“He did not tell me what he was to you,” the modiste mused as she took more measurements. “Perhaps you could?”
Beatrice’s mind raced for an explanation.
“I suppose he is a sort of, um, a host for the time being,” Beatrice answered. “Our time together is quite temporary until I am married. To his brother in fact.”
“Ah,” was all the modiste said as she finished jotting down the last measurement.
Beatrice drew her eyes toward the pretty woman’s face and saw a look of relief. She raised a curious brow. Algernon was handsome. Evenshecould not deny that—but did that mean he was a rake? Would he accept the modiste’s flatteries if she were to give them to him? She was curious for the answers.
“You may dress now, my lady. I am finished.”
Beatrice hurriedly drew her shift and corset back on then her dress, thankful that her moment of nudity was over. It was one thing to be in her room bare but quite another to have another person, even a woman, there to see her. She’d never put much thought into her body. Not until Algernon had kissed her and made her acutely aware of every expanse of flesh and nerve ending she had. His lips had caused both to stir into a frenzy, even though she would never tell him so. After all what would be the point? The kiss was for educational purposes. Nothing more.
“How impressive,” the modiste noted as she watched her. “Most ladies I know need an extra hand or two in getting dressed.”
Beatrice blushed as the modiste’s words drew her from her private thoughts. If this was a taste of what being in society was going to be like, she was not at all sure she was going to like it. She had not particularly enjoyed being forced to stay inside her father’s house, but she was not enjoying the constant questions either. After all this was just one person. What was it going to be like at her first actual party?
“Well, I have always been a bit on the independent side,” Beatrice said, laughing a little in hopes that the modiste would take it as a joke of sorts.
The woman did not laugh, but she did at least smile as she put her fabric samples and notebook into her bag.
“Well, I am sure your husband will be most pleased with the dresses. I promise you that they will look perfect on you when I am done with them,” Jeanette assured.
“That will be wonderful, thank you,” Beatrice answered, wanting nothing more than to be done with the conversation.
“Tell me, is your soon-to-be brother-in-law married?” Jeanette asked as she walked toward the door.
Though she did not understand why, Beatrice blushed deeply at the question.
“No, he is not,” she answered, looking Jeanette up and down.
“Hmmm,” Jeanette purred, a slow, sultry smile forming on her lips. “How interesting.”
Beatrice was about to ask her what was so interesting about that when the door opened, and Algernon appeared, holding up his pocket watch.
“Ah, good, you are finished,” he stated, tucking his watch back into his pocket. “Now for her corsets, I want them made out of comfortable fabrics. However, they should be stylish. No beiges or browns. They should be enticing.”
Beatrice’s blush deepened, but the modiste stood up straighter and jutted her ample chest out.
“Oh, I will be sure to make them enticing, Your Grace,” Jeanette promised, her voice dripping with flirtatious tones.
“What would you have done if we were not finished?” Beatrice asked, wanting the conversation about corsets to end.
“Well then I suppose I would have gotten an eyeful, wouldn’t I have?” Algernon replied.
Beatrice glowered at him as Jeanette let out a flirtatious laugh.
“So very wicked, Your Grace,” she said in a breathy tone.
Beatrice bristled as the modiste so very boldly laid her palm upon the lapel of Algernon’s jacket.
“I enjoy wickedness from time to time,” Jeanette went on, looking up into Algernon’s eyes with a seductive smile.
Anger shot through Beatrice’s veins at the scene, confusing and alarming her greatly. She should not care! She was marrying Henry! Or… well… hopefully…
“How very interesting for you,” Algernon said, his tone dismissive as he removed Jeanette’s hand from his jacket. “We shall need her dresses within the week. I know the price of fabrics and what your time is worth, madame, so I trust you will give me a fair price.”
Beatrice couldn’t help but feel satisfied at the way Jeanette blushed deeply and stepped back from Algernon’s snub.