Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Are you well?” I asked her.
“I am not.” She frowned. “I have no dress for this evening’s ball, and my brother is as clueless as a bird about how to help me. If you both can spare the time, will you accompany me to the modiste?”
“My dear, I do not believe any modiste will be able to fashion a dress for you in mere hours. Do you not have a dress among your things?” Silva questioned.
“I fear I have worn all my finest ones already. And I do not wish to appear before her ladyship in a less than fine gown. Of all the ladies in the ton, she would notice.” She smiled sweetly.
I glanced at her brother to see his focus entirely on me. It took a mere moment before my heart began to quicken.
“I will do my best not to take much of your time.” Her face fell, and her eyes softened. “It is times like this when I wish I had Mama or an elder sister.”
“Does the dowager…” I tightly squeezed Silva’s arm to stop her from speaking.
Despite our close connection with the duke, I did not know much of the Dowager Duchess of Everely, except that she was greatly disliked, especially by three people—Evander, his sister, and my mother.
“The best course of action would be to add finery, lace, or silks to an already existing dress,” I said to her. “That is something even a household seamstress may accomplish on such short notice. Madam Marjorie’s shop has the best.”
“Oh, that is not but a short walk from here. Will you join me?” she pressed.
“Of course.” I nodded to her, and she smiled wide. So I looked at her brother. “Your Grace, we shall return her in one piece. You need not accompany us, for I know men have no desire to be part of such things.”
“Very true. However, I shall accompany you anyway as I fear you underestimate the monetary damage my dear sister can do in a single shop.”
“I know nothing about that!” Verity lifted her head high and took hold of Silva’s arm, pulling her away from me, which then forced Evander and me to walk together.
Hathor had informed me that she was able to speak with Verity while at the park and found her a bit devious…I did not understand at the time. But now I surely did.
“Are you not ashamed to use your sister as a method to speak to me?” I asked.
“You are the one who spoke first.” He was right.
So I was silent, and he spoke again.
“I must admit, however, that I do enjoy when she plots in my favor.”
“So, you are aware of what she is doing?” I looked at him.
“Was she not obvious?”
“Very.”
He laughed. “Yes, but what were you expecting I should do? I wished her success, and she succeeded. Consequently, I am able to speak with you again.”
“Devious.” I stared at the back of his sister. “You and her both.”
“Me? I have done nothing.”
“By doing nothing, you allowed her to do what you wished. Devious,” I shot back.
His eyes danced with amusement. “Very well, I shall plead guilty.”
“Good. Now let us not speak.”
“If you saw through my sister’s act, you could have rejected her offer.”
I frowned. “She still might need help with dresses. And as she said, she does not have another lady’s company she relies on.”
“Ah, so you’re here out of pity.”
“Do not say it like that,” I replied sharply. “I merely…I merely…”
“Wished to speak with me as well?”
“You think highly of yourself, Your Grace.”
“I am quite tired of thinking lowly of myself,” he muttered, and when I looked at him, he said nothing more for a moment. Then he whispered, “Did you read my letter?”
“What letter?” I pretended to be ignorant as I held my head high.
“The one open in your hand.”
My head dropped immediately, and I looked to my hands where I still clenched his letter.
He chuckled.
And I glared. “Are you laughing at me?”
He nodded. “Yes, for you have become an even worse liar.”
“Some of us cannot be as proficient as you, imp.” The words came right out of me before I had thought to stop them. My eyes widened, and I dared not look at him!
“You have become a worse liar and a better curser, I see,” he muttered.
“Forgive me.” I brushed my hair behind my ear. “That was—”
“I remember when you were all but twelve. Your sister ripped your favorite book, and your mother told you to forgive her. So you did as you were told, then marched deep into the gardens at Belclere until you got to a strong tree where you proceeded to call your sister a ninny, maggot pie, and fart from hell.”
I bit my lips to keep from laughing.
“You nearly broke your toe kicking the tree,” he said as he gave in to his laughter.