“Nevertheless.” Her mother folded her hands together in her lap. “Why would you seek his advice on your dresses anyway? You’ve never cared one whit what you wore.”
That wasn’t true. She was very specific on the type of fabrics she could tolerate.
“Was he trying to compromise you? He’s a fortune hunter, to be sure, but why do it at Madame Juliette’s? Thank goodness Webster was sent round, otherwise you might now be forced to marry the man!” Was there a note regret in her voice? As if she wanted Gwen to be forced into matrimony?
“He sent for Webster.” Gwen was not going to explain that they needed to figure out a new way to dress her hair, one that accommodated water vases for the daffodils. “And you may cease worrying. I am not going to marry Lord Sayres. We have come to a different arrangement.”
If she were less tired, she would have been more careful with her words. She would have known that she could not declare such a thing and have anyone leave her in peace. Though for a sweet moment there was absolute silence. But then her mother and sister began speaking at once, the first in strident tones, the second in softer, gentler tones.
“An arrangement? I won’t allow it! You as a demi-rep. It’s insupportable! Is that why he was changing your clothes?”
“Oh my. Could you explain what you mean? It sounds quite alarming.”
Gwen held up hands to silence everyone. They complied eventually, though her mother huffed in disgust.
“Why do you think demi-rep is the only possibility? A man and a woman can have many perfectly proper arrangements without anything scandalous at all.”
“No, they can’t,” her mother responded tartly. “I should think you were old enough to know that. What has he convinced you to do?” That last sentence was uttered in dramatic accents.
“As to that,” Gwen said, “it was my idea, but he has done so much more with it that I am rather impressed.”
Her mother gasped, but Lilah placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder, and she remained quiet while Lilah stepped closer. “Gwen, could you try to explain? You’re making us very concerned. And I don’t think we’re going to leave until we have the full story.” By which she meant that Mama wouldn’t leave until it was all laid bare.
“But there’s nothing to be worried about.” She looked at her mother. “I am doing exactly what you asked me to. I am going to help Lilah find a husband.” She smiled warmly at her half-sister. “Mama asked me to escort you about this Season, and Lord Sayres has agreed to help me.”
“By kissing you?” her mother cried. She never stayed silent for long.
“By agreeing to escort me—us—about town this Season.”
“In return for what?” Her mother’s tone was strident.
“He has a flower he would like me to wear. Often. It’s the Lincolnshire daffodil and it’s quite lovely. He even calls it magical.” She grabbed her sketch book off the escritoire, quickly flipping through the pages until she came upon her best drawing of the flower. “See how bright it is? Very sunny looking, I think—”
“But why you?” Mama interrupted, her tone strident.
“What she means, I think,” Lilah said quickly, “is isn’t Lord Sayres very well known among town? I’m sure he could get plenty of hostesses to display his flower.”
“Scores, I should think,” her mother returned dryly.
“I asked him that very same thing,” Gwen responded.
“And what did he say?”
“That the ladies wouldn’t pay for his flowers if they were doing him a favor. He needs them to want the flower and pay a very high price for them.”
Mama’s lips pursed in a very unflattering expression. “How much did you pay for them?” she asked.
“I didn’t pay for them at all!” Though, she realized uncomfortably, she was likely going to have to pay for all those new gowns. Someone would also have to buy the vases that would hold the daffodils. She guessed he would carry the cost of transporting all those flowers to London. He’d need to find someplace to store the flowers and someone to care for them as well. The costs were mounting in her head and she wondered if he had already thought of those things. Did he have the money? She might when Elliott released her dowry to her.
“Gwen dear,” Lilah said, “this all sounds very strange.”
Did it? But it made sense to her.
“And you don’t need to escort me about town,” Lilah continued. “I am perfectly happy as things are.”
And that, Gwen already knew, was a complete lie. Lilah wanted to be married and raise children. That’s why she’d been daydreaming about a special kiss the night of the masquerade. But rather than argue that, Gwen focused on the one thing she knew her mother wanted.
“Lilah, you must accompany me to every single one of my engagements this Season. Every single one. I insist.”