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following weeks passed in a flurry of shopping and being fitted and pinned. Harriet had never bothered to buy any jewelry before, but she purchased a diamond tiara and necklace for herself. There was no need to buy expensive jewels for Susan. Debutantes were expected to sport only a simple coral necklace or string of pearls. In all the fuss, she did not have time to call on her bluestocking friends and occasionally felt guilty about neglecting them. But somehow, once Harriet had the bit between her teeth, she could not stop. As her own new wardrobe arrived, she threw away all her old clothes, or, rather, she gave everything she had to Lucy so that the maid could take what she wanted and give the rest to the other servants to wear or sell. The next great expense was a smart phaeton so that when the weather turned fine, Harriet could take Susan to the park. Harriet was an excellent whip and could drive herself.
     
    She went with Bertha to visit various ladies of the ton now dressed fashionably and with her dark hair in one of the new crops. Harriet did not know quite how much her new hairstyle had altered her appearance, making her look younger and her fine eyes bigger. Perhaps she might have begun to feel at least comfortable with her changed appearance had not her friends, headed by Miss Barncastle, decided to pay her an impromptu visit. They were waiting for her one day when she returned after a successful visit to the Marchioness of Trowbridge, having secured invitations for herself and Susan to that lady’s pre-Season ball.
     
    As Harriet entered her drawing room, where they were all seated, the ladies looked in amazement at the fashion plate that Harriet had become.
     
    Miss Barncastle was the first to speak. She looked sternly at Harriet. “You have joined
them
,” she said accusingly.
     
    Harriet stripped off her gloves and said impatiently, “Would you have me try to sponsor a young female into the fashionable world while looking like a dowd?”
     
    “You should have stuck to your principles,” said another, a Miss Teale.
     
    Harriet looked at them uneasily. They had all prided themselves on being such intellectuals, and the fact that any man might view them as just a lot of embittered spinsters added to their determination to keep to their views, to stick together. Women such as themselves spurned the fripperies of fashion.
     
    She said mildly, “I hardly think it fair to inflict my views on a young lady who only looks forward to balls and parties and beaux.” Harriet reflected that Susan probably looked forward only to the delicacies she could manage to cram into her beautiful mouth at such functions.
     
    She also reflected for the first time that some of the most famous of the bluestockings, ladies she had never met, were happily married. But she felt a traitor and wished they would all go away.
     
    The conversation was stilted. Miss Barncastle had submitted an article to the
Ladies Magazine
and it had been rejected, which all went to show that it was probably run by men.
     
    “But we have all admired the articles in the
Ladies Magazine
and had often read them aloud,” protested Harriet.
     
    Miss Barncastle bridled. “Are you saying my work was probably not good enough?”
     
    “No, no, not at all,” said Harriet miserably. The visit became worse when Miss Teale said they would all be happy when the Season was over and they got their “dear Harriet” back, “for you look not at all like yourself with that odd haircut.”
     
    Susan had entered the room during the last of the conversation. She was carrying a box of chocolates. She was introduced all around. She smiled at everyone vaguely and then went and curled up on the window seat while Harriet sweated her way through pleasantries until it was time for the ladies to take their leave.
     
    Harriet returned to the drawing room after saying good-bye to the guests and sat down with a little sigh. She had forgotten all about Susan until a