She ate her bread instead.
"Just a building," she muttered.
"Just a building," he agreed.
***
THE SEAMSTRESS ARRIVEDafter breakfast with two assistants and a large trunk.
Una watched her open it and felt her stomach drop.
The fabrics inside were extraordinary.Deep wool in jewel colors, silk borders, panels of fine linen that would have cost more per yard than Una charged for a full gown.She knew these fabrics.She had worked with their like when dressing the thane's daughters and had never expected to wear them herself.She stood very still as the seamstress began draping samples against her, and said nothing, and looked at the colors, and thought about what each bolt would cost.
"The green first," the seamstress said, making notes."And the dark gold.Both will suit yer wife well."
"Cormac," Una said quietly."The green alone will cost a large sum."
"No expense is to be spared," he said from the chair by the fire."Whatever she needs."
"I do not need all of these."
"Whatever she needs," he said again, to the seamstress.
The seamstress nodded and went back to her notes.
Una scowled at him.He stared back with a raised brow, daring her to argue.
"Ye are impossible," she said.
"Aye," he agreed.
Una allowed herself to be measured.Watching the seamstress work, she could see the woman was a master of her craft.She noted the way she handled the fabric, the cut of her samples, and filed it all away.When the seamstress asked about embroidery at the cuffs, Una gave a considered opinion, because she could not help it.The woman nodded and wrote it down.
Two gowns by the end of the week.A third if the silk arrived in time.
Una did not ask the total cost.She was not certain she wanted to know.
When the seamstress left, Una stood in the middle of the drawing room feeling overwhelmed.
"Ye are doing it again," Cormac said.
"I am not."
"Ye are.Stop."He stood and came to her and tipped her chin up."Ye are my wife.Allow me to dress ye properly.It gives me pleasure.Can ye not give me that much?"
She frowned.
"It is not charity," he said."It is not pity.I want to see ye in beautiful things.That is all."
She breathed out slowly."All right.But not the gold.The gold is too much."
"The gold," he said, "is perfect."
She just shook her head.
***
THE JEWELER ARRIVEDsoon after: a timid man with a case of velvet-lined trays that he set out on the drawing room table.
