Page 37 of Tempting the Earl

Pressing her fingers to her cheeks, Miss Chadwick replied artlessly, “It’s still just a little difficult to get used to. Which is why I’ve chosen to enjoy a long engagement.”

“I wish—” Mrs. Bentley began, but was quickly interrupted.

“It’s what we want, Emma.”

It took a moment, but Mrs. Bentley eventually gave a little sigh and nodded. “Of course, dear. Your choice entirely.” Then she turned to Ainsworth looking a bit apologetic. “I’m afraid I have a tendency to be a bit overbearing with my sisters.”

Miss Chadwick quickly reached out to pat her sister’s hand. “Well, you had reason to be. But you’ve been doing so much better lately,” she noted with an encouraging smile. “Even with Portia.” Turning to Caillie and Ainsworth, the younger lady added, “Portia is our youngest sister. She’s a bit of a hellion, to be honest. And her elopement to Gretna Green last year hit Emma rather hard.”

“I just don’t see why she couldn’t wait to marry her man properly,” Mrs. Bentley noted stiffly.

“Properly? You mean like you and Roderick did? Getting married at the club?”

Although Miss Chadwick appeared to be all that was sweet and gentle, she clearly had no trouble teasing her older sister, who narrowed her gaze at that last comment.

“Did you really?” Caillie asked all wide-eyed. “Did you and my brother get married at his gambling club?”

A lovely curve softened Mrs. Bentley’s lips. “We did, actually. Our marriage was a bit of a scandal”—she shrugged her slim shoulders—“so I figured I may as well take it all the way.”

“How verra exciting!” the lass exclaimed.

“And it was a wonderful event,” Miss Chadwick noted quickly. “I only hope my wedding will be as lovely and intimate.” She slid her warm gaze back to Ainsworth. “Have you had a chance to consider whether or not you’d like to attend my engagement party, Miss Morgan? I’d truly love for you to come.”

Feeling Caillie’s hopeful gaze and the kind smiles of the sisters across from her, Ainsworth found herself unable to deny the request, despite her earlier reluctance. “Of course, Miss Chadwick, I’d love to attend.”

“Excellent!” The lady’s smile was bright and genuine. “Then you’ll have an opportunity to meet Portia and her husband, Mr. Turner, and our great-aunt Angelique.”

Emma made a soft sound of distress and Lily laughed again then leaned forward as if to share a secret. “Angelique is a bit of an eccentric. No one ever quite knows what she’ll do or say.”

“Exactly,” Emma noted with a furrowed brow.

“I wish I could go,” Caillie sulked.

Emma smiled. “Being young can be rather difficult when there’s so much you’d like to do.”

“I want to do everything,” the lass exclaimed. “Go to all the parties, attend the theater, see Vauxhall and Covent Garden and boat down the Thames and attend the races and a boxing match.”

Ainsworth laughed. “And you will, luv,” she assured when the girl paused to take a breath. “Once you’re old enough.”

Caillie groaned and the three women shared a glance of amused understanding.

Their first stop was a tiny old perfume shop tucked in along a narrow lane. Miss Chadwick explained that Angelique had brought her there once and she’d been anxious to get back. Apparently, there was a particular perfume she wanted to order for her engagement party.

The shop was a fascinating mixture of scents and colors. Small and dim with shelves covered in various glass bottles that reflected the rare bit of sunlight that filtered through the front windows, it felt like an otherworldly place. The atmosphere was further supported by the proprietor, a small, wizened old man with a large nose, bright golden eyes, and silvery whiskers.

While Lily Chadwick spoke with the shopkeeper in hushed tones about the specific scent mixture she wished to order, Ainsworth, Emma, and Caillie wandered about sniffing the delightful perfumes and marveling at their variety.

Once Miss Chadwick’s business was concluded, the foursome moved on to a nearby bookstore where Caillie found a volume on architecture from the previous century and a collection of Ancient Greek myths. They made additional stops at the lacemaker, the milliner’s, and a shop that specialized in the finest accessories a modern lady could need, namely, dancing slippers, reticules, and fans. Lastly, they arrived at the modiste.

Madame Bellerose herself greeted them in the front room of the shop.

“Hello, Mrs. Bentley and Miss Chadwick. I see you brought with you a pair of new friends.”

“Good afternoon, Madame,” Emma, replied. “This is Miss Morgan and Miss Claybourne. They are visiting London for the first time as guests of the Earl of Wright.”

The modiste’s eyes widened at the news as she studied them both with a brighter and more critical gaze. “Ah! How delightful. Please come this way to the fitting rooms.”

The back room of the shop was divided into several smaller fitting areas. Madame pulled back the curtains between two of them to create one large space for them all. Caillie quickly claimed a seat in a corner armchair where she began to read through her newly purchased book on mythology as Madame’s assistants went to fetch the gowns she’d been making for Mrs. Bentley and Miss Chadwick to complete the final fittings.

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