Page 52 of Ravished By the Beastly Duke

She had finally had enough of Lady Sarah’s excesses, and when she saw that the obnoxious woman was ready to ruin Miss Fran’s business, she knew she had to step in.

Therefore, she stepped out of the cabin.

“I would certainly love to see you try to ruin Miss Fran,” she said.

Surprise was too small a word to describe Lady Sarah’s expression. Her face was white with shock.

“Uh…” She swallowed nervously. “Miss Eveline? Uh… I apologize…”

“It is ‘Your Grace’ to you,” Eveline responded with a sweet but dangerous smile as she flaunted the ring on her finger. “I’m the Duchess of Mayfield now.”

One of Lady Sarah’s minions, whose name Eveline did not care to remember, whispered something to her.

“I… I learned that you… that you married the Duke…”

Eveline could not help but find it rather amusing how Lady Sarah stumbled over her words, obviously ashamed by her attempt to blackmail the modiste.

“News sure does travel fast,” Eveline said, still smiling. “Indeed, the rumors are true.”

“Congratulations to you, Your Grace,” Lady Sarah said, averting her gaze.

“Now, you were saying something about ruining Miss Fran’s business, were you not?” Eveline asked.

At this point, the shop had fallen silent, with all the seamstresses and other workers watching the spectacle.

“I… I was simply wondering if Miss Fran could attend to me when she was no longer busy,” Lady Sarah said quickly.

“Is that so?” Eveline asked curiously as she took small, deliberate steps towards her former bully. “I could have sworn I heard you threaten to start a rumor to ruin Miss Fran’s business. Surely, I am not the only one who heard it.”

She looked around at the seamstresses, who all nodded in confirmation.

“If you heard that, then I simply said it in jest,” Lady Sarah said in a quiet and rather intimidated voice.

Eveline stopped just a few feet from her. “Then I am relieved. After all, aren’t defamation and blackmail crimes?” she pointed out. “And since you were so quick to mention your father, I was wondering if people would be more inclined to believe rumors coming from the daughter of an earl or the words of a duchess.”

She could have sworn she saw Lady Sarah shudder.

She then smiled sweetly. “Now, why don’t you stay and wait for your turn? I am certain Miss Fran will attend to you when she deems fit.”

With that, Eveline turned on her heels and walked back to the cabin, with Miss Fran hot on her heels.

“Your Grace,” Miss Fran gasped as soon as they were back in the privacy of the cabin, “how do I thank you for this?”

Eveline smiled genuinely. “Oh, you do not have to thank me. If anything,Ishould thank you. After all, you presented Lady Sarah to me on a silver platter, and now I have broken her wings forever. Let me know if she ever troubles you.”

“Oh, Your Grace,” the modiste sighed happily. “I owe my business to you. This is not the first time she has come here only to threaten my business and insult my customers when she cannot have her way.”

“I had no idea. She truly is awful.”

“Who knows what damage she would have done if you had not swooped in to save me? I heard she singlehandedly put the baker out of business.”

“Trust me,” Eveline said, “she will never trouble you now, unless she is willing to pit her words against mine. I have made sure of that. Now, let us choose the fabrics.”

With that, she chose the fabrics with the help of the modiste and Gracie.

“I think olive green would suit you, Your Grace. It goes perfectly with your skin tone and the color of your hair,” Gracie commented.

Soon enough, Eveline stepped out of the cabin, and Miss Fran promised to deliver the dresses within the next few days.

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