After her little incident with the rather ridiculously shrilling Baroness Wyecliffe, Daphne was stunned into silence. Even Alethea Tessington herself was very much shocked by such conduct. To be in the middle of a conversation and flee to some other person, a conversation with a Duchess and a viscountess, no less, was simply not done. Frowning, Alethea Tessington tugged on Daphne and led her away, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

" Absurb!" She exclaimed, though privately and only to her friend. " To think I wanted to help her niece by introducing her. If Madeline hears about this..." She shook her head, not wanting to even think of what Daphne's mother in law would say.

Patting her friend on the arm, Daphne cooed consolingly. " There will always be members of the ton like that."

Alethea Tessington was not used to be jilted. Her husband, Viscount Aubrey Tessington, was not of high rank, being merely a Viscount, but both his and her fortune was formidable, making Viscountess Tessington rather a good friend to have.

Ambling along, the pair of ladies, both brunette but with Lady Tessington having a more light brown color to her hair, reached the refreshment table, and looked at the warm Lemonade and weak tea in distaste. " One does wonder though, Ally dearest, whether the Patronesses will be persuaded to offer something less... well, less horrid." Daphne said in a half whisper.

Finally, she raised a glass of lemonade to her lips, the warm liquid, but liquid no less quenched her parched throat. Her conversation with Alethea continued to various topics that often occupied their mind until a certain figure approached them.

Selina had spent over an hour preparing for her first Almack's. Her dress was a peach coloured satin covered by a clear white gauze. It was decorated with small flowers, exactly the same shade of blue as her eyes. Her hair was curled and decorated with more blue flowers. Selina knew she had to compete with hordes of debutantes, but she hoped that she was still pretty and delicate enough to pass as young, while retaining the experience and greater wisdom of a married woman. Even her step-daughter had deigned to compliment her on her appearance. She had left Eleanor behind to a night of improving reading and embroidery in Hortense's presence. What else could she have done?

Almack's was far more impressive than the Assembly Rooms at Bath, as was to be expected and Selina felt her luck in finally arriving in the cream of London society. She entered on her own and immediately opened her fan as she strolled around the room, nodding to people, most of whom she did not know, but there might have been gentleman watching and it would be good idea to appear well connected. Indeed, by the time ten minutes had passed she had had the gratification of several filled spaces on her dance card and considerable admiration. Feeling somewhat fatigued, she made her way towards the reception room to find a seat.

Already the room was filling up nicely. She looked in vain for a seat until she spied one next to the drinks' table. Perfect. She walked forwards, still smiling and nodding at the people she passed. Just blocking the lemonade, two very finely dressed women stood conversing.

Selina smiled her most gracious smile. "Do excuse me, but would it be possible...?"

" I doubt it, I suppose many ladies have been trying for years to persuade the committee to alter it's ways. But traditions are traditions," said Alethea, equally softly. While both ladies were not fearful of the repercussions, both having married and were of certain stations in life, it was simply not done to be rude. Lady Tessington smoothed down her skirt, a glorious peacock blue silk and again, sipped from the glass. " But you are right, of course, Daphne, not acceptable. You might want to try your luck rallying the troops, perhaps even to stage a rebellion!"

Daphne laughed and swatted her friend on the hand, her laughter cut back only when a voice came from behind them, a slight rather slip of a lady with a innocent halo of blonde hair and very fair skin was speaking. Lady Tessington eyed her for a minute, then stepped back. Glancing at Daphne acertained that neither of them counted this woman amongst those they knew. " Of course, our apologies..." Daphne spoke first, seeking a introduction in the most polite senses. She had arrived unescorted, and did not quite look as young as a fresh deb, thus it had to be assumed that a introduction would be de riguer.

The lady smiled at them, quite pretty, but Daphne felt her rather unsure in what must be foreign waters. Perhaps it was her first time to the rooms at Almacks. For a lady to arrive unescorted... Daphne was not shocked, but the lady's lone prescence made her all the more curious as to her identity. Perhaps from a noble house of Scotland or Ireland?

"No, not at all," replied Selina, with a little titter, pouring herself a glass of lemonade. "Such a crush, don't you find?"

The two ladies were not being overly friendly, she thought, but perhaps she had interrupted a private conversation. She debated whether she should introduce herself or wait for somebody else to do the honours, though she was not quite sure who. Then again, she was a married woman and needed nobody to do the honours for her. The difference was that in Bath she was on her own territory and was known. Here, she was just a small and insignificant fish in a sea of potential sharks.

She turned back a little towards the ladies. "I do not believe I have the pleasure of an acquaintance, though really," (another little laugh), "the fault must be all mine for I am just arrived in London. I am the late Edward Clare's wife." She curtsied. She did not know how well known her husband's family was likely to be in London. He had rarely travelled there, but on the other hand, he was one of the richest landowners in Somerset.

Inclining her head, Daphne acknowledged the woman's introduction. So she was married. Her husband's name also explained why they had never seen her in their lives before. The wife of a landowner, or local gentry would explain why she was not seen in London Society before this.

