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Sandra Wagner-Wright
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Two Coins: A Biographical Novel (Women of Determination and Courage)
Literature & Fiction
Author Insight
Beyond Embarrassment
Day 3 in Judge Norris's courtroom. Rev Hastie stands in the witness box. Mary Pigot tries to hold the shreds of her dignity together. Rev Hastie remembers a dinner party. When the assembly retired to the drawing room, Mary sat on the sofa and threw her legs up. He doesn't say if she stuck them straight into the air, or merely placed her legs and feet on the furniture. Either behavior shocked Victorian sensibilities. Either position might be described as wanton. No doubt Mary wished she could dissolve into the floorboards. In fact, she had placed her feet on the sofa after at Mr Steele's dinner party ... but, she remembers, it wasn't like the way Rev Hastie describes it.
Book Excerpt
Two Coins: A Biographical Novel (Women of Determination and Courage)
“Miss Pigot’s manner before men was indelicate,” Mr. Hastie says. “At Mr. Steele’s dinner party, I observed a lack of external propriety.”
“That doesn’t tell us anything,” Justice Norris says. “What did you see?”
“I’m trying to save Miss Pigot unnecessary embarrassment,” Mr. Hastie says.
“It’s a bit late to be concerned about that now,” Justice Norris says. “If the lady was afraid of being embarrassed, she wouldn’t have filed this lawsuit.”
I’m far beyond embarrassment. I reach both hands to steady my head. Mr. Trevelyan taps my elbow and I put my hands back on the table. What’s Mr. Hastie saying now?
“When we retired to the drawing room after dinner, Miss Pigot flung herself upon Mr. Steele’s sofa and threw up her legs. I’ve never seen a lady do that before,” Mr. Hastie says.
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