Miss Chance snorted.“Leave it to me, Lady Hewitt.You’re gunna look like a princess—and it won’t be too fussy, I promise.I can see you prefer a certain degree of simplicity.”
Tessa just beamed at her, delighted to be so well understood.
A short time later, Bragge poked her head through the curtains and said, “Lady Gosforth has decided to go home.”
“Oh, dear,” Tessa exclaimed.They were nowhere near finished.
“It’s all right,” Bragge assured her.“I’m to go with her, then the carriage will bring me back and I’ll stay with you until you’re finished.”
“Is she very cross with me?”Tessa ventured.
Bragge shook her head.“Bored, more like.Don’t worry, she’ll visit some of her cronies and they’ll talk about the way the younger generation ignores older and wiser heads.”She winked.“It’s one of her favorite topics of conversation—her friends’ too.”
Tessa wasn’t sure.It was one thing to assert her independence, and quite another to offend an old lady who’d taken her under her wing, quite against her own inclination.She would have gone out to the reception area, and spoken to Lady Gosforth herself, except that she was in her underclothes.
Bragge added softly, “If you ask me, m’lady, she’s quite pleased by your show of spirit.Not that she’d ever admit it, but a little opposition refreshes her wonderfully.”
Miss Chance chuckled.“I know a few old ladies like that.Me husband and I live with one.”
Bragge smiled and withdrew, promising to return shortly, and Miss Chance briskly returned to the business of planning a trousseau fit for the bride of an earl.
As well as morning gowns, walking dresses, evening gowns, traveling clothes, pelisses and spencers, there were underclothes, corsets specially designed to create the right flow of the dresses, nightgowns and more.
“I won’t need half of these,” Tessa protested.
Miss Chance just chuckled.“Most of these won’t be ready in three weeks,” she told Tessa.“But we’ll do our best to get you gorgeous for your wedding and honeymoon, and then when you return, the rest will be ready for a final fitting.”
Her honeymoon?Tessa hadn’t given it a thought.She’d never had a proper honeymoon.After both her weddings, she’d been taken directly to her husbands’ homes and there she’d remained for the duration of the marriage.
Would Marcus do the same?Take her directly to Alverleigh?She would have to discuss it with him.She had no objection to living at Alverleigh—though it would be very hard to look across to Ferndale and know that strangers lived there now—but she would like to see a little of the world first.
#
“YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUTthe weather clearing up,” Tessa commented.
Marcus nodded.It had been drizzling lightly when he’d called that morning to take her riding.He’d almost called it off, except that he was pretty sure the rain would stop before they were even out of the city.And so it had.
He’d taken her riding whenever he could, Hampstead Heath when he had no parliamentary or business engagements, and Hyde Park when he did.
Mornings suited them both, particularly since his aunt had returned to her old habit of rarely rising before noon.It gave them time alone, and he was pleased to see that the regular outings were having an effect on Tessa, relaxing her, and enabling easier conversation between them.
He no longer had to rack his brains for things to say—with Tessa it all seemed to come naturally.Even when there were periods of silence, they were not those uncomfortable silences he dreaded, and were usually broken by something inconsequential, like her pointing out a bird or a cheeky red squirrel.
He was comfortable with her, and she seemed the same with him.It boded well for their future
“I gather you’ve been doing quite a bit of shopping,” he said.
She gave a guilty start.“Yes, I’m afraid it’s going to be quite expensive.I haven’t yet bought shoes or hats or shawls or...other things your aunt considers vital.”
He shrugged.“Don’t give it a thought.Buy whatever you like.I just hope Aunt Maude isn’t bullying you.”He sent her a sideways glance and was surprised to see a glimmer of a smile on her lips.“She isn’t, is she?”
Tessa shook her head.“Not at all.But I’m afraid ...”
“I’m afraid?”he prompted.
She took a deep breath.“She’s finding me a bit of a handful.”
“Is she indeed?”He tried not to smile.
