There is a very good comedy film called First Wives Club that stars several very good actresses from America and Britain. The British end is held up very ably by Dame Maggie Smith, who plays a lady called Gunilla Garson Goldberg. Gunilla is, in fact a Lady with a capital ‘L’. She has money, but also poise, class, refinement. And anyone who wants to be recognised as ‘somebody’ in New York society needs to first get her approval. If she decides she wants to be your friend, you’re in. If she dismisses you, then you have no chance.

Lady Lillianna d’Alba D’Argenlunna, is modelled directly upon Gunilla Garson Goldberg. She is the Lady that all of the Ladies of Gallifrey have to keep in with if they are to be regarded as ‘anybody’ in that society. She is a widow, without children, but also a woman with a history. She was Kristoph de Lœngbærrow’s childhood sweetheart, the first love of his life. This story fills in some of the reasons why she didn’t marry him. But it also clearly establishes that Marion has Lady Lily’s approval. Whatever problems she may have in her future life as a Lady of Gallifrey will be much more smoothly overcome with Lily’s help.

In the Theta Sigma stories, of course, it is established that Chrístõ formed a friendship with Lily in his last decade of school. That relationship was one that could easily have become a romance that cut across generations, but never quite got there. But long before then, she was Marion’s first real friend on Gallifrey, and that is everything this story is supposed to do.

But take note of the carp pond. On several occasions in the Unfinished Business, New Lords of Time and Theta Sigma stories, a tale has been related about the very young Chrístõ falling into a carp pond at Lady Lily’s house. This is that pond. You can’t leave loose ends!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Wives_Club
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116313/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Smith