“Did you make certain she had everything she needed for her rest before we left?”
“Aye, m’lady.”
“Good, thank you, Sally.”
They arrived at the modiste shortly, and Helena quickly entered the establishment. She wanted to be back at Huntington House to make sure that Chastity was alright. Despite Sally’s assurance that she was not feverish, Helena was worried of her getting sick. She was progressing very well into her season, and it was, Helena knew, just a matter of time before the more serious suitors would make themselves known.
Madame Leroux attended to her personally, and the business of the accessories was quickly finalized. Helena, glad to have completed the task quickly, was bidding the modiste a good day when she heard her name called.
A lady who had just entered the shop approached her excitedly.
“Helena!”
“Why, Cecily! It is a pleasure and a surprise to see you!” Helena grinned at her. “It has been an age! I thought you were still in Germany?”
Cecily started her first season at the same time as Helena, Celine, and Dahlia. They had been a group of seven young ladies who had banded together at the start. But as the season wore on, they had drifted off into smaller, more intimate groups.
And though Celine and Dahlia were her best friends, they had all maintained a warm friendship with Cecily, which they enjoyed during the times she was in London. Having wed a German gentleman, they were not many.
“I arrived in London but two days ago.” Cecily grinned back. “I had not planned to return this time of year, but my dear Stefan had to travel to Denmark, and since he would be gone for close to a month, he asked me if I had wanted to visit my dear Mama.”
“Who else knows you are back?”
“I saw Dahlia and Celine at the promenade yesterday.” Cecily’s smile deepened. “Dahlia was blooming; motherhood seems to become her. But I heard that you are now an engaged woman!”
“Oh, yes. Yes. I am.” She was sure that Celine and Dahlia, who had been suspiciously silent the past few days, were planning to ambush her with a call very soon. She dreaded the meeting with her friends.
“Is that why you are here at Madam Leroux’s? Are you starting with your trousseau? How exciting! I remember when I was completing mine, that seemed just like yesterday.” She took Helena’s hands and squeezed them. “And I am sure you will have a wonderful time of it as well.”
“Ah. I actually haven’t started yet.”
“Well, whyever not?”
“Oh,, with Chastity’s coming out into society, it has just been such a hectic time.”
“Dear Chastity is out?” Cecily asked, her eyes wide with realization. “My goodness, that makes me feel old.”
They continued on in that vein for a few more minutes before Helena excused herself, and with a promise to call on Cecily soon, she bid her goodbye and went out the door.
“Huntington House, please,” Helena told the coachman.
“If you please, m’lady.” Sally interrupted her entry to the carriage. “Lady Chastity has asked me to purchase some new hairpins for her.”
Helena frowned.
“She did not tell me that she needed new hairpins. What is the matter with the ones she is using now?”
Sally’s eyes looked about her.
“They, er, they are…”
“They are what?”
“They pinch her hair! Yes, that is it.” The lady’s maid looked relieved.
Helena frowned again.
“You must be doing her hair too tightly if she feels a pinch. I do not think the hairpins are to blame for that.”
