Page 50 of Once Bitten, Twice Mine

“This is my sitting room. My house.”

“And I will still do whatever I want.”

Valeria left while Caroline was still sputtering to find a response to her impertinent words. Her dressing gown was left in a heap on the floor as she left the room with her chiffon slip billowing around her, not caring that Madame Gavreau saw all of her as she pushed past her.

The dressmaker entered the room as if she hadn’t even noticed Valeria and got back to work on Caroline’s dress without a word.

“I apologize for the interruption.”

“It’s not a problem, Miss Blythe,” the modiste said before getting back to work. The woman didn’t say anything else, but she kept her eyes down from Caroline’s gaze for the rest of the appointment.

LETTER FOUR

Sire,

I have found myself becoming quite homesick over these past weeks and am grateful for all of your stories about what hijinks you and my sisters have gotten up to in our time apart. I look forward to when we can all be together again and the gifts our new journey will bring.

However, don’t feel too bad for me because loneliness has not been my only companion. I have made a most unexpected friend while I’ve been here. She’s the loveliest creature I’ve ever seen with hair like golden spun straw and eyes bluer than any ocean. She is incredibly smart and very put together. I think she would make the perfect addition to our family. I can easily imagine her at the dining table with the other girls.

I have not betrayed you or our people, but I do think she would be most amenable to our mission.

I await your judgement.

All my love,

V

CHAPTER 14

Caroline’s eyes were heavy as she shoveled eggs into her mouth. Sleep had been elusive as she tossed and turned for most of the night, keeping an ear open in case Valeria slipped into her room again. She wasn’t sure if relief or disappointment flooded her when she made it through the night alone.

“Good morning,” Lucy said as she walked in with a basket of fresh laundry, closing the door behind her with a swing of her hip.

Caroline grunted a greeting. Lucy had attempted to make conversation when she brought her breakfast, but she was even less inclined to speak then. The eggs made it possible for her to respond at all.

“Mrs. Thomas told me how late Madame Gavreau left last night, and I can’t believe the fitting lasted as long as it did.”

Lucy had been there for the first hour, but Caroline sent her off on errands when it was clear her chattering was driving the dressmaker mad. She was so used to Lucy’s constant talking that she barely noticed it anymore, but it did come in handy when she didn’t wish to speak because the lack of a conversation partner would never deter her lady’s maid.

“It was so good of Miss Evans to come by for support. You would have said you can manage, but I know it would have been disappointing to go through the fitting all alone,” Lucy continued as she placed a stack of blouses in her bureau before turning around and shooting her a glare. “Though I can’t believe you didn’t tell me everything that happened.”

The color drained from her face as she stared at Lucy; the eggs on her fork fell back to her plate as her hand gently shook. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

She didn’t have the faintest idea who could have told her what happened with Valeria. Madame Gavreau certainly heard, but she didn’t think the dressmaker would have gossiped with the servants, as she didn’t seem interested in speaking, but maybe she just didn’t wish to speak with her.

Worse, what if one of her servants was in the hallway with her or cleaning an adjacent room and heard her and Valeria? She didn’t know how she would ever survive the humiliation of the gossip following her around the house.

“You know precisely what I mean since you sent me out so quickly I didn’t even get a chance to see the dress,” Lucy huffed. “You didn’t tell me your dress was made of Spitalfields silk.”

She could have collapsed in absolute relief at Lucy’s scowl. She couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped as she thought about Lucy’s reaction if she truly knew everything about the fitting and was rewarded with an even deeper frown.

“It’s not funny! I’ve read all about Spitalfields in the society papers, and to know the finest silk in the country was in this very room without me knowing is a betrayal.”

“I told you Mr. Andrews was sparing no expense.”

“Yes, but knowing that and then seeing it is something completely different.”

Frankly, she was also shocked when she mentioned both the silk and the price to Edgar, and he told her to get it. It was nearly enough money to replace the hearth, but she couldn’t even think of that now as there was no way for her to recover that money even if she wanted to. Her one comfort was that if Edgar could afford her dress, then he wouldn’t have a problem repairing everything the house needed.