“Rosalie loves to shop, and she has the best taste. Let her get you whatever she wants,” MissRaught adds.
Catherine watches Lady Rosalie’s lips quirk upward. All right. So she’s being shoppedfortoday.
Discomfort pricks at her neck, but Catherine merely nods and sits back in her seat.
She and Mother have visited most of the shops on the broad, gray-stoned Milsom Street, but they certainly haven’t purchased at all of them. She’s brought some of her pin money with her, but a new bonnet and perhaps one pair of gloves would run through it quickly.
It seems Lady Rosalie’s purse has no such limitations.
Their first stop at the haberdashery is a whirlwind. Lady Rosalie, MissRaught, and MissLinet position Catherine in front of a mirror and take turns roaming around the pink-walled shop, grabbing any hat they deem remotely interesting. Catherine doesn’t so much try them on as the girls try them on her. Lady Rosalie stands by, approving or disapproving each choice.
MissRaught slips a wide-brimmed straw hat onto Catherine’s head that droops over her eyes. MissLinet brings her a tiny narrow bonnet that pinches her temples. She insists it makes Catherine’s head look dainty.
The overlarge brown bonnet Miss Raught brings her nexthides her face entirely and fully blocks out any peripheral vision.
“I feel like a horse with blinders,” Catherine mumbles, wondering if they’re intentionally trying to get her something ugly and embarrassing.
Lady Rosalie lets out a quiet chuckle. Catherine swings her head to be able to see her, which make Lady Rosalie laugh more. The way Lady Rosalie smiles at her and helps her remove the bonnet makes Catherine’s skin tingle.
Her fingers graze the underside of Catherine’s chin as she undoes the laces holding the hideous thing to her head and Catherine shivers.
Lady Rosalie’s eyes spark momentarily. But then MissRaught appears with a little lace cap and Lady Rosalie turns away, placing the brown monstrosity to the side.
MissLinet returns as well with an even bigger bonnet, but they all stop moving as Catherine situates the lace bonnet on her head.
“Now, that has promise,” Lady Rosalie declares.
It does sit well against her brown hair, and Catherine likes how delicate it looks.
“I haven’t a dress to go with this,” Catherine admits.
“Nonsense,” Lady Rosalie says dismissively. “You’ll take that.”
“But—” Catherine starts.
MissRaught touches her shoulder. “Give in, I swear it’s easier.”
Catherine meets her eyes in the mirror while Lady Rosalie glances at MissLinet. MissRaught smiles at Catherine and Catherine tentatively smiles back.
“Okay,” she says, carefully lifting the bonnet from her head. “Aren’t you going to try something?”
“There is a pink bonnet I’ve been eyeing for a few weeks,” Miss Raught says, pointing across the store.
Catherine turns and spots the most hideous dark pink bonnet rimmed in pointy little rosettes, which would make her head look like a pink soup spoon.
“Uck, no, you’ll look like a flattened tulip,” Lady Rosalie says brusquely.
Catherine can’t help but huff a little laugh. Lady Rosalie’s eyes find hers and she smirks. It makes Catherine’s chest clench in a strangely pleasant way.
“I think something in blue or green would suit you better,” Catherine tells MissRaught.
MissRaught sighs loudly. “I suppose.”
“I found you three, come on,” MissLinet says, rolling her green eyes at Catherine and Lady Rosalie before pulling MissRaught across the room.
“Let’s buy this, and then we’ll find you matching gloves and have a dress fashioned to go with,” Lady Rosalie says, taking Catherine’s arm.
Catherine fights another shiver. “You really don’t need to—” Lady Rosalie silences her with a look. “I mean, thank you, Lady Rosalie. That’s very kind of you.”
