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At the modiste, Beatrice let the duchess and Sam describe the perfect gown, as she wasn’t into fashion at all and had no idea what kind of gown would be considered enticing.

The modiste quickly drew up the sketch and Beatrice just stared at it, mesmerized. She had never in her life imagined owning a gown like this. But as she was reeling from shock and excitement, the duchess proceeded to order undergarments and slippers.

“Miss Fowley is an old family friend, and we shall be taking all the financial obligations for this order,” the duchess concluded. “But we would greatly appreciate discretion. You know how wagging tongues can twist the most innocent gesture, don’t you, madam?”

“I would never gossip.” The madam sounded offended, before adding, “Not about my most valuable customers.”

Beatrice swallowed a chuckle. The duchess must indeed have been her most valuable customer, aside from the royal family.

“Shall you order some things for yourself?” Sam asked Evie as the modiste left to the back of the shop, while Beatrice stood on the pedestal in her unmentionables.

“Yes,” Evie said, settling on the seat beside her friend. “Gabriel insists I buy more clothing. I keep telling him it’s unnecessary since all my gowns are adjustable, but he wants me to have things specifically for this phase.”

“This phase?”

Evie looked down at her belly. “He likes… He doesn’t want me to mask my growing belly. At least when I am at home.” Her cheeks grew dark red, and she looked quite embarrassed.

“Oh!” A glimmer of understanding appeared on Sam’s face. “Yes, John enjoyed seeing me with child, too. He was quite proud of himself.”

Evie let out a chuckle. “As if he did some strenuous work.”

“Well…” Sam grimaced, and both women fell into heaps of laughter.

Beatrice listened to the conversation with a smile on her face. Both women seemed so happy with their respective marriages. And their husbands seemed to adore them, too.

Sadness washed over her, threatening to overpower all her other emotions. How could some people be so lucky while others… Well, while others had to claw and fight for every little thing?

Beatrice had never thought she’d have this current dilemma on her hands. Marry an old and frightening man or trick a young and charming man, a man who deserved better, into an unwanted marriage.

She let out a depressed sigh.

If anyone had asked her a year prior if she would ever contemplate such a thing, she would have dismissed it out of hand. She was becoming a despicable person, she realized, and she hated it.

But on the other hand, there were her aunt’s words. Did one person’s dream outweigh another’s? Especially when her dream would mean escaping a horrible life and his dream was a stepping stone to an even better life than his already comfortable existence.

Perhaps if she hadn’t known Adam, if she’d just plotted to snare him without caring for him one whit, she would have gone through with it without any twinges of guilt and nagging from her conscience.

She had to try and remind herself that Adam seemed to care about her, too. Perhaps they’d fall in love after the wedding. Perhaps, having a child would cement their relationship.

She cleared her throat. “Your cousin, the one you helped design the hideous gown for her wedding…”

“Yes?” Evie raised her gaze from the catalog she’d been perusing.

“She married out of convenience?”

“Yes.” Evie nodded. “She was in love with another man.”

“With my husband,” Sam said with a chuckle.

“She was in love with your husband?” Beatrice’s eyes rounded, and she couldn’t moderate her tone for the surprise.

Both Sam and Evie laughed merrily.

“Yes, my cousin Julie and Sam’s now-husband John were even preparing to elope,” Evie clarified. “And then a few years later, he was courting me.”

Sam swatted at her. “You make him sound like a complete rake!”

Evie let out a laugh. “No, rakes never court or get betrothed. He is the opposite of a rake.”