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“Hmm. You paint a rather bleak picture.”

He let out a small laugh at that, “what you might consider bleak, I think of it as practical.”

“I shouldn’t like to ever be so practical that I lose whatever spark I have left,” she said, surprising herself with the emotion with which she uttered the words.

“Maybe you can transfer some of it to me,” he said with a smile. He was looking at her again with the same level of intensity as before and she couldn’t help but blush. “You know, it’s rather apparent when you do that. The flush on your cheeks.”

It hadn’t gone unnoticed and unfortunately for her, it only caused the color to deepen.

“I think you can find your own spark, if you try,” she replied. “I think there are many things in this world that we can care about.”

“Yes, I’m trying to see that more.”

She hadn’t expected this but their conversation had taken a strangely intimate turn. As though they were suddenly not just two people who had chanced on marrying each other, but rather two that had some shared sense of understanding.

It was unsettling, as it was exciting.

“Once again, there is a lifetime to figure that out,” she smiled at him. He changed the conversation then, but the warmth lingered.

“I think there is one thing that you haven’t considered in your planning of the ball,” he cleared his throat gently. “You’ve been so focused on the arrangements that you’ve forgotten about yourself.”

She shot him a puzzled look. “What have I forgotten about?”

In her mind, she had been particular and thorough.

“What will you wear?”

“Oh.”

It seemed like such a trivial question that she couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I have to be honest with you. I haven’t really thought about that so much.”

“You should go into the shops,” he decided. “And get yourself a nice dress. If it is going to be a grand ball, then it only makes sense that the Duchess looks the part.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that…” she hesitated. “I would much rather that the money is spent elsewhere.”

“No. There is enough money to go around,” he corrected. “You’re going to get yourself a nice dress.”

“I have all the clothes I need.”

“We will see about that.”

CHAPTER 18

“What do you think she will like?”

Gregory had found himself at the Modiste’. If the Duchess wasn’t going to go dress shopping, he had decided to take on the task himself. Though, he was realizing now that it was something that he had little expertise in.

“Deep blue, I think,” said Madame Voisin. “I believe it will go stunningly with her complexion.”

“Hmm. I should best take your advice,” he gestured to the dress that was hanging near. “That one, please.”

“You have not asked the price.”

“That won’t be needed, please.”

She gave a small nod. “And the Duchess’s measure? I confess I have never had the honor.”

He took a folded sheet of paper from his coat and slid it across the counter. It was in Augusta’s handwriting. She had produced it that morning without asking a single question.