Page 29 of Echo in the Wind

“It might be.” The close-bodied gown with its fringed ivory satin petticoat, around which hugged the blue-green and ivory striped silk, had become her favorite. Unfortunately, it was too fancy to wear most evenings and the neck dipped precariously low for practical wear. She hoped it was low enough to distract a certain French comte from her sister.

“That will be lovely on you. But first, can you come to my room and help me? I can’t find Nora anywhere.”

Joanna followed Tillie to her bedchamber and retrieved the yellow gown from her sister’s clothes press. “Now that you’re out, we will need to find you a maid of your own. Perhaps one of the girls Richard employs here in London might appeal.”

“There is one I like and she is my age.”

“If you think she will suit, she can be trained as a lady’s maid.”

“I’ll ask Nora about her.” Tillie smiled, obviously happy to finally have her own maid. Then, taking the gown from Joanna, she said, “I’m glad you suggested the yellow one, Jo. I had forgotten it has sequins. I love how they sparkle.”

Tillie laid the gown on her bed, took a seat at her dressing table and picked up a brush.

Joanna reached for it. “Here, I can do that.”

Tillie sat, looking into the mirror at her hair, a lighter shade of red than Joanna’s and with more curls. As she pulled the brush through Tillie’s long hair, Joanna’s thoughts turned to their family.

So much had changed.

Their father had died early in the American War and, two years past, they had lost their mother to illness. Joanna had become as much a mother to Tillie, then seventeen, as a sister. The whole family had mourned deeply, but it was worse for Tillie and Freddie because they had relied so much on their mother.

They had barely finished mourning their mother’s death when the next year, their eldest brother Wills was killed in Italy. Richard became earl, steeling himself against the pain, and Joanna had become his hostess, running the household and guiding her younger siblings. That Freddie had joined her in smuggling still caused her much guilt.

Tillie met Joanna’s gaze in the mirror. “I wonder if we might see Monsieur Donet tonight.”

“I expect we will, for Cornelia is giving a party in his honor after the concert and we are invited.”

Tillie’s eyes lit up. “I shall look forward to that.”

Inwardly Joanna groaned. It would be a long evening for Aunt Hetty would be staying home and Richard was seemingly unconcerned with Tillie’s infatuation.

Nora came into Tillie’s room just then. Seeing Joanna brushing her sister’s hair, the maid reached for the brush. “Let me, mistress.”

Joanna relinquished the job to more capable hands. “When you are done here, Nora, can you help me dress?”

“Yes, of course, my lady.” The petite Nora had been a stalwart soul during the days the family had mourned the passing of so many members. Joanna was grateful for both her and her brother Zack. The two Barlow siblings were like family.

She returned to her bedchamber and sat at her own dressing table, pulling the pins from her thick hair and rubbing her scalp. As she brushed her hair, her gaze was drawn to the porcelain figurine her mother had given her a decade earlier. Ironically, it portrayed a young woman wearing the court dress of France with an elaborate white wig.

The figurine made Joanna think of the comte, part of her wanting very much to see him and another, saner part of her wanting him back in France.

A short while later, Nora appeared at her door. “Lady Matilda is dressed and has gone down to meet his lordship.”

“Thank you for helping her, Nora. Did she mention she has thought of a girl who might serve as her maid?”

“She did. I agree the young woman is a good choice.”

Once Joanna was dressed, Nora turned to Joanna’s hair. With expert fingers, her maid drew Joanna’s long hair back from her face and added a hairpiece of the same color hair. Soon, a mound of curls was piled high on her head with a few left to dangle on one shoulder.

“Did Zack pay you a visit?” she asked her maid.

“Oh, yes, and he ate several of Cook’s tarts. He also gave me a message for you, m’lady.”

Joanna glanced at her maid in the mirror.

Lowering her voice, Nora said, “There will be another run in a fortnight. And you shall have your lace.”

Joanna smiled, pleased. “The modistes will be happy and the villagers will have more coin to feed their families.”