It was Penelope, of course, who contrived to make Mrs. Lulworth interested in them as social assets by saying,
“We are staying with our aunt, Lady Ledbury, in Islington, and it is very important that my sister and I should have something fashionable to wear before we call on a very old friend of my mother’s, the Marchioness of Conyngham.”
Alisa thought that Mrs. Lulworth looked startled before she asked,
“Did you say, the Marchioness of Conyngham?”
“Yes, that is right. My mother used to visit the Marchioness’s family when she was a girl and my sister and I intend to get in touch with her as soon as we have something respectable to wear.”
“That is certainly something I did not expect,” Mrs. Lulworth said almost beneath her breath and Alisa wondered why she should be so astonished.
“He
