Page 33 of A Spinster to Reform the Duke
“What of this one?” she asked, holding up a pristine white material. “Yes, I like it very much.”
“Mother, I think you are rather pushing me toward Lady Esther. Is that why you invited her and the Countess around last night for dinner?” he asked, arching his eyebrows at his mother.
“I am capable of being a little artful, dear,” Catherine looked delighted by her own actions as she picked up the bolt and passed it to Timothy. “Carry that one for me, would you?” He happily took the bolt from her. “I have invited them around again this Saturday afternoon, for tea in the garden.”
“Ah, then I regret I cannot be there.” His words made Catherine look sharply back to him. “I have promised to accompany Alexander.”
“To where?”
“To see someone.” Timothy didn’t say who, for he feared his mother’s reaction, noticing how piercingly she was gazing at him. Fortunately, he was prevented from saying any more, as the modiste appeared and he handed the bolt to her.
Catherine was quickly hurried behind a curtain at the back of the shop, for the modiste to perform the fitting, leaving Timothy to return to the blue material he had been gazing at earlier. It was a rather dark blue in color yet embroidered with exquisite paisley detail.
“Your Grace, may I be of assistance?” the modiste’s assistant said, stepping forward and hurrying to curtsy.
“Ah, good day,” Timothy said, bowing his head hurriedly. He glanced toward the back of the shop, but judging himself safe from discovery just yet, he lowered his voice to speak to the young lady. “Do you have a shawl in this material?”
“I believe we may have one already made, Your Grace. Let me check.” The assistant hurried off behind the curtain, returning a few minutes later with the paisley shawl in her grasp, that she passed to Timothy for inspection.
It was a thing of beauty. As he trailed it between his fingers, he was imagining it draped around Lady Rebecca’s shoulders. It was perhaps a little different to his other anonymous gifts to her, yet he found himself reaching for money all the same.
“Yes, I would like to purchase it,” he said quickly.
“Thank you, Your Grace. Let me wrap it up for you.” The assistant took the shawl from him. “Would you like us to deliver it, or would you like to take it with you now?”
“I’ll take it now,” Timothy said without thinking. As the assistant wrapped it up, he realized what he had done. Now, he would have to either arrange for the shawl to be delivered by one of his staff, or he would give it to Lady Rebecca in person.
Maybe it is not so awful to accept I am the sender of the gifts…
Beforehand, he had rejected the idea outright, but there was something of what Lady Rebecca had said the week before that had stuck with him. She had claimed he had a good heart. It made him want to live up to that idea even more.
“What is this?” Catherine’s voice made him wince as he took hold of the wrapped-up parcel. “A gift? Who for? Is it for Esther?” she asked with excitement.
“No, Mother,” he said, turning away and tucking the parcel under his arm. “It is for Lady Rebecca.” Her face blanched in surprise.
“You said the scandal sheet was merely making a stab in the dark. That you were just friends with Lady Rebecca.”
“I am,” he said with a firm tone as they moved toward the door to make their exit. Catherine made a last goodbye to the modiste, promising to come again in a few days’ time for a second fitting, before they left through the door.
“Since when do you buy such gifts for your friends?” she asked, gesturing to the parcel.
“Since now,” he said, moving the parcel to his other arm, somehow hoping that with it more hidden, his mother would stop talking about it so much.
“Well, maybe you should have bought a gift for Esther too.”
“Lady Esther? Why?” Timothy asked.
“Good Lord, Timothy, you are an intelligent man.” She stopped in the middle of the path and turned back to face him. “I think you should court Esther.”
“I have shown no inclination for courting her!”
“I have. We both know you do not intend to choose a wife out of affection.” The words made her hang her head, fiddling with the reticule around her wrist. “A fact that saddens me, but there it is, I must accept it.”
“Mother, I do not wish to sadden you –”
“If you cannot marry for love, then at least choose a woman like Esther. She is a fine lady, and she would make you a good match.”
“I…” Timothy had nothing to say. He didn’t want to marry Esther, that was the long and the short of it. “I do not know who I wish to marry. Not yet. Let us leave it at that.”
