The supper invitation

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

Beatrice had learnt the names on the way to the house. Now they slipped from her memory as each guest approached. She smiled at a gentleman whose name she ought to know and addressed another by the first man’s title. The conversation flowed past her like water around a stone. She laughed whenever the others laughed, always a fraction too late.

At supper, a servant placed her beside an elderly woman who asked about her journey. It was a question she could answer. Beatrice described the flooded lane and the horse that refused the bridge. The woman listened without looking towards a more important guest. When Beatrice finished, she realised that she had not once watched the room for a cue to smile.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to show Beatrice’s discomfort among the guests. Support your answer with references to the passage.