[MaC] ] And so it begins ... Arabella & Pamela

[Dorothea Salo]

Nowsounds wrote:

> "Come in..." Arabella's voice, crisp and clear as always, rang out 
> without being raised in the slightest. As the door opened she looked up 
> from the bedtable, where she kept the few jewels she had brought with 
> her. "Rubies, do you think, dear?" 

	"Did you bring *those*, Mum? Goodness, if they're -- oh, you *didn't* 
bring the heirloom ones. Good on you; Edmund would fall down in fits if 
those were lost or stolen. Yes, those will do quite nicely, I should think."

> Flash got up from his comfortable pose near his mistress and went over 
> to sniff at Pamela's hem. Something in the greyhound's attitude caused 
> Arabella to smile at her daughter and say, "He approves. And really, 
> dear, you look quite lovely." She meant it. Pamela was not a glittering 
> beauty, but she had a natural dignity and warmth, as well as good bones, 
> and Arabella thought her the equal of any young lady in London.

	"Thank you, Mum, and so do you. Ready to go, then?"

	Pamela kept up a stream of inoffensive chatter as they left Flash in 
the kitchen, locked the flat (Alice had been given the night off), and 
waited for the lift. "I wonder if Mrs. Evans will bring me her sock, so 
I can set the heel for her. Strange thing to bring to a cocktail party, 
but I suppose stranger things have happened around Mrs. Evans..."