Page 28 of The Laudanum Ladies' Society

‘I’m not sure we’ll have much choice in the matter, if she’s enjoying herself as much as it sounds like she is,’ Jenny giggled. ‘I assume thosearenoises of pleasure.’

Gwen confirmed it, though Archibald had never succeeded in drawing such sounds from her, even in his prime.

‘We should definitely charge her more,’ she murmured, before closing her eyes and nodding off.

The two women were leaning against each other, drowsing happily when Miss Salisbury re-entered the room. She was still wearing the odd robe, but now beneath it she was dressed in green silk, and her hair was styled in large rolls above each ear. She looked invigorated, as well she might, Gwen thought enviously.

‘I have ordered coffee,’ Miss Salisbury announced with no preamble as she sat down. She had arranged her robe and skirts when a young, male servant with ash-blond hair entered with a tray. The look Miss Salisbury gave him as he lowered the tray onto the table at her side, and the responding gleam in his pale blue eyes, made Gwen wonder if he had been the one pleasuring her.

‘I’m going to be frank with you now,’ Miss Salisbury said, once they were alone.

‘Oh!’ Gwen looked at Jenny, unaware that Miss Salisbury had not already been frank.

‘I do not believe that you purchased this from a company advertising in a newspaper. I have had my servants study anumber of newspapers, and this bottle bearing the description and name on this label does not appear in any of them.’

‘It was a newspaper from Wales. My friend sent me the advertisement,’ Gwen began to bluster.

Miss Salisbury held up her hand. ‘Mrs Walters, you sound foolish. Don’t demean yourself in such a manner. No, I believe you– ah, if only our language had a way of expressing pluralism as the French do– both of you are, or perhaps only one of you is, responsible for its creation.’

Gwen raised her hand like a child in the schoolroom admitting to breaking a slate. ‘It was me. I didn’t intend for it to happen, I created it by accident. Then Miss Rosewood and I thought it might be a way of making a little extra money.’

‘And what an intriguing way of making pin money,’ Miss Salisbury said.

It might have been the effects of the tincture talking, or possibly the condescension in Miss Salisbury’s voice that made Gwen sit upright and lift her head haughtily.

‘It isn’t pin money. My husband needs an operation and, somehow, we have to pay for it.’

Miss Salisbury smiled. ‘Well, selling doses to the bored wives of businessmen at a shilling a time is not going to achieve that very quickly, is it? But I will certainly buy a bottle, and I know somebody who may be able to facilitate selling this a little quicker.’

‘Really?’ Jenny sat forwards with an interested look on her face.

‘Yes, if you are able to manufacture it, then I believe my acquaintance will happily provide a place to distribute it.’

‘What is his name?’ Gwen asked.

Miss Salisbury wagged a finger. ‘My dear Mrs Walters, I’m saddened to hear your assumption, especially as you are attempting to become a woman of business yourself. Myacquaintance is a woman, and her name is Augusta Charles. She’s been a widow for approximately a decade, I believe.’

‘Yes, I think we’d like to meet her,’ Jenny said immediately. ‘She sounds very interesting.’

Gwen shot her a glance of annoyance at being spoken for. Miss Salisbury clearly noticed, because she gave the condescending smile again.

‘I won’t press you for an answer now. Never let it be said I took advantage of women not fully in control of their wits. I shall give you a week to decide, and if you wish to take advantage of my offer, I shall make the introductions. Now, I will call my coach and send you home.’

She rang a bell, and in a whirlwind of activity, Gwen and Jenny found themselves escorted out by the handsome man and handed small envelopes with the words ‘Your payment,’ whispered before they were ushered outside and into the waiting hansom cab.

‘Well!’ Gwen said, feeling that this exclamation encompassed everything she had to say about the afternoon.

‘Well, indeed,’ Jenny answered. She opened the little envelope and tipped out four shillings into the palm of her hands. ‘Gosh! That’s more than I expected! Do you have the same?’

Gwen checked her envelope and confirmed it. She held the coins tightly, the edges pressing into her palms.

‘You don’t look pleased,’ Jenny said, wrinkling her brow.

Gwen folded her arms. ‘I can feel the enterprise slipping out of our control.’

‘Look at it this way, dear– we will make more money this way. I think it will be good for us. Just imagine, if we manage to find lots of customers,’ Jenny said, ‘then one day we might really be advertising in newspapers.’

She spread her arms out as if reading an imaginary newspaper. ‘Picture this–The Woman’s Friend, guaranteed temporary relief from the trials of daily life.Just because we sell it and make it for Miss Salisbury, does not mean we can’t also use it for its intended purpose. Now, I really think we should agree to it.’