feathers sticking from the top of my head? I hope that your answer is ‘no’.

I am trying to do as you suggested in your first letter, dear Charles, and rest in the afternoons, but there is so much going on I often do not get the chance. However, I do not think that I am in danger of becoming wan as yet; at least, my mirror does not tell me so. I think that eventually one must tire of the social life, but at present I have not, as Lord Netheravon predicted, come to find it boring, and being popular is most enjoyable and I have not yet had to sit out a dance at Almack’s, which makes some other young ladies jealous. I am a little less fortunate in having an admirer who attempts poetry, very badly, but he is very much of the ‘pup’ variety, and so not serious. He also tends to sigh in my presence, which is remarkably disconcerting, and he appears a trifle disordered of dress. My cousin Caroline says he is trying to ape Lord Byron, but I think he is merely feckless, or has a very inept valet.

Lord Henfield smiled at this. So she was not so immersed in the Season that her eye had become uncritical.