Frances practiced her posture in front of the vanity mirror, smiling at her reflection. “You make it sound so easy.”
“With a dress like this and a lady like you, it is easy.” The maid smiled. “And if His Grace has any common sense, he won’t let you out of his sight.”
Frances’s heart fluttered at the thought. Surely, that would only land them in a similar position to the one they had been in inside the closet.
She was simply not prepared for what would happen to her heart if she were to kiss him for a second time.
“Then you must make sure that I do not look so good,” Frances instructed.
The maid sighed, thoroughly confused now. “My lady, you confuse me.”
Frances smiled at her. “My sisters used to say the same thing. You will get used to it soon.”
CHAPTER13
Frances took in her reflection in the mirror, tugging at the hem of her dress. It was made out of the finest fabric, embellished with delicate late, and it accentuated her curves perfectly.
She had never worn anything like it before.
“You look gorgeous, Your Grace,” her lady’s maid said in the background.
“Hmm.” Frances stole another look at herself in the mirror. “Are you certain? I am worried it is a bit… out there.”
She had always worn dresses that made her blend into the crowd, perfectly happy with not being the center of attention. But this dress could not be more opposite.
It drew attention just by the flare of the fabric alone. She felt nervous about making an appearance in it already, even though she had not left for the ball yet.
“Not at all. It is the perfect blend of elegance and luxury. Something that is quite becoming of a duchess like yourself.”
“Do you really think that?”
The maid broke into a smile. “Yes, Your Grace. I do. I am sure that the Duke will be in agreement with me.”
Frances felt her heart skip a beat at the mere mention of him.
It had been a few days since they had kissed, and both of them had gone out of their way to avoid each other ever since.
Barring the awkward run-in in the hallway, they had only seen each other at meal times. She swallowed sharply.
“Oh, he better believe the same…” Frances murmured under her breath.
“I did not quite catch that, My Lady?”
“Nothing.” Frances turned around, a sweet smile on her face. “Perhaps we shall get started with my hair?”
The lady’s maid was by her side in an instant. Frances sat down on the chair in front of her vanity, letting herself relax for a moment. She rubbed her temples.
Tonight, she was going to have to be by Christopher’s side. It was their first official appearance as man and wife, and she felt nervous at the outset.
For one thing, she feared that they would be discovered, their little facade exposed to the world, and she would be embarrassed.
Her fingers gripped the sides of her vanity chair tightly.
“No…” she muttered under her breath, causing her lady’s maid to give her a quizzical look before continuing styling the rest of her hair without question.
She could not let that happen. She had come too far and sacrificed too much to be discovered at this stage.
The future of her marriage and the children depended on how convincingly she appeared as Christopher’s ever-devoted wife. She had to.
