Page 30 of Echo in the Wind

“You take great risks for us, m’lady.”

“I couldn’t live with myself if I did not do what I could to help the families of the seamen without work and the farmers struggling to pay taxes. Besides,” she added in a lighter vein, “what would the vicar do without his tea?”

Nora laughed. “Oh, yes, the vicar. But do you worry about the Excise Officers?”

“Yes, but I am careful.” Joanna loathed the violence that had accompanied some of the earlier smuggling in Sussex so, at her insistence, the men she led carried no weapons.

“I know Zack watches over you, my lady.”

“I count upon him, Nora. And now he’s watching over Polly Ackerman and her children while I am gone.”

“He won’t mind. Zack has always been responsible.”

With her hair in a fine style, Joanna bid Nora a good evening and went to find her siblings.

Shortly after, the three set out for the Pantheon. Joanna and Tillie sat in the carriage looking forward and Richard took the seat across from them. In black and gold, he appeared the elegant young earl.

“You’re looking dapper this evening, Richard.” With his handsome face and burnished red hair neatly queued, he would catch the eye of many young women, especially those who were aware he was a wealthy earl in need of a wife. Joanna hoped he would choose well, not only for his sake but also for their family and The Harrows. She had no desire to live with a harpy.

Richard smiled at them. “And you, Sisters, are a vision.”

Their carriage crawled down Oxford Street.

Joanna glanced out the open window at the long line of carriages ahead of them, all making their way to the Pantheon. The street had become clogged with vehicles, slowing their travel.

People on foot flooded the street, their destination the same place.

Richard strained his head out the other window. “What a crush. We might have done better to walk.”

“After the acclaim the Westminster performance received, I am not surprised,” said Joanna. “Cornelia told me that between the Abbey and Pantheon performances, three thousand tickets have been sold.”

Tillie was so excited she practically bounced on the seat. “I expect all of London Society will be here tonight. I never thought to attend such a grand concert in my first Season.”

Richard sat back and met Joanna’s gaze. “The concert does not begin until eight, but as the doors opened at six, I thought it best we came early. Just getting to Cornelia’s box will take us an hour at the rate we are moving.”

As it turned out, Richard had been correct. It was almost seven before they had worked their way through the mob of aristocrats, gentry and others fortunate enough to have a ticket. Once inside the theater, they located the Danvers’ box midway down on the second level of the galleries. Two benches provided seating for eight but, at the moment, the only occupants were Cornelia and her husband.

Cornelia rose to greet them. “I am so glad you have arrived. I have been worried you would be lost in that great horde of people pressing to enter. She gestured into the rotunda floor below. “Already hundreds of musicians and the choir gather, filling the open area. Only the platform at the front remains for the soloists.”

Lord Danvers welcomed Joanna and her sister and offered Richard his hand. “Soon, not one bench in the galleries will be left unfilled.” Dressed in a suit of blue silk with his hair powdered dark gray, the baron appeared every bit the English lord.

Cornelia, too, had dressed for the occasion. “You look lovely,” Joanna told her. The baroness had worn a gown of shimmering peach silk embroidered with delicate white flowers and lace edging the bodice and the sleeves. Her chestnut hair was piled high but simply styled as always. Cornelia did not like to powder her hair any more than did Joanna. The powder made her sneeze.

“Your peach gown is beautiful,” remarked Tillie to Cornelia, casting Joanna a sharp glance, reminding her of their earlier conversation. Joanna did not begrudge Tillie her fondness for pink, but she did like to tease her into wearing other colors.

Cornelia smiled at them. “You two will draw the eyes of many suitors.”

Joanna gave her friend a knowing smirk. “You may leave me out of that, Cornelia.”

“My sister’s not interested in gaining a husband,” said Tillie.

Cornelia opened her fan and fluttered it before her face. “Neither was I until I met Lord Danvers on my first trip to London. Much to the regret of my family in Baltimore, he convinced me to stay.”

Danvers, who’d been conversing with Richard, stepped to his wife and kissed her cheek. “And wasn’t I glad she was made to see reason?”

Joanna shook her head. “I see I cannot argue with you two and expect to prevail.” She took her seat on Cornelia’s left. Tilting her head back, she looked up to the great dome above the rotunda, shining with many oil lamps. The splendor of the Pantheon was unequaled tonight.

Tillie took her place on Cornelia’s right while Lord Danvers and Richard claimed the rear bench where they proceeded to catch up on matters before the House of Lords.