The sales girl opened her mouth to argue, but with one look at Miss Robeson in all her finery, closed it again.
Gaynor took the clothes from Linley’s arms and handed them to the girl. “Once you arrange that, come back. She will have more things for you to set aside.”
With a nod, the sales girl shuffled off in search of a fitting room.
“How did you do that?” Linley asked. “I’ve been trying to get someone to help me for the better part of an hour.”
Gaynor smiled. “You must be firm with them like you would a horse or a disobedient dog.”
“I will remember that. Thank you very much for your help.”
“You are quite welcome,” she said. “Good luck to you.”
The two young women shook hands just as Berenice arrived. “Miss Robeson!”
Gaynor smiled at the older woman. “Hello, Mrs. Hastings.”
“How is your mother?” Berenice asked her, thrusting an armload of clothes on Linley.
“Fine, thank you.”
“I see you two have met,” Berenice said. “I am assisting Miss Talbot-Martin in her come-out.”
Gaynor turned to Linley and smiled. “How wonderful! Mama will be hosting a benefit ball for the National Portrait Gallery next week. I’ll make sure you receive an invitation.”
Berenice clapped her hands together. “That is so kind of you, Miss Robeson.”
“Not at all,” Gaynor said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I must join my brothers in the Palm Court. They’ll be wondering where I’ve run off to.”
When Gaynor was gone, Berenice took Linley by the arm. “You have remarkably good fortune. Being seen at the Robeson’s will secure you invitations for the rest of the season!”
***
With all the work put into preparing for her debut, Linley still had not found the time to visit the British Museum. She had, however, memorized proper address for the peerage and familiarized herself on topics of conversation deemed proper for a young lady of society. Berenice insisted all of this was far more important than expanding one’s mind by visiting history museums.
“History has come and gone,” the woman explained, “But your future is still to be determined!”
So Linley grudgingly went to dress fittings and court rehearsals to prepare herself for her presentation before the King and Queen. Mr. Talbot-Martin also prepared himself for his investiture. The evenings for both events rapidly approached, and both father and daughter’s nervousness increased with each passing day. Berenice handled it all with cool reserve, and if she worried whether Linley would make a poor show of herself, she never let on.
The court presentation came and went with very little fuss. Linley waited in line with the dozens of other young debutantes to be presented. She curtsied before the King and Queen and managed to back down the aisle without tripping over her feet or her train. Afterwards, she went home and slept for fourteen hours straight.
With that hurdle out of the way, the Talbot-Martins could finally get down to business—securing investors for future expeditions.
“The Robeson’s ball will be the perfect place to find people interested in the arts, and with deep pockets,” Berenice explained over breakfast. “Linley’s first evening gown just arrived from the dressmaker, so I think the ball tonight would be the natural place to start her introduction into society. The Robeson children keep very good company. They’ll know plenty of young ladies and gentlemen whom Linley could benefit from by association.”
“I am certain Linley is more concerned with securing an expedition for the summer than with your societal ambitions,” Bedford replied.
“But introducing her to society was your idea.” Berenice shook her head, refusing to be thwarted in her plans for the young woman’s future success. “Surely you cannot expect her to traipse around the world collecting rocks and bones for the rest of her life.”
“She may do so if she wishes.”
“But she is already twenty years of age. Too much more of this nonsense and she will never find a husband. Linley is not an heiress, as you well know.”
Mr. Talbot-Martin nearly slammed his fist against the breakfast table. “If you are insinuating that my daughter could only capture a husband through money, you are sorely mistaken. Linley is smart, sensible, and considerate. What she may lack in beauty or finances, she more than makes up for in other areas.”
Linley sat motionless. She detested being talked about as if she weren’t sitting right across the table from them. Even more than that, she hated the conversation taking place. Despite whatever her father and his cousin thought, Linley had no intention of marrying.