Spellcracker's Honeymoon by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Author:Tansy Rayner Roberts [Roberts, Tansy Rayner]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780648898320
Publisher: Tansy Rayner Roberts

There were four ladies’ dressing rooms in all. Mneme became acquainted with each in great detail thanks to Juno’s insistence on a comprehensive promenade. So much for being slowed down by her delicate condition — Juno was more fired up than ever to suck the marrow out of every social event.

Mneme was able to offer Juno a few introductions, thanks to her recent appearance at the Queen’s picnic. She had not yet spotted Lady Persimmon, or Mrs Phoebe Holiday, but she did stumble into a few royal aunties, and then Miss Wheaten, the reporter from The Gentlewoman.

Miss Wheaten went into raptures of delight at Juno’s marvellous costume, and insisted she place her scarlet-and-gold mask on immediately, to be sketched by the team of urchins she had at the ready to produce fashion illustrations.

“Such a bore,” said Juno afterwards, but she was glowing at the attention.

As they bid farewell to Miss Wheaten and her assistants, Mneme noticed a completed sketch sticking out of the satchel of one of the artists: a beribboned donkey head. “Look, Juno. Thornbury is already at the masque. I will not fuss about in here over shoes and gossip any longer.”

“Such a wife you are,” Juno teased her. “Oh, very well. I suppose a cup of ratafia fetched by my husband would taste better than anything they’re serving in here. Let us arrive at the masque!”

Mneme readjusted her own mask so they could make their formal entrance.

An imposing older lady stood between the ladies and the main event, peering through a gilded mask-on-a-stick. She wore a tightly-boned, old fashioned gown with wide panniers, that had the air of being pulled from her own wardrobe rather than designed for this particular masque, and her towering white wig was practically vintage.

“And you would be?” she demanded, holding a clipboard of names.

Mneme remembered this lady: one of the ocean of aunties from the Queen’s picnic. This one was an Edna or an Edith, though Mneme had forgotten her family name. She was helpful in assisting Mneme to find her stray husband on that day, though seemed less than friendly now.

“Nice to see you again, Lady —” she said politely. It was always wise to assume ‘Lady’ rather than ‘Mrs’ at this kind of event.

“Great Aunt Edith,” bit out the older lady. Mneme should have remembered. The royal family members tended to ignore formal names around here, because they wished to emphasise their relationship to the Queen.

“Of course. I remember you from the tea party. May I introduce you to the Duchess of Storm. And I am —”

“I remember you also, Mrs Seabourne,” Great Aunt Edith snapped, though she softened a little in the presence of a known duchess, giving Juno a polite head bob. “One of Mrs Cheshire’s costume choices, I believe. The Midnight Fairy. An heirloom gown, most appropriate.” She made a mark on the clipboard.

Behind them, Mneme head a few young ladies whispering in concern. They evidently had not realised there would be such tight security over who wore which costume, before they decided to switch.

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