"Well, I must say it's very--quiet here," said Henrietta. "You're the second soul that's come to call on me and I've been here more than a fortnight."
"Certainly Cennanceaster is quieter than London," said Mrs. Pershing. "But you'll find we have our own little circle here. Maria and I--do you know Maria Bede? She is the Vicar's wife--and surely if you haven't met her you've seen her in church--as I was saying, Maria and I and some of the other women all visit each other after church on Sunday. You must just come with me this Sunday and meet them."
Something inside Henrietta was very glad of the invitation, and that part of her assured Mrs. Pershing that she should love to, but another part of her stomach twisted at the thought of meeting a roomful of women who all knew each other and who would all wish to know her as Lady Arnold.
"You see," she said after a moment, "of course Cennanceaster is smaller than London-what town isn't?"
"--but I really only was in London for one season. I met Frederick almost as soon as I arrived, and by the flower show we were engaged. Cenanceaster is even smaller than the town I grew up in. Fiskport--that's near Brighton. I suppose it is a bigger town because of the port. Anyhow, even compared to that town Cennanceaster is small."
Mrs. Pershing was still wondering what she meant by the flower show, but before she could think of a way to ask without feeling stupid, Lady Arnold turned toward the doorway and said, "Oh! Frederick!"
Sir Arold was standing in the doorway with a cup of tea, smiling.
"Did you expect someone else?" He asked.
"I thought you were only Jean," confessed Henrietta.
"No, my Lady, but if you want I'll bring in your tea for you..."
He was standing across the table from Mrs. Pershing now, and so Henrietta rushed to introduce them. Mrs. Pershing made her courtsey and was told again that he had met her husband just earlier that day. Then Lord Arnold set his teacup down on the wood table, which elicited a frown from his wife, and sat down.
"Are there any other Pershings I ought to meet today, Mrs. Pershing?" Sir Frederick asked. "I am colecting my aquantances by family, you see."
"Well, there's Harry, who's 4, and Brittany, who's 2, and Jemmy--Jeremy, who was born in September... " she said. "But I think perhaps they are somewhat young to be your aquaintances."
"I'll throw them back and wait for them to grow a little," said Sir Frederick.
"Oh, dear," said Henrietta."Then poor Mrs. Pershing is caught for good!"
"But as our freind, I hope," prompted her husband.
"Of course!" Mrs. Pershing replied.
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