Chapter 6
Bond Street was alive with activity. Well-to-do men and women bustled on both sides of the street. Shop doors opened and closed and wares of all kinds were loaded into waiting carriages. Genevieve, Lady Worcester's attendant, had joined her mistress and Charlotte for the purpose of caring for their purchases. Genevieve was, like Charlotte, in her early twenties and fair skinned. She had an oval face, blonde hair and green eyes. She was originally from Marseille and spoken not only French and English but Italian and Spanish as well. Charlotte found Genevieve, as she had Lady Worcester's other servants, irrepressibly pleasant and accommodating.
Charlotte was not only in awe of the shopping—there were more stores with clothing, shoes, and accessories than she had ever seen—but also of the people. She could hardly walk for looking at the people, and her interest was heightened by the fragments of conversations that floated past her ears. As the three women left a dress shop, she stopped to soak in the excitement. This was definitely not the London she saw during her first visit.
"Charlotte, what is it?" Lady Worcester asked, suddenly concerned.
"Oh, it's all so wonderful!" Charlotte said, her head turning left then right to see the length of the street. "I just love watching people. I wonder, where are they all going? What are they all thinking?"
Lady Worcester's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "I do as well, Charlotte." She, too, stood for a moment and watched. It was a scene she had experienced many times before, but seeing it through Charlotte's eyes made it all seem new. "Come, we must find jewelry for your dress."
"Susan, you've already been so kind. I do not know what I will do with all of things you have already bought me." Lady Worcester had purchased five dresses for Charlotte, including a dress for the dinner in a shade of pistachio, and three pairs of shoes.
"Nonsense. A woman can never have enough dresses, shoes, or jewelry. I know exactly the place to go to find what we need." Lady Worcester wound her way through the crowd and a few moments later, entered a shop with earrings and necklaces on a counter glinting from the sunlight. "Good morning, Mr. Collins."
"Ah, Lady Worcester," a gray-haired, flustered man responded. "Good morning. I shall be with you in a moment. Now, Mrs. Campion—"
Charlotte's feet felt as if she had stepped into wet mortar at the sound of Mrs. Campion's name. Though her face was obscured by her hat, Charlotte could see the slim frame and knew instantly it was Mrs. Campion. What was she doing here? What madness was this?
"Mrs. Campion," Lady Worcester said in a friendly tone, interrupting Mr. Collins. "How lovely to see you again."
Mrs. Campion turned, surprise rendering on her face. "Lady Worcester, how nice to see you. I haven't seen you since the regatta in Sanditon."
"It has been some time, hasn't it?" Lady Worcester said.
"Yes. How are you enjoying the day?"
"Quite well, thank you. Charlotte Heywood is visiting me and we've been having a wonderful time. You do remember, Miss Heywood, don't you?" Lady Worcester stepped back to reveal Charlotte standing behind her, though Charlotte desperately wished she hadn't.
The small smile on Mrs. Campion's face turned to a scowl and tension like a thick plume of smoke descended on the room. "Why, yes. Miss Heywood, I thought you had returned to Willingham," she said, her lips having difficulty forming the words through her pursed lips.
"Willingden," Charlotte corrected. "And yes, I did return but Lady Worcester has been very generous and invited me to visit her home." Charlotte repeated the line Lady Worcester had told her to say as calmly as she could.
"How long have you been in London?" Mrs. Campion asked.
"Only since yesterday."
Mrs. Campion nodded slowly. "And how long will you be staying?"
"A month," Charlotte replied. A month was the time she and Lady Worcester had agreed upon at the bridge.
"Well, I doubt I will see you again before you leave. Sidney and I will be in Paris after the wedding. We haven't set a return date. Paris is so delightful this time of year, we may seek to make it our home away from home. As a matter of fact, that is why I am here today. I had a pair of earrings custom-made for the wedding—a present from Sidney."
"Actually, it is fortuitous that I saw you today, Mrs. Campion," Lady Worcester said. "I am hosting a dinner at my home tomorrow and had planned to have the invitation delivered to you today."
Mrs. Campion's attention swiveled from Charlotte to Lady Worcester. "Dinner at your home?" she asked.
"Yes. To celebrate your engagement and welcome Mr. Parker officially to London society. I'm hosting it tomorrow. Though I know he has spent time in London, I do not believe my acquaintances have been properly introduced to him. I am deeply sorry for not sending word sooner, but I have been in Venice the past few weeks and just learned that you are to be married. Is Mr. Parker's family in town for the wedding?"
