Page 29 of The Cornish Bride

A wave of guilt swept over Ysella. Mama wouldn’t be saying that if she knew how she planned to go behind Kit’s back.

*

With it beingonly Monday, and two days to go before Wednesday, Ysella left suggesting to Kit that she should visit her dressmakers until Tuesday. In the meantime, she also had the brainwave of telling him she was sorry to lull his suspicious nature.

Congratulating herself on being so clever, she told him later on Monday that he was forgiven, she’d been a silly girl, and he was quite right about Oliver. She even went so far as to tell the same story to Morvoren, although she wasn’t sure she’d been believed. As a fellow woman, Morvoren was much harder to gull than Kit. Having to do all this lying stuck in her throat somewhat, but it had to be done. She didn’t want Kit suspecting anything when she announced her intention of visiting Marlborough on Wednesday.

They were taking afternoon tea in the drawing room when she broached the subject. She’d been in to visit her little nephew in the nursery and had spent a happy hour chattering to Morvoren that afternoon, but had steered well clear of the subject of Oliver Featherstone. Let them all think she’d dismissed him from her heart.

“I was thinking, Mama,” Ysella said, setting her half-drunk dish of tea down on the table. “I was thinking I might go and see the Misses Sedgewick and ask them to make some new gowns for little George. He can’t go on wearing mine and Kit’s hand-me-downs forever, and I’m being very slow with the gown I’ve been stitching.”

Mama, who seemed not to have been party to Kit’s diatribe about Oliver, thank goodness, smiled. “That sounds a nice idea, my darling. I’d come with you, only I want to stay with Morvoren. I feel she needs me still. Doctor Busick has said she can have George with her for a while each day now, and someone needs to be with her for that as she’s still so weak.”

“That’s quite all right,” Ysella said with a mix of magnanimity and relief. “I can take Martha with me. She likes a visit to the dressmakers.” She dimpled, at her sweetest and most obliging, or so she wanted Mama and Kit to think. “I promised to buy her a new mob cap with lace finishings as she’s so very good at styling my hair. As a present, that is. A treat for her. She’s very keen to have it.” Not quite true, but she could buy her one anyway, if necessary. In fact, she made a mental note to do just that to give credence to her story.

Kit, who’d been eating a slice of Cook’s best Madeira cake, set down his crumb covered plate. He raised his eyebrows. “Just gowns for George?”

Ysella turned her innocent gaze on him. “Well, I would very much like a new gown of my own for when I return to Town, if that’s agreeable to you, Kit. I have a picture of the one I fancy, and I’m sure the Misses Sedgewick could produce it for me. I’ve had invitations to so many balls and soirées, some of which of course I’ll miss while I’m down here, that I need more gowns. One can’t be seen out in the same gown twice. And when I get back, I fully intend to make the most of all my invitations. And I’d like to go to Almack’s.” She folded her hands in her lap, as demure as anyone could wish for in a sister. “Perhaps you’d like to come with me and give me some advice on what is á la mode at the moment?”

Mama snorted with laughter. “Whatever makes you think Kit will be able to advise you on that? Anyone less interested in fashion would be hard to find. Martha will serve you better, as I’m sure I’ve seen her reading your fashion pamphlets. If she can style your hair as well as she does, she’ll be well able to help you choose the fabric for a new dress.”

“And you don’t mind the expense?” Ysella continued, determined to flesh out her excuse for a visit to Marlborough. “My pin money won’t stretch that far.”

Kit smiled. Was he fooled? He should be, as she was always after new gowns. “Of course, you can have a new gown. And thank you for thinking of little George. I’ve been too busy myself to think of ordering him anything.”

“He’s doing very well in your own old nightgowns,” Mama said, with a hint of reprimand. “He can wait a bit longer for things to call his own.”

“Nonsense,” Ysella said, hammering home her advantage. “I spoke to Morvoren earlier, and she told me she wants all new things for George. She’s happy for now that there are our old baby clothes, but she wants new ones. She told me she wants George to be the best dressed baby in Wiltshire.” She smiled sweetly at Kit again so he wouldn’t guess she’d just made this all up. “She just wishes she could choose them herself.”

He smiled back. Yes. Fooled. Men were so easy to dupe. “Well, in that case don’t buy too many, so when she’s on her feet again she can choose some herself.”

Ysella dimpled, satisfied with her ruse. “I shan’t. Don’t worry.”