It gave her the opportunity to dress up in the manner befitting her background, and as the mother of the vicar, she enjoyed a certain amount of deference from the local inhabitants of Badgers End.This particular afternoon the climate was most pleasant, not too cold, yet cool enough to wear the mink-trimmed coat that had been the mainstay of her winter wardrobe during her marriage to dear Sedgely.The light breeze was a blessing, since it meant she didn’t have to worry about her hat. The extremely wide brim with its frothy cloud of yellow tulle and ribbon roses was inclined to slip loose from its moorings when buffeted by the wind.Phoebe arrived at the entrance to the Pennyfoot Hotel in fine spirits, and stepped daintily up the marble staircase to the huge double doors. She paused long enough to fold down her parasol, then pushed the doors open and swept into the lobby.As she crossed the ornamental carpet to the huge, winding staircase, she thought about the many times she had visited the Pennyfoot when it had been the country home of the Earl of Saltchester.Life had been very different then.
