Wick cleared his throat and both Louisa and Mantheria turned their heads to see what he wanted to say. ‘We are almost at the front of the gallery.’
Mantheria gave a small nod. ‘Louisa, let go of your train.’
Louisa dropped the fabric in her left hand. Two footmen came forward and pulled the train gently to its full length. Then they did the same for Mantheria’s pink silk robe. Even Wick straightened his coat. Louisa could barely breathe. She took quick, short gasps as her stomach continued to roil most uncomfortably. She longed to flee, but her feet would not move.
Wick took her arm and pulled her forward to the entrance of the Presence Chamber. Mantheria followed behind them, her fan around her wrist.
The Lord Chamberlain cleared his throat as they entered. ‘May I present Lady Louisa Bracken, daughter of the late Earl of Rockingham?’
Wick dropped his arm and Louisa walked forward alone. The Queen sat on a throne at the front of the room. Her hair was white, but it might be a wig. Louisa knew that underneath her powder and cosmetics Queen Charlotte was in her sixties. Her expression was solemn, but not unkind.
Louisa continued to step forward, unsure of where she should stop and make her deep curtsy. Was she too far back? Or if she got closer would she be performing a solecism? Louisa took a few more short breaths and matching steps before sinking down into a deep curtsy. This at least she had practised several times with Mantheria and the girls. Becca tended to lose her balance and bring all of them to the floor like a row of dominoes.
Unconsciously, Louisa smiled at the memory.
She felt the brief contact of dry lips against her forehead. Then, still keeping her eyes to the floor, continued to stay in her low curtsy.
‘You have the look of your mother,’ Queen Charlotte said with a slight accent. ‘But you don’t make me sneeze.’
Louisa slowly came up to stand. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and her heart was full. If only her mother could see her now. If only her mother could have been with her to experience this day that they had practised for and dreamed of together. But she knew she was not alone. Wick and Mantheria were with her.
‘Thank you, Your Majesty.’
Queen Charlotte gave her a benign smile, but she did not open her mouth again.
After a moment or two, Louisa realised that her audience was over. She swept into another deep curtsy before slowly backing away from the Queen.
Mantheria and Wick met her at the entrance and escorted her out of the Presence Chamber and through the long gallery to the drawing rooms. Wick stooped down and picked up both Louisa’s and his sister’s trains for them to put over their left arms. Louisa wondered why they couldn’t hold them with their right, but did not ask. Court rules didn’t seem to have much to do with logic.
Louisa exhaled slowly. ‘I’ve waited for that presentation my whole life, and now I am so glad it is over.’
‘Me too,’ Wick said. ‘My knees were knocking for you.’
Mantheria hit him on the back of the head with her fan. ‘She was perfect.’
He raised his hand. ‘If you touch me one more time with that accursed fan, I will snap it in two.’
‘But it’s made of mahogany.’
‘I’ll find a way.’
Louisa couldn’t believe it, but felt a laugh bubble out of her. Wick gave her a slow smile and Louisa reached out to him with trembling hands. He held both of hers in his strong ones, squeezing them gently.
‘You were marvellous.’
‘And you didn’t even need thebourdaloue,’ Mantheria added from their side.
Wick blinked. ‘What’s abourdaloue?’
Louisa gave another shaky laugh.
Chapter Seventeen
The next evening all four Stringham sisters watched Louisa as her maid, Chandler, pulled, laced, primped and then arranged her hair. Louisa couldn’t help but be surprised at how well the white gown with the lace overlay fitted her. It had been a readymade garment that had been altered specifically for her frame. Madame Brunet and her assistants were truly talented with their needles.
‘Isn’t white the colour for young debutantes?’ Louisa couldn’t help but ask.
She didn’t want to make any mistakes. She mustn’t give society any reason to reject her as her own family had.