Sophie wanted to work out the route she would take with Martin Goss and decide at which point she would swoon, Cicely wanted to find a good spot from which to keep an eye on the proceedings, whilst Mrs Lessing, declaring they could not go unchaperoned, accompanied them. The morning was fine. Cicely had been blessed with good weather throughout her stay, for sunshine was in no way guaranteed in the spa town. The climate at Marienbad was similar to England’s. It was often cool in the summer and it frequently rained. The stroll to the Kurhaus was delightful. The band was playing and there was a holiday atmosphere, with many of the great and the good enjoying a brief respite from the pressures of their everyday lives. The English maintained a strong presence in the town, drawn by the magnet of their king. There were the Prime Minister and a number of other politicians, as well as Sir Herbert Beerbohm-Tree, the great actor and owner of His Majesty’s Theatre in London. Then, too, there were a great many English ladies, all discreetly dressed in elegant coats and skirts, sharply contrasting with the Continental ladies, whose lace and frills seemed, to Cicely’s mind, out of place in the early morning, being more suited to evening wear.
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