A Blue Stocking Thing

Chapter Three: The Expectations.

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Miss Dursley woke that morning with an air of pleasant expectation. Lord Snape had been everything that was perfect in a gentleman. He danced divinely, though he had not requested permission from the patronesses to lead her in her first waltz, thus she had to be content partnering him in a quadrille. His countenance was pleasing to look on, if one ignored the shape of his nose and the rather startling black of his eyes; the slightly green tinge to his irises was also somewhat disconcerting. His fortune and rank were appropriate for one who was considered this season\'s Incomparable. He also had the smoothest voice imaginable, somewhat like Indian silk. She would allow that it had soothed her troubled nerves no end, taking away her cares as he had sympathised with her plight. \"You are most considerate, Miss Dursley,\" he had said as she had regaled him of the horror of having a \'bluestocking\' in residence.

She had imagined that the reason he had taken her to supper was as a means of prolonging their encounter, whilst remaining strictly within the bounds acceptable by society. No one would ever accuse Lord Snape of being anything other than the best of Haute Ton.

Thus, this morning she had such wondrous feelings of delight, so great in fact were they that even by the presence of Miss Granger in the house could overshadowed them. No, today Lord Snape would call, of that she was sure. More importantly they would be well aware of when he would call, as a calling card would be sent. Miss Dursley, not one to leave to chance the announcement of Lord Snape\'s arrival time, sent a junior maid to wait upon the stair. She was instructed to report the moment Lord Snape\'s card arrived.

She must make sure her father was aware that she would honour any suit from Lord Snape when she brought him up to scratch.

Without a qualm, Miss Dursley intimated her delight to her loyal abigail. She, in turn, saw it as her duty to assist her mistress to obtain her desires, thus she had been exceptionally careful in assisting Miss Dursley in her toilet. The abigail had suggested that Miss Dursley bathe in Rose Scented Water; the use of a beauty spot to further highlight the perfection of her skull was also suggested.

The mirror, well aware of the aspirations Miss Dursley, was want to suggest that she wear the new white muslin gown with the blue embroidered flowers wreathing the wrists and neck-line. The gown in question was modest, showing only the barest hint of décolletage. The sleeves were long, draping gracefully over the hand to rest just below the knuckles. It was very high waisted, and suggested at the graceful form beneath. Worn with kid-gloves dyed pale blue, a large blue silk shawl as well as matching slippers, the gown looked magnificent. Miss Phyllidia had purchased a matching pelisse and bonnet for wear outside and would be of the very first stare of fashion in London\'s Hyde Park.

Agreeing with the mirror, Miss Dursley\'s abigail suggested a style of immaculately-designed disorder, a few ringlets left to frame her face, the rest swept up and held with ivory combs. The careful application of cosmetics completing the picture. It was whilst her cosmetics were being applied that the front door knocker was heard.

The junior maid, stationed at the stair for just this event, listened closely to what passed at the front door. Lord Snape\'s tiger, a lad of indeterminate years was seen to hand a small calling card to the butler, accompanying this was a little posy of white carnations. On inspection it appeared that Lord Snape would call this morning at noon if that was acceptable, assent was given and the tiger left post-haste. Luckily for Miss Dursley she did not hear the tiger\'s comment on leaving the household; it was that young man\'s fervent prayer the Lord Snape disengage his interest forthwith.

Miss Dursley, assured now that Lord Snape would call, decided that she would best wait in her rooms resting until noon. After all, now that she knew he would call, though she had never doubted it, she was able concentrate on creating the appropriate atmosphere. Resting in her rooms would help, there was no need to appear overeager after all. She was the incomparable of the season; the eligible bachelor\'s were to wait upon her favour. Safe in this thought she gave some attention to the exact way the sitting room should be arranged to best highlight her perfections. Remembering that she had overheard Lord Snape remark on one occasion about the perfection of an intelligent Miss, she immediately hit upon the idea of strategically placing a select few volumes suitable for genteel eyes.

