Fargeon's perfume workshop was like an alchemist's laboratory, filled with all manner of equipment.
Having him make "cocktail milk tea" for the women was truly a waste of his talents. Fortunately, these wealthy women all had servants and cooks. With them helping out, this "tea party" became much more convincing.
At first, they really were drinking tea. English milk tea was simply milk, black tea, and sugar, and the tea had to be brewed strong. Later, they added spices such as star anise, turning it into another kind of masala tea popular in India.
Then someone added raspberry jam, maple syrup, cocoa, vanilla, peanut butter, and caramel. Someone else added lemon cream cheese, whose color looked remarkably like Butterbeer at first glance.
Perhaps sugar really could make people excited. Later, they actually mixed brandy into the milk tea. The archbishop, who had agreed to substitute tea for wine, pretended not to see and went off with Mr. Martin to admire the flowers from Southeast Asia. After that, they began behaving with utter abandon, mixing Brittany cider into chocolate.
The children played trick-or-treat at night, but these mothers seemed to have started during the day. Georgiana took a cup of milk tea with cider and found a corner to drink in. She knew some occasions required people to be prim and proper, but that was not her style. It made her uncomfortable, and it made everyone else uncomfortable too.
Still, drinking in a monastery was truly sinful. She pretended to repent for two seconds, then tore down the Siamese fabric that had been used as decoration.
At first, no one knew what she was doing. Then they saw her bunch the torn fabric into a pillow and sit on it, and they all understood. These women all came from families in