“I do not think Charlotte’s interests include bringing home scores of animals,” Rose reassured her with a smirk.She picked up a piece of fruit to eat from Johanna’s tray.“Micah was worried you did not come down to breakfast, but I reassured him that you were probably resting before the hubbub.”
Her poor brother.Too young to properly be the earl, yet feeling all the weight of it.
“Thank you.I probably should have thought about how they would react, but… I just needed some quiet.”
“Understandably.And by this evening, you will be a married woman.”Rose glanced around the room.“Have your things already been moved?”
“What things I had.”Most of her wardrobe was still on its way from the modiste, although the wedding gown should be delivered at any moment.Once it was, she would get dressed.She smoothed her hands over the skirt of the day gown she’d put on to eat her breakfast and let out a long breath.“I cannot believe I am to be in the duchess’ rooms tonight.”
“Are you worried about tonight?”Rose’s eyes glinted with curiosity.
“Of course,” Johanna admitted.“I mean, theoretically, I know what to do.But I do not actuallyknowwhat to do.If you know what I mean.”
“Strangely, I think I do.Do youwantto do it?”
“I… I think I do.”She felt the blush rise in her cheeks, lowering her voice even though it was just the two of them in the room together.“Last night I had another dream about him.Kissing me.Touching me.It was… I woke up tingling.”
“That is a good sign, then, I would think.Not that I know.”Rose smiled impishly.“But it seems as though it should be.”
“I think so.”
The sharp rapping sound on her door made both of them jump, and Johanna’s piece of toast went flying from her nerveless fingers.Thankfully, it landed on the tray in front of her.Unfortunately, it landed in her tea.
“Johanna, your gown is here.”Lady Stark swept into the room, followed by Nettie and several maids, one of whom was holding a box.“Oh, good, Rose, you’re here.”Her gaze swept over Rose’s attire as she got to her feet.“You look perfect.Well done, dear.”
Johanna fished her toast out of her tea and set it back on the plate.Well, at least no one was going to expect her to eat it now.No one wanted to eat soggy toast.
“Now, girl, let’s get you ready for your wedding day.”
It was a flurry of activity around her, which became even more chaotic when Bridget and Charlotte came in.Not that Charlotte added to the chaos, but Bridget certainly did.She was right in the middle of things with her opinions as the maids worked on getting Johanna dressed and her hair properly coiffed.
Yesterday’s jewels were brought out again.They sparkled against the ribbed silk of her lilac wedding gown, and her eyes appeared even lighter and brighter in reflection of both.With Johanna’s hair curled and pinned, Nettie carefully lifted the amethyst tiara into place.It shimmered against her hair.
“You look like a fairy queen,” Charlotte whispered, appearing at Johanna’s side in the mirror, staring wide-eyed at her.
“I do?”
Charlotte nodded.
“You do,” Bridget confirmed, pushing her way to stand on Johanna’s other side.“And we are your fairy princesses.”
Charlotte made a face at the description but did not protest.
Truthfully, Charlotte looked more like a fairy princess than Bridget, but Johanna was not going to burst her sister’s joy.They’d had precious little of it over the years.
“You all look splendid,” Lady Stark pronounced.“But we must move now, or we are going to be late.”
Flutters zipped through Johanna’s stomach.Late for her wedding.To a duke.
Herwedding.To aduke.
She took as deep a breath as her stays would allow, feeling her bosom expand upward as she did so.It did not help as much as she would have hoped.It rather felt as though her soul had left her body, though it continued to move and breathe, dragging her along with it.
In a few hours, she would be the Duchess of St.Albans.
Lifting her chin, she steeled herself.It was what she had to do to save her family, no matter how little she felt ready to take on the role of a duchess.
ChapterSixteen
