Truthfully, he’d made a good decision bringing Roslyn into this. Considering her prior connection with Tate and the fact that she was the estranged daughter of the Duke of Spiritly, she was the best person for the job.
“He hoped I could lend you some guidance on what to expect.”
“That couldn’t have been an easy ask.”
Given her own history with court and the fact many of her former friends had cut Roslyn off when she’d decided to break from her family, it couldn’t have been a welcome decision to venture into that world again.
Roslyn’s nod of agreement was graceful.
“And is that why Ashwin’s here too?” Tate glanced in the other woman’s direction.
Ashwin covered her smile with a hand, her eyes glittering with amusement. The seamstress was vastly different from her noble born friend with her ash blond hair and features even more delicate than Roslyn’s.
Already pretty, the clothes she wore lent her an air of elegance and wealth. Even Tate’s uneducated eye could tell that Ashwin’s outfit was more finely made than Roslyn’s. The cloth was more expensive, the cut more complicated, and there were enough embellishments on it to fit in with those in the Upper.
Ashwin’s clothes were a chance to advertise her skills and it showed.
“You need court attire,” Roslyn said calmly. “Nothing you currently own will be appropriate for your presentment.”
Tate muttered a curse. Neither woman flinched, treating her reaction as expected. Then again, Ashwin had been down this road with Tate a time or two in the past. She was aware how impatient Tate was when it came to clothes.
“Something like that takes weeks to design and create. How do you plan to make something on such short notice?” Tate asked, giving in to the inevitable.
Even someone as stubborn as Tate recognized the truth in Roslyn’s words.
Ready-made garments wouldn’t pass muster. While talented, there was no way Ashwin had the time needed to produce an outfit worthy of the presentment.
The nobles and officials who’d be in court were looking for any chance to tear her apart. To point and say she didn’t belong.
Tate didn’t, but she had no plans to give them such an easy way to drag her down. If they wanted her blood, they’d have to work for it.
“I’m capable of miracles, didn’t you know?” Ashwin’s smile was coy.
“Is that right?”
Ashwin leaned forward and winked. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Your outfit has been in the works for months.”
Surprise filled Tate. “Are you serious?”
Ashwin shared a conspiratorial look with her friend.
Roslyn folded her hands at her waist as the corners of her lips turned up in a tiny smile. “You could say I’ve been preparing for this for a while.”
“Shall we get started?” Ashwin asked with a bright voice.
Tate grimaced and gestured toward the stairs that led up to her room. “If you insist.”
* * *
Preferring to avoid the inevitable teasing Dewdrop and the twins would subject her to, Tate decided her room would be the best venue for her lessons and fitting. Tate led Roslyn and Ashwin up the first flight of stairs and then the second. They headed for the third floor Tate had claimed as her own space. Dewdrop, Night, and the cubs resided on the first two floors.
The house was big for a family their size, giving everyone plenty of room to spread out and make a place of their own.
Unlike the first two floors that had a more traditional layout of clearly defined rooms and hallways, Tate’s floor was a little different. Stepping onto the landing, you were greeted by a pair of bookcases and a settee that faced the large window above the foyer. A cozy looking throw was casually tossed over the settee where a stack of books sat at the foot of it. An empty teacup from the night before rested on the short end table next to it.
Tate was a frequent visitor to the nook and it showed.
Beyond the bookcases was a wide-open space with a peaked roof that served as her bedroom. Wooden floors made it warm and inviting. One wall was composed entirely of windows that let out onto a rooftop balcony.
