Rosaline watched her blush with unconcealed amusement. "There," she declared triumphantly, pointing a finger at her. "That blush tells me everything."
"It tells you nothing," Seraphine protested, though her smile betrayed her.
"It tells me," Rosaline replied with a laugh, "that my sister has become impossible to tease without proving my point."
Seraphine laughed despite herself, and the sound felt wonderfully unfamiliar after so many anxious days. For one precious moment, the burdens weighing upon her shoulders seemed lighter.
"Now I must apologize," Rosaline said.
Seraphine furrowed her brow in confusion, "For what?"
"If you do not recall, I warned you to not take the Duke seriously, because of his past relations with women. It seems that I was wrong about that and his attentions were entirely admirable the entire time," Rosaline said.
I cannot tell her that she was correct and he is only marrying me to save my reputation. Does she know about the storage room?
"No need to apologize at all, Rosaline. You were only doing what a sister should," Seraphine smiled. Then wanting to test the waters, "So... what happened after I left the house party? Any idle gossip or scandals?"
"Only the scandal of you departing in haste and not saying goodbye to me. You left me a note, how peculiar. Why did you not say goodbye?" Rosaline asked.
Seraphine hated lying to her sister, but she had no choice at the moment.
"I was merely trying to avoid riding back with Lady Branson and preferred to ride with Lady Kane. I did not want to write that in a letter in case a maid read it. Then, all would be lost," Seraphine joked.
"Oh, of course, now I see," Rosaline said. Then she clapped her hands together decisively before rising. "Now then," she announced. "Enough chatter. We are going shopping."
Seraphine stared at her. "Shopping?"
"For your wedding."
"I possess gowns already. I am sure that one would do," Seraphine said.
Rosaline stared back as though she had uttered complete nonsense.
"Wedding gowns, Seraphine," she said patiently. "Not gowns suitable for afternoon tea."
Seraphine sighed as she stood. "Rosaline, I do not possess sufficient funds for extravagant purchases."
Rosaline's smile only widened. Reaching into her reticule, she withdrew a folded letter and waved it triumphantly before her sister.
"The Duke anticipated that objection," she said, handing it over.
Seraphine unfolded the note with hesitant fingers. Inside rested a draft from Damien's solicitor for an amount so large she almost dropped the paper.
Her eyes widened. "This cannot possibly be necessary."
"Oh, I suspect His Grace believes it entirely necessary," Rosaline replied with a grin. "He instructed us to purchase whatever was required. His exact words were, 'Lady Seraphine shall want for nothing'. "
Seraphine stared at the paper in silence.
Why would a man intending only a marriage of duty display such generosity?
She wished desperately that she understood him. Every answer he provided only produced another question.
By midday they had traveled into London, where Bond Street bustled with elegant ladies, fashionable gentlemen, and glittering carriage traffic. Shop windows displayed fabrics, shimmering cloth, ribbons in every imaginable shade, and exquisite lace that looked too fragile even to touch.
Rosaline led the way with the confidence of a seasoned wife while Seraphine followed, trying not to gape openly at the displays. They stepped into one fashionable modiste's establishment where polished mahogany cabinets lined the walls and bolts of luxurious fabric stretched from floor to ceiling.
A cheerful assistant hurried forward and dipped into a graceful curtsey. "Good afternoon, my ladies. How may we assist you today?"
