The salon above had a marble floor and several gracious seating arrangements. An older woman, dark-haired, fine-figured and handsome, came out of another room. “Captain O’Neill, it is such a pleasure to meet you, at last,” she cried, rushing to them with a wide smile, her accent stronger than her niece’s.
He bowed over her hand. “The pleasure is all mine, Madame, and I am very grateful that you could see us at such short notice.”
“For you,mon capitaine,I would need no notice at all.” She turned to Virginia. “Mademoiselle, ah, what beauty, what petite beauty, ah, this will be so easy and such a pleasure. Look, Sofie,regardes la petite!”
A flurry of French followed, the two women beaming.
Virginia flushed, feeling foolish and flustered and wishing she wasn’t being called beautiful, as Madame ushered her into the adjacent room. “Does the captain wish to stay and approve our choices or shall you leave the selection of gowns and fabrics up to the ladies?” Madame Didier asked, her eyes twinkling.
“He is leaving,” Virginia said quickly as Devlin sat down on a delicate green velvet love seat, dwarfing it. She gaped at him.
He smiled lazily back. “I prefer to approve, Madame. Virginia needs a number of ensembles for day and some ball gowns, perhaps two. I prefer her to be in shades that match her eyes—violet and amethyst would do nicely, I think.”
Virginia knew her jaw hung open, but she could not help herself. He was staying? She was to be fitted, and that meant some state of undress.
“And ruby red,mon capitaine,and of course, silver.” She snapped her fingers and Sofie held up a swath of iridescent silver fabric that rippled and glowed as the air simply brushed over it.
Devlin’s eyes brightened. “Oh, yes,” he said instantly. “I like it very much.”
Virginia went still, closing her mouth and staring at him as Madame made a happy sound, Sofie now draping the fabric over Virginia’s shoulder and chest. He looked indolently over her at her and smiled, but there was nothing indolent about his eyes—the gleam there was bright.
Her mouth went dry.
He wanted to clothe her in the silver tissue and he clearly found the idea arousing. She swallowed hard. “Devlin, why don’t you make your suggestions and then leave us for a bit?”
“I am staying.” He settled more negligently on the small settee.
Madame chortled happily. “Sofie, where isle rouge noir?”
Instantly Sofie found it and, smiling, held up a sinfully rich dark red satin.
“Mon capitaine,look at this!” Madame cried.
Virginia wanted to tell them that she could not wear that, oh no, that was for a woman like Mademoiselle Didier, it was for a woman like the countess.
Devlin nodded, his eyes warmer and brighter than before.
Madame Didier gave an order to Sofie in French and she began to unbutton Virgnia’s dark pelisse as Madame sat down and began making notes.
Virginia gasped as it was removed. “I…what are you doing?” she asked warily.
“You must undress. We must take your measurements,” Sofie said softly, unbuttoning the back of her dress.
Virginia looked at Devlin for help.
But no help was to be had from that quarter, as he merely crossed his long legs. “Do not mind me,” he murmured, apparently relaxing and preparing to enjoy the entertainment.
Virginia felt the dress opening down her back and the delicate touch of Sofie’s nimble fingers. She was disbelieving, but not angry. Devlin’s eyes continued to gleam and what was actually happening was making her breathless.
Her heart beat far too hard. She swallowed and lifted her arms and allowed the couturier’s niece to remove her dress over her head. Madame Didier looked up from her notes and clucked when she saw the pantalettes. By now, Virginia’s cheeks were warming, but so was the rest of her body.
She glanced around, to see if there was a window that could be opened, but there was not. “It is still the fashion in America,” Virginia lied. She shot Devlin a glance.
He hadn’t heard her, as he was quite obviously distracted. His gaze was on her ankles, clad in a wisp of silk stocking, and then it moved to the tips of her breasts, which were, naturally, hard and covered only with the thin wisp of her chemise.
Before Virginia could blink, Sofie removed that garment as well, so she stood clad only in her corset, pantalettes and the drawers beneath. Her breasts were bare, upthrust by the corset, and she was briefly stunned. Her cheeks went on fire and she slowly looked at Devlin.
And he, of course, he was staring very intently now.
