Page 52 of Duchess Material

“Do you have these in a size small?” Lucy asked. “Or an extra small? Really small?”

“Some of them only go down to a medium. Which is usually small enough—”

“Not for her.” George shook his head. “She has tiny hands. It’s a bitch to find gloves that fit.”

“We have the Burberry ones in an extra small,” one of the women said.

Lucy made a face. “No thanks.”

“Well, I’d like to try them in say a small,” Lucy’s sister said.

Lucy knew George’s utterance was incriminating.

“Well, we won’t keep you,” Patrick said.

George took the bag one woman handed him.

Lucy faked a smile. “Sure. Well, nice seeing you. Have a good rest of your holiday.”

“You, too, Luce!”

George and Patrick left. Her sister didn’t want the gloves, so they went to the designer collections to look around.

“You didn’t want to tell him his cousin is here?” Francie asked. “Why did you act so weird. You obviously know them—”

“It’s complicated,” Lucy said, curtly.

“I am not stupid. How did Prince George know what size gloves you wear? That’s like a bizarre thing.”

“Because he knows such things.”

“Well, like, yes, but how is what I am asking…”

Lucy took a deep breath. “George and I were together. For a long time. So, he would know, I guess.”

“Like together-together? Or like you were his beard?”

“I wasn’t his beard! He did leave me for Patrick, that’s true. We had a normal, seemingly straight relationship. This isn’t to get back to Jen or Mom, you hear me?”

“I get it. No. They’d be frightened. But you and Winston—”

“Now you know why I didn’t want to raise that flag?”

“Yeaaaah. Wait, did you move in with Winston to get in his pants? If so, well done.”

“God, no! Winston has been in love with me for years, I guess. Wild, right?”

“Not too wild. I thought he had a major crush on you when we were there. He clearly loves you.”

“I know. I love him, too.” Lucy sorted through little black dresses.

“This Miu Miu is cute,” Francie said, holding up a short little mini dress to her body.

“You could pull that off with your legs.”

“You and George… really? You could have been queen!”

“I realise it would have been a disaster,” Lucy sighed, leaving out that they were almost engaged. “Anyhow, now you’ve met Pat. He’s great. I couldn’t hate him if I wanted to. I want them to be happy. I don’t quite understand it all, but I know George did the best he could to protect me in the end. I love him for it, still. But… things with Winston are good. They’re real.”

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