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“Where have you been?” Windermere asked.
“To see Aunt Georgiana and Uncle Latimer,” she replied.
“How are they doing?” Jasper asked.
“They’re in mourning. They’ve lost their only daughter,” she said shrugging. “I feel awful for them.”
She peered inside of Aphrodite’s stall. “Hello, there, my precious girl,” she said, pulling an apple from her pocket. The mare walked over, immediately.
Jasper watched her, beaming. He looked over at Windermere, who was watching him watch Selina, the hint of a satisfied grin on his face. He cleared his throat and bowed to them. “If you’ll both excuse me,” he said, turning and walking out.
Selina turned to Jasper. “Unaccompanied,” she remarked archly. “I would have never thought he’d allow it.”
“Now that we’re engaged, I do get a few more liberties than I used,” he whispered.
“Do tell,” she replied.
Jasper stepped forward, leaning in to kiss her, capturing her lips with his.
* * *
“Oh, my dear!” Lady Araminta Drake, the Countess of Quinton, swept into Selina’s rooms. “You look stunning.”
“Thank you, Mamma,” Selina replied. It was the day of her wedding, and she was almost ready.
“Faith! You’ve outdone yourself,” Lady Quinton gushed. Faith colored.
“Thank you, My Lady,” she murmured.
“Come here,” Lady Quinton said. “I’ll put some flowers in your hair.”
“It’s fine, My Lady,” Faith replied.
“Nonsense,” Selina assured her. “You should look pretty today, too!”
Faith sat down, and Lady Quinton began to stick a few little blooms into Faith’s bun.
Selina stood, walking to look at herself in the full-length mirror. Her mother had brought a new pure-white gown, with bell sleeves and an empire waist. It was made of silk, covered by Chantilly lace.
From her ears, there were drop-pearl earrings, and a blue-ribbon choker necklace with a matching drop-pearl pendant. Her hair was in a low chignon, with a few curls. There were tiny white flowers threaded into her hair on the left side.
Since it was June, she had eschewed her silk elbow-length gloves for a pair of delicate lace gloves that came to her wrists, buttoning.
“I must be clairvoyant,eh ma chère?” her mother asked, winking. “Your father was laughing at me when I bought it.”
“You must be,” Selina agreed.
“Eh,” she replied, in a manner that was entirely French. “Tant pis. Too bad. That’ll show him to laugh at me. I told him, ourpetit ingenue est trés enchanté avec cet duc.”
“I bow to your absolute rightness, my dear,” Lord Quinton said from the door. Selina’s father was looking very dapper in his best bespoke suit.
“Do you like him, Papa?” she asked. Since her parents had arrived only the day before, she hadn’t had a moment to ask him.
“Darling, I adore him,” her father assured her. He offered her his arm. “It’s almost time.” Selina took his arm.
Her mother kissed the air beside her cheek. “Faith and I will go and take our seats.”
“My Lady!” Faith said. “I’m not—”
