“Are you sure?” the older woman asked, trying to tease out some kind of a reaction out of Sophia. “I must tell you, there will be scrutiny. A lot of it.”
Before Sophia could answer for herself, her aunt jumped in.
“Sophia is perfectly capable of dealing with any sort of pressure,” she stressed. “In fact, she does it so well that I often have to go to her for advice.”
CHAPTER 7
Sophia arrived in town early the next morning alongside the Duke and the Dowager. The trio entered the modiste’s shop where they were met with rows of silks and lace settled on the walls.
“I trust Madame Janice to sew you the finest gown in all of town,” Duchess Anna boasted as they waited for the modiste. “It is a good thing that Duncan could come with us as he has a say in the final selection as well.”
Duncan nodded. “I am afraid that I will not be able to stay for too long, however. You know that I have to head to the ministry to obtain the special license for the wedding.”
“Yes, yes, I am aware.” Duchess Anna waved her hand in the air, “But you must at least stay for the beginning to help choose the fabric and style.”
As Sophia listened to their conversation, the whole thing began to appear very real to her. Two weeks from now, she would have her wedding. The Duke had insisted on having the entire procedure expedited, and they had to make all the arrangements in a hurry.
It was a blessing that Duchess Anna was able to utilize her contacts in society. Otherwise, Sophia realized that planning a wedding in such a brief time period was an insurmountable challenge.
The modiste emerged from the backroom. She smiled at them.
“Ah, welcome. I have been expecting you for your appointment for your new gown,” she said, turning her attention to Sophia particularly. “Duchess Anna already briefed me on what requirements you may have, and I have prepared some designs for you.”
“Thank you, Madame,” Sophia smiled politely. “I would love to see what you have created for me.”
“I must tell you that Duchess Anna and my relationship goes far back. I have always wanted to design a gown for her future daughter-in-law, and now, the day has finally arrived,” the modiste gushed. “We can begin whenever you are ready.”
“Oh, my dear, the wedding is days away. We are as ready as we will ever be,” Duchess Anna laughed.
The modiste gestured for her seamstress to come and begin taking Sophia’s measurements.
“Then let us begin, shall we? We’ll create a gown that will undoubtedly be the talk of the ton, even though we do not have much time” The modiste’s voice was full of promise.
“Oh, I trust you entirely,” Duchess Anna gushed.
“Please, step on the platform, My Lady,” the seamstress said to Sophia.
Sophia nodded with a sense of anticipation and stepped onto the raised platform in the center of the room. The modiste and the seamstress began taking her measurements meticulously, noting down each inch in a small notebook.
“Since it is a traditional wedding gown, I would urge you to choose from our fine collection of silk,” the modiste continued as her assistant took further measurements. “It would have the grace and charm required, and I am sure that you will look like a vision.”
“Please, you must show us your selection,” Duchess Anna replied.
The modiste pulled out swatches of silk and lace. They were all different shades of white and had different patterns intricately carved upon them.
Duchess Anna nudged her son, directing his attention back to what was happening in front of him. “What do you say, my son? I would want to know what your opinion is.”
“You know, I am impartial to it all. Instead, you should be asking Lady Sophia for her opinion, for she is the one who would be donning the dress,” he replied casually.
“Oh, of course,” Duchess Anna said, a bit embarrassed, and then turned to Sophia. “What do you think, then?”
Sophia felt flattered that the Duke had considered her opinion to be the most important when it came to picking a dress. To her, that meant that he hada considerate nature and did not try to insert his authority into matters where it was not required.
“There are many options,” Sophia noted, running her hand across on the silk patches. It glided effortlessly under her hands, indicating the high thread count and top quality of the fabric.
“I believe that we can incorporate this delicate French lace for the bodice,” the modiste suggested. “I think it would do great for a touch of sophistication.”
“Ah, yes, that would be very nice,” Duchess Anna noted in appreciation. “I had something very similar for my own wedding. I have to tell you, my dress was the talk of the town for weeks afterwards!”