"Yes."
"Then they are invited as well."
Mrs. Campion blinked rapidly, attempting to absorb the request. "We…we would be delighted to attend," she agreed.
"Splendid. Dinner will be served at five o'clock. There will be wine and time to meet everyone attending before then."
The small smile returned to Mrs. Campion's face. "We will be present. Thank you for the invitation."
"You are most welcome. I am looking forward to it." Lady Worcester. "Charlotte, dear, please look around the store. Anything you want is yours."
Charlotte, still shocked, looked from Lady Worcester to Genevieve. She wasn't sure if her feet would move. Lady Worcester gestured for Genevieve to lead Charlotte away, and Genevieve dutifully took Charlotte's elbow to guide her to the other side of the store.
"Now, Mr. Collins, you were saying?" Mrs. Campion said, turning her attention back to the jeweler.
"The earrings are not quite ready yet," he replied.
"But my wedding is in four days."
"They will be ready tomorrow. You have my word."
"I placed my request for these earrings nearly a month ago," Mrs. Campion chided. "I selected you because you are the best jeweler in London."
Mr. Collins mopped his sweat-soaked brow with his handkerchief. "Yes, yes, I understand, Mrs. Campion." He turned to Lady Worcester. "Lady Worcester, unfortunately it is the same for your necklace. I…I have just been overcome with work in the past week. It will be ready tomorrow."
"Oh, dear," Lady Worcester said. "Well, certainly Mrs. Campion's request is more urgent than mine, but I also came to you because you are a master craftsman. I can wait until tomorrow. But no longer than that."
Mr. Collins bobbed his head up and down, mopped his face again, and then placed the handkerchief in his pocket.
"Mrs. Campion, since both of our items will be ready tomorrow, would you be so kind and bring my box tomorrow when you come to dinner?" Lady Worcester asked.
Mrs. Campion hesitated. "Well, I—"
"My servants and I will be terribly busy preparing for the dinner and since you are attending, it would help me tremendously," Lady Worcester pleaded. "I could certainly send for a courier to retrieve it, but I am very cautious about having something so valuable handled by just anyone." She leaned over to whisper. "It is an emerald necklace for Charlotte. A surprise."
Mrs. Campion swallowed and nodded. "Yes, I will bring it tomorrow to the dinner."
"Wonderful. Thank you. I know you of all people understand the importance of keeping jewelry created by Mr. Nigel Collins safe from harm. They will be highly valued antiques one day." Lady Worcester smiled. "Until tomorrow." She turned and found Charlotte and Genevieve comparing gold bangle bracelets. "Do you see something you like, Charlotte?"
Charlotte heard the door close and peered around Lady Worcester to ensure Mrs. Campion was gone. "What was that?" she whispered, irritation creeping into her words.
"What was what?" Lady Worcester responded.
"Mrs. Campion. Did you know she was going to be here?"
"While London is a city of one million people, the beau monde of London is quite small," Lady Worcester replied, examining the quality of gold on the bracelets. "It is not uncommon to see people in the same circle shopping. Would you like this?" She held up a bracelet with a single cameo in the center.
"No, thank you. I think I have had enough shopping for today."
"Well, there is still plenty to see and do. As a matter of fact, Genevieve is going to take you to see some of the sights now. I have some business to tend to."
Charlotte looked at Lady Worcester for what felt like the hundredth time in shock. "I thought you and I were going to see the city together."
"We are. I will join you later this afternoon. You will have a wonderful time with Genevieve." Lady Worcester quickly departed and Charlotte fought back tears. The encounter with Mrs. Campion, while not as brutal as the one at the regatta, was unsettling nonetheless. Charlotte thought she would have another day to prepare for seeing Mrs. Campion at the dinner. Yet, there Charlotte was, facing the woman engaged to Sidney. The woman she was sure hated her. Lady Worcester had said Charlotte was Mrs. Campion's Achilles' heel and Charlotte believed it to be true now more than ever. Charlotte could only imagine how Mrs. Campion felt, seeing Charlotte in London just days before her wedding. Wrath must have been at the top of the list. Charlotte could not tell if this was part of Lady Worcester's plan. Once again, Lady Worcester had not answered her directly when asked if she knew Mrs. Campion would be in the shop. Charlotte was certain, however, that if constantly feeling like she was being pushed into raging river was part of the plan, then she wanted no part of it.