" I am Daphne, the Duchess of Beaumont, and this is Lady Alethea Tessington." Making the introductions accordingly, she then moved on to other more interesting topics. " And I suppose you have come to London to finally participate in the society here, Mrs. Clare?" She asked politely, wanting indeed to make a newcomer feel welcome. She had often wondered, what should happen to her if she was not born in the family she was, and was situated in any other shire, with no friends and no connections. She should feel very lost indeed.

She felt quite afraid when she first went to Philip's country estate, and understood to a small extent the insecurity that Mrs Clare might be feeling. Of course, there was also the possibility that Mrs. Clare was not afraid at all.

" And with whom are you currently residing with Mrs. Clare?" Viscountess Tessington now asked, no doubt trying to press out more details as to this woman's birth, and her connections. Since she offered no other information of herself, questions, politely asked, were the only way.

Goodness, these were bigger sharks than expected. Selina had met a Duchess before, but she was an elderly Duchess with rhumatism and a large walking stick, as tended to be the case in Bath.

"I am very pleased to meet Your Grace, Lady Tessington. Indeed I have. My poor husband was unfortunately of a sickly constitution so we only attended the Bath season, but it has always been a dream of mine to come to London."

She shook her head and added," I do not reside with anybody; I have taken a house in Half Moon Street and intend to set up my own establishment for myself and my little daughter. I confess that it is sometimes lonely, but I am sure that once I have a greater acquaintance I shall not lack anything in the way of company."

So the lady was of some consequence at least, to have enough at least to come to London with a daughter, and with intentions to have her own house. But to come to London without an escort, how brave! Lady Tessington, more blunt then most, said so immediately. " Well, Mrs. Clare, you will have my applause, for I do not believe I could stand being so alone." She said with wide eyes, and a slight smile for Mrs. Clare.

" Oh, Mrs. Clare will not be alone I am sure, for she has said she has a small daughter, have you not?" Daphne said with a smile. She had children of her own, and like her husband, delighted in speaking with others who could share in her love for her young ones. " But dear Mr. Clare had an illness? Pray do not discuss unpleasant matters Mrs. Clare, should you not prefer it. I would dearly like to hear of you; you were from Bath you say?"

Daphne herself had been to Bath twice, once with her elderly grandmother, and another with her mother, and had rather much fun whilst she was there. She would like very much to return there, to mix with the amiable company in the seaside town. However, as pertains to the society there, she could not deny that London held much superior standards. Alethea was mentioning taking holiday to Cornwall that fall. Daphne wanted to go, but her children held her back. " Do you intend to stay in London after the season is over Mrs. Clare? Most of us would be going into the country for our gentlemen to enjoy the hunting."

"Oh yes, and my sister Lady Brown is quite of your opinion, Lady Tessington. I spent my mourning period at her estate and she would have kept me there indefinitely, but I could not impose on her in such a way and so it is necessary for me to find my own way."

In response to the Duchess she sighed sympathetically, loving every last minute of their interest. "Ah dear, I am quite resigned now. Mr. Clare had gout but he struggled on for many years. He was fortunate that his estate was so close to Bath, though that is now in the hands of his cousin. Bath is very well in its way but nothing on London I can assure you. I presume that your Ladyships are most familiar with Town society? I hope one day to be in a similar position." Indeed, when she had married into the aristocracy.

"Yes, I daresay that the Town will be almost empty come June! I have taken my house for all the year round, but I daresay I shall spend some part of the summer in Gloucestershire with Lady Brown. Cities are so dirty in the heat, do you not find?"

Daphne nodded in agreement. One did prefer to stay on her own two feet if one could help it, and Daphne was very much of this opinion. " Of course, very kind of Lady Brown to have you stay with her, but definitely a better choice to explore London, now that you have the chance." Daphne said amiably.

" Of course, Lady Tessington and I, amongst our other friends, have been here for many years, especially since our marriages." She said with a laugh. She turned one and thirty this year, and had rather no regrets in her life. Dear Ally was a year younger, and at her age, a very well kept Viscountess with no other worries in life other then the education of her son and a young daughter.

" Do not think me too forward, Mrs. Clare, for you look very much younger then you should be, being married with and with a young child. Pray tell, how old are you this year?" Asked Daphne now, quite curious. Mrs. Clare was fair, and with very youthful features, could not have been more then five and twenty, if much less. And with a young daughter too!

" And your daughter, Mrs Clare? I have a young girl, Emmeline, about her Grace's daughter's age as well, how old is your young girl?" Lady Tessington asked.

Selina did not know whether to be offended at being asked her age. Eventually she replied with a delicate laugh, "Dear me, your Grace, I may assure you that I am over one-and-twenty!"

Of course, there did seem to be a little misunderstanding. "I was not quite clear before. Eleanor is in fact sixteen years old." Apologetic laugh. "She is my husband's daughter, if you wish to be precise, but I treat quite as my own and indeed I cannot but still see her as the darling little girl that I first met when I first knew dear Mr. Clare."

A memory consisting of a rather plain girl ten years old with long, straight dark brown hair and an accusatory stare who would barely speak two words to her. Selina smiled sentimentally at her new friends at the memory.