Page 10 of The Artisan and the Duke
“You must be very serious about getting out of those balls you seem to hate so much,” Jules noted aloud to the man.
Gregory laughed and dipped his head. “Nothing gives me more pleasure than to thwart my mother’s never-ending attempts to set me up with eligible ladies.”
“And here my mother thought I was set against marriage.” Jules laughed softly.
Gregory eyed the young woman in amusement. She still had her cap in place and looked her part very much, but Gregory knew better now. It still caused him pause to hear a young lady talk so opinionatedly on subjects that most of the gentler set chose to avoid at all cost.
“We might want to see about getting you dressed appropriately. I doubt that my mother will approve of your attire.” Gregory waved a hand at Jules’ breeches and cap.
“I suppose I do look a bit scandalous if you know my true alignment,” Jules admitted. “I guess that means I won’t be staying here under the guise of a young apprentice or man-in-waiting.”
Gregory scoffed, “Dear me, no.”
Jules smirked at the reaction from the man. “I promise not to look,” she said with a laugh at the expression on Gregory’s face.
A maid appeared in the foyer and gave them a curtsey. Gregory nodded to Jules. “I need you to go see that Miss Kelley is appropriately dressed for dinner.”
The maid’s eyes cut over to Jules who gave the woman a friendly smile. The woman mumbled, “Yes, My Lord.” She spoke to Jules, “If you would follow me please.”
“Right behind you,” Jules said as she followed the maid up the stairs.
There were more rooms in the home of the Duke than she had ever seen. Her father would have wondered at the structure, and Jules found herself in awe at the architecture of the building. “When was this building erected?” she asked curiously.
“I am not sure that I know,” the maid said in confusion.
Jules just waved off the question. “It’s not important,” she said with a smile.
***
Once they were in a room that the maid called Jules’ room, the maid turned to stare at her. “Beg your pardon, Ma’am, but you are a very strange looking guest even for this household,” she said with genuine curiosity.
“I suppose I do look a trifle odd,” Jules agreed. She pulled off her cap and unbuttoned her blouse. It felt good to release the bindings around her quite sore breasts.
The maid’s eyes looked like they might bulge out of her head. “I’ll see if I can’t find you something to wear,” the maid said as she hurried off all flustered cheeks and scurrying feet.
The young woman was quickly out of the room leaving Jules to laugh quietly to herself. She bathed in the pan left under the vanity. It felt so odd to see her reflection without the bindings, let alone with a clean face.
The maid swiftly returned with bundles in each arm. “I think I have secured clothing for the evening,” she said proudly. “These should do nicely.” The maid stretched out the dresses on the bed and asked, “Do you wish to pick one, Ma’am?”
“Oh, I like the yellow one,” Jules said feeling positively foolish as she lifted the dress up in front of her.
The maid smiled. “It really sets off your eyes and hair, Ma’am. You’ll be splendidly beautiful for His Grace.”
Jules choked on the very air. “I don’t care one fig about what His Grace thinks of me. Why would you think that?”
“Well,” the confused maid said softly, “you are here as his guests. I heard his Lordship and the Lady St Claire discussing you, and it seemed to me that you were being presented as a potential match for His Grace.” The maid lowered her head in shame. “Please forgive me if I have slighted you in some way.”
Jules shook her head. “No harm is done to me, I assure you. You merely caught me by surprise.” Jules’ mind was whirling. Had she ever asked the Duke how he intended to explain her staying here? Jules groaned internally and let the maid help her into the dress she had picked out.
The mirror that hung in the corner of the room on its wooden supports showed Jules someone foreign to her. Surely, she was not that creature staring back at her. Had it been so long since she inhabited her own skin that she could not even recognize herself?
The maid said, “You look beautiful.”
Jules replied, “Thank you. I feel like a fish that just grew feet.”
The maid hid a laugh daintily behind her hand. “Well, you look like you were born in that dress. I think it suits you well. Do you wish me to plait your hair?”
“It has been so long since I have even contemplated leaving my hair out from under my hat; I don’t know. Do you think it would look nice that way?” Jules looked over at the girl who nodded.
