Caroline and her Mirror
It was time for Caroline to practice for her future role in society. She yelled … um, called (a future duchess or countess never yelled) … for her maid to bring her tea and to place it on the small table in her private sitting room. After she told the maid to get out and not to come back until she was called for, Caroline prepared the room to her liking. The tea table was next to the chair that Caroline would sit it. Directly across from the table was a large mirror, situated in just the right spot so Caroline could see herself being elegant. Caroline then situated another mirror on the other side of the room, in a direct line with her first mirror so that she could watch herself walking elegantly. There! The room was now perfect for her practice.
She sat (elegantly, of course) in the chair and picked up her cup of tea. She lifted her chin as high as she could in order for others to see the elegance of her neck and posture. She watched herself as she held the delicate china in her hands, took a sip of the tea, and began to talk. "Yes, you may call me Your Grace … I am, of course, Her Grace the Duchess of …" here she paused as she tried to think of an appropriate place, finally saying with a wave of her hand "... wherever. My husband the Duke will be here shortly as one of the Royal Family wanted his advice." She continued to talk to herself about summer plans, house parties, and elegant dinners that she would plan as part of her future. She set her empty cup down and watched herself stand with the elegance expected of a future Duchess. She reached out her arm, angling it just so, and tilted her wrist so that her fingers fell into the perfect arch for supplicants to kiss. She next practiced her gliding (Duchesses did not simply walk!) and was able to watch herself in the two mirrors. She practiced nodding to her equals and cutting those beneath her (which would be practically everyone). She then turned and glided back to her chair.
She poured herself another cup of tea and sat down, again lifting her chin, not quite as high as she would as a Duchess, but still high enough for others to see the elegance of her neck. She faced herself and once again began to speak. "Yes, of course I remember you. I am Lady Caroline, the Countess of …" again, waving her hand, "...whatever. My husband the earl is here talking business with the other titled people in the room. … Yes, as soon as his obligations as an earl have been scheduled, we will be holding a summer party at our estate … Yes, I am sure we will be hosting some glittering parties as well … of course invitations to our events are the most sought after in all of London and beyond." She set down the empty teacup in a noticeable manner (so that others could see how refined she was to own such tea service items). She again stood, all the while watching herself as she again glided up and down the room, turning to nod to the adoring masses and curtseying to those of a higher sphere. Every step she made, every move of her head, her arms, her entire being, showed yet again her high level of sophistication.
Back at her fashionable tea service, for a final time, she poured herself a cup of tea and sat down. This next one was a little tricky. While she could practice being an elegant, fashionable married woman, this time she would have to do it as an untitled married woman. She still tilted her head up so that others could see her elegant neck. It would not do for anyone to think she married beneath herself simply because her husband did not have a title. "Yes, I am Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. I am sure you know my husband. You may have even been a guest at one of his, or rather our, estates. Of course that was before we married. I am afraid that invitations to Pemberly have become much more exclusive now." Somehow, she managed to look down at the riffraff while still holding her neck in an elegant position. This was a challenging pose to hold, but she watched herself in satisfaction. She, Caroline, could pull off this look. Not many women in society could! She again stood and glided up and down her room, managing to cut anyone without a title and intimate that she was just as good, or better, than anyone with a title – not an easy thing to do!
Once she sat back down, she nodded in satisfaction to her reflection. She was prepared for any appropriate marriage offer that came her way. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, the three cups of tea that she had sipped, was now urgently wanted out. Inelegantly, she ran into the other room, hoping to relieve herself in the chamber pot and not on the floor. That would not be sophisticated at all!