Maggie knows some customers who could help.

Maggie Longbottom sat in the dim little back room of her hat shop, a teapot and two cups between her and her daughter Lucy. Lucy looked quite the fine lady today, in a black dress trimmed with lace. But that little cap was hardly mourning wear, Lucy could do better. Maggie knew the perfect hat, just steps away. But she clutched her wrapper round herself and resisted jumping up to sort out Lucy's look.

"So that's how it is, Mum," Lucy said. "Lord Jeremy acknowledged me, and I am to be the mistress of Downs Edge."

"Lucy, Lady Downs, so it is," Maggie said. She shook her head. "Jeremy could have had the courage to sort things when he was alive, but no, he has to be the ghost at Lady C's funeral."

"Mum?" Lucy said.

"Did you know it was Lady C that helped me leave, finally?" Maggie said. "You were coming up well, with better prospects than me, and Lady C knew someone who knew someone, and so I came down London and here I am."

Lucy smiled. "In your own little paradise," she said.

"Well, then," Maggie said. "I've had enough and more than enough of men."

"With a little French girl in her own paradise, licking your bum!" Lucy giggled at the image of Claudine frantically frigging herself, whimpering with joy as she licked Maggie's arsehole. Tears of mirth rolled down Lucy's cheeks.

"Well, then," Maggie said. "You'd know all that from Lady C, I understand. And I've had enough and more than enough of men. How about you, Lucy? Did Edmund throw you a fuck this morning?"

Lucy shook her head, her face coloring up. She swallowed her retort and said, "Sorry Mum."

Maggie nodded. "We do know each other's business, dearest," she said. "I'm not ashamed you saw."

They looked at each other, taking slow deep breaths. Maggie sipped her tea.

Lucy asked, "How is Tessie?"

"Your little sister is thriving as an air hostess," Maggie said. "Always off across one ocean or another. Barely sees her old mum. I hardly fit her picture of herself now. You probably hear more from her than I do. Ambitious girl, and good on her."

"Annie loves getting cards from Tessie," Lucy said. "She's mad about getting up in the air and hoping Sabrina will take her along on holiday if Edmund and Clarissa have an airship trip."

"So how is Annie?" Maggie asked.

"Getting on famously with Sabrina," Lucy said. "Practically inseparable, like sisters."

"Exactly like sisters. Has Edmund acknowledged her?" Maggie asked.

"No," Lucy said.

"Like father, like son," Maggie said.

"Edmund wanted to keep managing Downs Edge for me. Clarissa started right in about marrying Annie off to Stephen or to her nephew Alan," Lucy said.

"Viper," Maggie hissed. "Stephen is Annie's brother as much as Sabrina's. They're both Edmund's, acknowledged or not." Her eyes went up to the corner, reflecting. "Annie's half-brother and Annie's cousin."

Lucy said, "Clarissa started getting threatening about the inheritance and how doubtful my position looked, but she shut right up when I gave her cause to think about what might come out if she brought me to law."

Maggie laughed aloud. "Such a stupid hen, Clarissa," she said. "She covered it up long enough to fool Lady C into consenting she should marry Edmund. Did Lady Catherine leave anything to you?"

"Oh yes," Lucy said, "Lady C left me some money, and arrangements to make me a fine dress, and her tortoiseshell combs and her ivory, emm, hmm." She stammered to a pause and colored again.

Maggie chortled, "You can say dildo, sweet. You were taking better care of her than I expected. Lady C was never satisfied with what I could give her. Oh, what a picture." She smiled broadly at Lucy.

Mother and daughter looked across their teacups at each other. Maggie had been the intimate servant of Jeremy's lusts; Lucy, daughter of Maggie and Jeremy, had served Lady Catherine's and Edmund's.

Lucy swallowed. "Not...that way, exactly," she said. "When her arthritis was hurting, I helped her. Just with my hands. She was always kind and respectful to me."

"And just so," Maggie said. "Did Lady C introduce you to any of her special lady friends in that connexion? Sapphists, they'd call themselves?"

"A few," Lucy said.

"For Lady C's sake, they might be able to help you find someone to manage the place and someone to keep Edmund and Clarissa off your back. And Annie's, if it comes to that," Maggie said. "But I couldn't say who. Now come to think of it, I know some fine ladies, always wanting my finest hats, who could help you and Annie with that sort of thing. I'll run that by some of them and drop you a note to let you know."

"Thank you so much, Mum," Lucy said. "I need someone on my side, I mean, even if Clarissa and Edmund are blowing hot air, it'll help so much to know that's all it is."

"You came to me," Maggie said. "I'll help. Oh, and Lucy, let me get you a new hat. That one just won't do. Not for Lucy, Lady Downs."

They shared a last look at the door, searching each others' eyes.

"Take care of Annie," Maggie said. "She needs better choices than ours."