“I was going to assist you,” Phillip said, tugging his well-tailored jacket that sported a crisp white pocket square into place as he settled an exasperated eye on Elsy.
“And I would have let you assist me if you hadn’t annoyed me by waxing on for the last thirty minutes about the personal appointment you had yesterday with Miss Penelope Griffin and her mother,” Elsy shot back. “Everyone knows Penelope is a diamond of the first water, and I didn’t particularly care for the way your eyes lit up as you were speaking about her.”
“That explains why you refused to hand over the reins, even on the tricky parts of the drive,” Phillip muttered. “But to address your accusation, if my eyes did light up as I was talking about Penelope, it was only because she’s destined to become a leader within society after she marries Mr. John Lathom. That means attention will always be on her, which then means attention will be on her gowns, most of which I designed.”
“A pretty excuse if there ever was one, but I’m sure you wouldn’t be so keen to accept an excuse like that from me if my eyes lit up when I was talking about another gentleman.” Elsy tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear before she readjusted the top hat done up in a deep shade of purple and set her sights on Eunice. “Ah, Eunice, I bet you weren’t expecting to see us today.”
“I wasn’t, nor was I expecting to overhear what was clearly an argument,” Eunice said, stepping close to Elsy and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Phillip bustled up to take hold of Eunice’s hand and placed a kiss on it. “Elsy and I weren’t arguing.”
“Her expression suggests otherwise,” Eunice said.
Phillip glanced to Elsy, who was scowling back at him, and winced. “Perhaps you’re right, but to address what I know is concern on your part, we’re not here because of any horrible news, although I do have news that Ann made me promise to impart to you straightaway so I don’t forget.”
“Clement Mills has been arrested for attempting to hire a killer to murder his wife,” Elsy said before Phillip could get the news out of his mouth.
“I was supposed to tell her.”
“You were dawdling about the matter, so now she knows.” Elsy took a step closer to Eunice, which had Phillip removing himself a safe distance away from both of them, probably due to the scowl still on Elsy’s face. “Cooper decided to have a little chat with Clement after all of you returned from the asylum because he had a feeling Mrs. Mills wasn’t convinced she should stay away from him. When Cooper arrived at the Mills’s residence, Clement was just leaving, so Cooper decided to follow him. Turns out Clement had an appointment in Five Points with a known assassin for hire. Clement had received a note from his wife that she was out of the asylum and apparently decided to take care of his wife once and for all. Cooper positioned himself close to the men in the pub where the meeting was taking place and overheard everything. As soon as money changed hands, Cooper arrested both men.”
“Which will keep him away from Mrs. Mills for the foreseeable future,” Eunice said. “Hopefully, his decision to hire an assassin will be the straw that has Mrs. Mills seeking out an annulment.”
“I should hope so,” Elsy said. “It was very inconsiderate of her husband to try to kill her, and no woman should tolerate inconsideration in a man.” She glanced to Phillip, released a sniff, then stalked toward the back of the carriage.
Phillip frowned as he watched her walk away. “She really is out of sorts today because I don’t believe hiring a killer to murderone’s wife can be considered inconsiderate. It’s more along the lines of vastly deranged.”
“Elsy wasn’t talking about Clement Mills.”
Phillip blinked. “You don’t think that was aimed at me, do you?”
“It was definitely aimed at you.”
“How concerning,” Phillip said, glancing to where Elsy was now glancing up at the trunks that were strapped on the back of the carriage. “But now is hardly the moment for me to figure out what I’ve done to annoy my dearest Elsy because I’m sure you’re wondering what we’re doing here.”
“I must admit I am curious.”
“We’re here because I, and with the full support of your fellow agents, have decided to take you in hand.”
“What?”
Phillip gestured to the black traveling gown she was wearing. “You’re a mess, my dear. I’m here to change all of that.” He smiled. “You may think of me as your fairy godfather, come to spruce you up before you go off to see your mother.”
“I don’t believe I’m in need of a fairy godfather.”
“Oh, you are,” Phillip countered before he began walking around her, sizing her up. “When I get done with you, you’ll look like a princess right out of a fairy tale.”
“What is it with you and fairy nonsense today?”
Phillip settled a stern look on her. “Surely you don’t want to reunite with your mother after all these years looking like”—he made a sweeping gesture with his hand—“that.”
Eunice tucked a strand of hair that had come undone from her chignon behind her ear. “I don’t look that bad, Phillip, and besides, I haven’t seen my mother in a decade. And while it is true that I didn’t search for her over the years, and true that I may hold a slight bit of animosity toward her for disappearing on me without a word, it doesn’t feel right for me to delay a reunion because I need a new wardrobe, something that would take weeks to have done up for me.”
“Perfectly understandable. Which is why I’ve taken it upon myself to create an entirely new wardrobe for you.” He turned and gestured to the trunks Elsy was still considering. “It’s all there in those trunks, all seven of them.”
“How were you able to create a new wardrobe for me? You’ve never taken down my measurements, nor could you have created a wardrobe in a day. You’re good, Phillip, I’ll give you that, but not that good.”
Phillip brushed a piece of lint from his shoulder. “But it’s because I am that good that I was able to create a wardrobe for you, although not overnight. As for your measurements, I have an eye for ladies’ figures. I sized you up months ago when I was designing a new line because I knew there would come a day when you were going to need to abandon those hideous widow’s weeds and embrace a new and improved you. To my delight, that day has finally arrived.”
