The girl learned quickly because she enjoyed herself and wanted to know all the whys and wherefores. She had an eager curiosity about the world, very different to Nicholas Wilder's jaded view. Drusilla taught her everything, from how to greet a gentleman in the street, to exiting and entering a carriage; from how to choose the right fork at dinner, to the complex manipulations of a fan when one must also hold a glass of champagne. Every morning she read articles to Polly from the newspaper and later asked her questions to ensure she'd absorbed the information. Together they studied the globe, history books, science papers and Society's bible—Burke's Peerage. Polly soon knew how every soul she was likely to meet should be addressed. They also rehearsed a detailed story to fill in Polly's past. The girl was exotic enough in looks to pass as any combination. It was no great challenge to scrape clean the slate and compose an entirely new life. It was all going splendidly.