It was suggested that maybe a book of poems and a Nursery Charms reader should be left on the little table near the window by the mirror, \"Something suitably uplifting, such as \"Lancelot\'s Sonnets to A Maid\" and \"The Restful Childe\". A young maid was sent for with instructions to have these volumes in place before the arrive of the expected guest. The maid, having been made aware of the delicate nature of her mission hurried to comply. As her maid left, Miss Dursley turned her formidable attention to that other problem, Miss Granger. She must make sure that the household was shown to of the finest nature, thus she sent her abigail to request Miss Granger to remain in her rooms till 1.00 pm.

Meanwhile the young maid, who was poorly educated, realised that the household did not actually possess the required books, or any other books for that matter. Noting a little volume on one of the other tables she quickly solved her dilemma by moving it to the requested table by the window. \'One volume was likely to good enough,\' she thought.

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Mrs Dursley had also woken that morning with an air of expectation. So great was her feeling that she found it impossible to find a thing wrong with her morning toilet, the day or her abigail\'s manner. This was such an unlikely occurrence that her abigail had found it necessary to take a small dose of the calmative tisane that she would normally have fed her mistress. Still, never one to overlook an opportunity, the abigail had asked if it were permissible to have the afternoon off to assist an elderly relative to move abode. The request was granted and the abigail was seen to leave the house as soon as she had completed her mistress\' toilet.

On being informed that Lord Snape would indeed be calling today Mrs Dursley decided to sit with her daughter. Both could then make a grand entrance when the Earl arrived. All was in readiness.

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Miss Granger opened her door when she heard frantic knocking, surprised to see Miss Dursley\'s abigail in such a taking. The abigail, annoyed at having to deliver a message to that blot upon her mistress\' fortunes looked into the room, not actually acknowledging Miss Granger at all. The cut indirect, and from a servant, no less had Miss Granger\'s wand out and hexing before her normally rational mind could intervene. The hex, a fairly mild one, just addled the girls wits slightly sufficient to allow the girl to misremember her message. \"Miss Dursley requested that Miss Granger kindly remain in her rooms till the first hour before noon has past; we are expecting important company.\"

Her message delivered, the abigail sailed out of Miss Grangers rooms, racing back to the safety of the fashionable part of the house. \"Oh, all the nerve, such rag manners should not be tolerated,\" Miss Granger thought to herself; still it seemed that Lord Snape was to visit early. At least she would have a chance to retrieve her journal sooner rather than later as she had expected.

The hour currently lacked 10 minutes before the tenth hour. She would use the time to complete her own toilet, after she had frosted the mirror, that is. Potionus quarterly would do for now, though she really wanted to complete the essay by Lord Snape on the properties of Belladonna ditrixia.

Miss Granger, having been freed from the restriction of remaining in her rooms till past the nuncheon hour, and therefore missing the best light in the sitting rooms had taken herself down the stairs immediately the eleventh hour has struck. Finding not a soul about to impede her, she had settled herself in for an indulgent read on the largest settee in the room. In hand she had the copy of Ars Chemica that she had left downstairs yesterday; she had retrieved it from its artful placement on the a side table and buried her nose in the latest writings. The article by Lord Snape on the properties of Belladonna ditrixia was as riveting as any of his writings.

The Lord of Potions, as he was referred to in hushed tones of awe, had a particularly neat turn of phrase, whether elucidating the properties of the rare and wondrous, or in dissecting the follies of his fellow researchers. In fact it was rumoured that he spent as much time on the crafting of a sentence as the Beau Lockhart did on designing a new cravat fall. Miss Granger was of the considered opinion that Lord Snape spent his time in the more admirable pursuit. It was whilst curled up, mind happily engaged, that she spied the reference.

Miss Granger\'s joy could not have been guessed at, for she had no one to share her joy with. She noted at the end of the article that Lord Snape had taken the time to direct readers to an article by a Mr. Harold T. Goodson, noting that this entrant to the field of Potion\'s Research showed a promise rarely seen in the current day, he even went so far as to suggest to the readers that it would not be long before Mr. Goodson would in fact be sporting the appellation of Doctor. \'Oh, if it were only so,\' Miss Granger sighed to herself with a wry grin. \'Still it is such a nice thought,\' she continued to muse before again applying herself to the journal. Thus engrossed, she was most put out to her Mrs. Dursley dulcet tones screech, \"My vinaigrette, he will be her soon and you have let her down the stairs.\"


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TBC Jeanette