Eleanor hesitated. She’d never been a fan of group cleansing rituals. As a chubby teen, gym class had been torture.
“Step to it,” the old crone seated by the fireplace barked. “Water’s not getting any warmer.”
One maid took Eleanor’s robe and hung it on a hook. Another bent down to remove her slippers. Then two others each took one of her elbows and guided her up the steps leading to the foot of the tub. Three more steps led down into the deep water, and she wasn’t given time to take off her chemise. Apparently, Regency women didn’t bathe naked.
While Deirdre and Mina chatted, Eleanor chose honeysuckle-scented soap and a cloth from the tray offered. After she’d quickly washed herself, one maid scrubbed her back with a soft brush, and then another washed her hair. She was instructed to stand, and a bucket of fresh warm water was poured over her head to rinse her off. She climbed out of the tub. They wrapped her in a large sheet and guided her to a place on the bench beside Mina.
Two maids each dipped a bucket of water out of the tub, and two others adding steaming hot water.
“Step up. Step up,” the crone said.
Deirdre jumped up to take her turn.
“I’m glad you’re quick,” Mina said. “Mrs. Tuttle doesn’t like us to dawdle.” She indicated the crone by the fireplace.
“Then she’s the butler’s wife?”
“Good heavens, no. She’s his mother and very strict about the rules. We humor her because she’s been with the family forever. She was father’s nursemaid, maybe even grandfather’s.” Mina partially covered her mouth so no one else could hear her whisper. “We heard that at a certain house party, an unmarried couple was found bathing together, in the middle of the night no less.”
Eleanor eyed the large tub, and her imagination provided an inviting image of Shermont soaking there. Several enjoyable aquatic activities came to mind. “Oh, that’s … astonishing.”
“Something like that would never happen in Mrs. Tuttle’s bathing chamber.”
Too bad. “Of course not.”
A maid brought another tray with an assortment of creams and oils, but since Eleanor didn’t know what they were for, she shook her head. She also refused a cup of lemon verbena tea.
When Deirdre was done, she took a seat on a small stool by the fire, and Mrs. Tuttle brushed her long blonde locks.
“Whenever I think about cutting my hair, I reconsider,” Deirdre said to Eleanor. “However did you get the nerve?”
Eleanor shrugged. She’d worn her hair long most of her life, but after her breakup, she’d decided she needed a drastic change. She’d donated fourteen inches of hair to Locks of Love and decided she preferred it short. “It’s so much easier to take care of this way.” She fluffed her curls with her fingers and wished she’d brought a comb.
“A gentlewoman’s hair is her crowning glory,” Mrs. Tuttle said, her voice little more than a rasp. “If you cut it, you cut your chances of an advantageous marriage.”
“Well, I’m going to cut mine,” Mina said as she took her turn in the tub. “Not really short as in the Titus style, but I want those adorable little curls that frame your face. I’m going to wait to see the fashions when we get to London.”
In the warm bathing chamber, Eleanor’s thin chemise dried quickly and she feared she would sweat, thus negating any good done by the bath, “I’m going back to our room,” she announced as she stood.
“Have a good rest,” Deirdre said. “I’ll tell Twilla to wake you in plenty of time to get dressed for the ball.”
A maid rushed to hold Eleanor’s robe and another brought her slippers. As she ducked through the curtain, she encountered Fiona, Hazel, Beatrix, and their mothers.
After the normal pleasantries, Beatrix started toward the curtain. Mrs. Holcum blocked the way and folded her arms over her ample bosom. “We’ll wait until they are done. I don’t hold with public bathing. We’re not ancient Romans, you know.”
Eleanor fought the urge to roll her eyes. Obviously, Mrs. Holcum didn’t consider the servants members of the public.
“I don’t know why young people today are so obsessed with bathing,” Mrs. Maxwell said. “It’s unhealthy to immerse yourself in water so often. In my day, twice a year was considered more than adequate.”
“Moth-ther,” Fiona and Hazel said together.
“I agree,” Mrs. Holcum said. “It’s the schools that put these preposterous ideas into their heads. Before she went to Miss Simpkin’s Academy, my daughter hated bathing and had to be bribed every spring and fall.”
“I was a child then,” Beatrix said. The whine in her voice disproved her claim to maturity.
“My daughters were the same,” Mrs. Maxwell said. “But once in the tub, I had the devil of a time getting them out.”
Knowing from experience with friends and coworkers that motherly bonding could extend to hours of comparisons, Eleanor used the lame excuse of damp hair and the possibility of taking a chill to escape. As she walked down the hall, she heard Mrs. Holcum say, “See, Beatrix. You could learn from such a sensible, old-fashioned girl.”
Eleanor was still smiling when she entered her bedroom. The drapes had been drawn and the bed turned down in preparation for her nap. Even in the dim light she recognized her visitors.
“No need to ask if you’re having a good time,” the ghost of Mina said with an answering grin.
“Where have you been?” Eleanor asked. “I’ve called and—”
“You made us promise not to interfere,” Deirdre’s ghost said. “We’re only keeping our word.”
“Oh, yeah … well … then why are you here?” Were they going to take her back? Now that the time was near, she realized she wasn’t quite ready.
“We wanted to let you know how pleased we are with your progress so far,” Mina said. “You’ve adapted amazingly well.”
“We will return at midnight tonight,” Deirdre said. “So you have to chaperone us for only ten more hours. But the most difficult hours are ahead. With so many people at the ball, you must pay close attention and not allow yourself to be distracted.”
“But we have every confidence in you,” Mina added.
“Do you mean it hasn’t happened yet? I haven’t stopped it? What about last night in Shermont’s room? You do know what happened there?”
The ghosts looked at each other. Deirdre nodded to Mina.
“Yes, we saw. As to whether only one incident can predicate a duel, we can’t be sure,” Mina explained. “Since we’re here with you, we won’t have any memories of what you do until we return to the future.”
“But we have every confidence you will be successful,” Deirdre said.
“You could make this easier if you’d tell me exactly where and when this seduction happened.”
Again, the ghosts looked at each other before answering.
“That’s impossible to determine,” Deirdre said. “You see, there are certain pivotal points in each person’s life. In between those points, events can shift around without making a huge difference. You prevented one incident, but another may yet occur. However, if Shermont does not seduce one of us by midnight tonight, then it won’t happen.”
“That’s when we met Ackerly and Clifford and decided we should marry brothers,” Mina added.
“Not them,” Deirdre said.
“Good heavens, no. But they did give me the idea that—”
“It was my idea.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Girls!” Eleanor said in exasperation. “It doesn’t matter whose idea it was.”
“Quite right. Anyway, it was a pivotal point and one that will prevent the duel. After that, neither of us wanted to pursue Shermont any longer.”
“Fine. But it would be easier if I knew which girl to follow. If they … you … separate before midnight—”