Page 21 of The Duke's Impossible Deal
Tobias swallowed.
Warner gave him a pointed look. “You might find people more tolerable if you did not antagonize them at every opportunity. Not everything has to be a fight, you know.”
“If I want your advice, I will ask for it,” Tobias snapped. “This is my marriage, and she will be my wife. The invitations need to be sent out soon. Tell her that I expect a guest list by tomorrow, and that she will be at the church on time.”
“Toby—” Warner began.
Tobias held up a hand. “No, Cousin. I will not hear it. She needs to understand that I am not hers to control. That this is a business arrangement, not a partnership.”
He swept out of the room before his cousin could say another word, and stepped out into the busy London street. As he stalked back to his house, he rubbed his jaw with the palm of his hand.
“The sooner this is over, the better,” he growled, the scent of violets lingering in his nose.
Seven
“Do you mean it?” Georgia asked, her eyes wide as she clung to the bolt of green silk. “I can really have a new dress made of this?”
Rowen was standing in the front room of Mrs. Green’s store with Georgia and Alistair. Mrs. Green had agreed to close the store for them, to give the children a chance to look through without being overwhelmed by the crowds.
I suppose there are some advantages to marrying a duke.
Rowen grimaced. She still rankled at Tobias simply announcing when they would wed.
He may think he has won, but I will show him.
She remembered the way he had held his godson on his shoulders—it made no sense. How could a man so cold and infuriating be so gentle with a child?
“Of course, you can. And we will have some of your older dresses tailored and altered—they will look better than new.” Rowen gave Georgia’s hand a little squeeze.
“And I can have new shoes?” Georgia looked from Rowen to the dressmaker.
Mrs. Green beamed at her. “You will need new shoes to go with your new clothes, Lady Georgia. And of course, you will need a hat.”
“Can I have a big hat?” Georgia pointed to a feathered monstrosity that was resting on a nearby mannequin. “Like that one.”
“You can have whatever you like, though I suspect that hat may be a little heavy for you.”
“Shall we try it on?”
Mrs. Green laughed and put the hat on Georgia’s head. It slid down so far that it covered her nose.
Georgia giggled and tipped the hat up so that her grey eyes peered out from beneath it. “I think I need a smaller big hat.”
“That may be best,” Mrs. Green agreed, before turning to Alistair, who was looking at the colorful fabrics around them. “And what about you, young master?”
“I need something to wear to the wedding. I am going to be a groomsman, you know.” Alistair puffed out his chest and jutted his chin.
“Are you? Well, we will need to make sure you are wearing the nicest clothes possible then.” Mrs. Green’s wrinkled face became even more so as her smile widened.
“And I can have my own set of tails? And a new frock coat for riding? And it can be any color I want?” Alistair turned to Rowen, who nodded.
Her heart swelled as she reveled in the excitement of her children. They had never gone shopping like this, not for so many clothes. More often than not, they had visited Mrs. Green for alterations, and even those visits had been sparse.
Rowen inhaled deeply. She may not have been able to win the argument about the wedding date, but at least she had secured this small victory.
And the advantage of it being so soon is that I need not invite my parents.
That was a comforting thought.
