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Edward gave her a bashful look. “He spoke a great deal about you too,” Ariadne said. She had been almost apprehensive to meet her, knowing that it was her best friend with whom Edward had broken his engagement off. The warm welcome had caught her by surprise, but it was a welcome one.
Maisie beamed at her. “I’m glad you’re here. I hope we can spend more time together.” She noticed Leda then who gave her a shy smile in return. “This must be your sister.”
Ariadne nodded. “She’ll be staying with us too,” Edward said to his sister whose eyes lit up instantly.
“Splendid,” she said. “I get terribly lonely even with Jane around. I think we shall get on pretty well.” She looped one arm around Ariadne and the other around Leda. Ariadne noticed her sister didn’t look as gloomy as she had appeared when they had left their flat behind. Emma’s betrayal hung like a dark cloud over their head, but she hoped they could soon leave it behind.
“Maisie,” the Duchess chastised, “give our guests a moment to themselves. It has been a long day for them.”
“Yes, Mother,” she said, her face falling.
Ariadne didn’t like that. She turned to the Duchess. “Can Maisie come with me to the dress fitting? I think she’ll be able to help find my wedding dress.”
Maisie’s eyes lit up. “Yes, Mother, can I? You know I’m good at embroidery.”
“Of course, dear,” the Duchess said. “You can help me with the wedding. In fact, I have something important for you to do right away. Come with me.” She gave Ariadne a meaningful look as she led her daughter away. As they were talking, the Duke had already left them.
A butler and a plump woman who appeared to be the head housekeeper gave them a small curtsy. It was strange to Ariadne as she was the one usually on the other side of it. Edward turned to her. “They will show you to your room. I’ll have something sent up before supper. I imagine you’re hungry.”
“Very,” Leda said before Ariadne could reply. Their trunks had already been taken away but the duchess had explained to her on her way there that a soon-to-be-married woman needed a fresh wardrobe.
Weddings. Fittings. Frilly dresses—all concepts that were totally foreign to her but when she tried on the third gown at the dressmaker's following week, it was as if everything clicked into place. The owner, Tessa Roneu helped Ariadne with her fitting and when she turned around to show it to the duchess, Maisie, and Leda, all three of them let out a collective gasp.
“Ariadne,” Leda said. “You look so beautiful. You look like a princess.”
Ariadne turned to face the mirror. She did feel like a princess and pretty for once when she had considered herself plain for most of her life. The cream white of the wedding gown gave some color to her pale cheeks and fit her in all the right places, showing off her well-proportioned features.
She ran a hand down the lace of the material. She couldn’t even in her wildest dreams imagine wearing something like this. But then again, her dreams had been different before. She had never actually thought she would get married, much less fall in love. Ariadne almost held her breath, waiting for everything to fall apart.
“I know Edward will like it,” Maisie said. “This is the one, Mother.”
“Yes,” Ariadne whispered to herself. She had fallen in love with the dress the moment she saw it. She hadn’t cared for dresses—or fashion in general before, but now she couldn’t take her eyes off this one.
After the dress was taken away to be packed, the Duchess did a quick round of the shop, picking out fabric for the new dresses that were to be made for her. “You will need a morning robe and at least four evening gowns. Puffed sleeves are all in the rage now,” Maisie explained. “The Season is in full swing and I imagine you and Edward will be getting a lot of invitations so you will need more dresses for that, of course.”
Ariadne’s brow rose with every word that Maisie said. Something stayed on her mind. She hadn’t read the gossip column but she had heard her maid speak about. “People are talking about me, aren’t they?”
“Well, of course, they are. You’re new to the ton. People are curious about you,” Maisie explained. That was a kind way to put things, considering that someone had gotten wind of the fact that she was related to the Earl of Jenson and the scandal that had caused the severance of ties to that particular relation. “Don’t worry too much, Ariadne. They will forget about you the moment they meet you.”
“I’m not too sure about that,” Ariadne said, hesitating. “The truth is, I don’t quite know how to dance.” She had been taught a bit at the finishing school but she had never taken particular interest after that.
Maisie’s eyes widened. “Don’t worry, Sister. I’ll have a tutor come in and teach you before your wedding.”
The wedding was only a few weeks away and any thought of it made her stomach squeeze nervously. She had been so caught up with the arrangements that she barely had time to see Edward. Furthermore, she was expected to be presentable at all times—have her nose powdered, her hair worn in a perfect coif, and a rather tight corset that made her breath hitch. Ariadne was truly happy for the first time in her mind. She knew that she had nothing to complain about but there was still a small knot of apprehension at the back of her mind.
On the day of the wedding, Ariadne was whisked away to the church in a carriage at the crack of dawn. She dearly wished Edward were here with her. This world was still unfamiliar to her and she wanted nothing but to walk into his reassuring embrace.
A flutter of maids helped put her into the wedding gown and dressed her up, coloring her cheeks with pigment and coiling her hair. When they were done, Ariadne looked at herself in the mirror and could hardly recognize herself. She touched her face. She looked absolutely stunning, like a transformed swan.
Just then, there was a knock at the door and Maisie came inside.
“Mother is looking for you,” she said to the maids. “Go find her.” After they left in a flurry of curtsies, Maisie turned to Ariadne with a smile. “You look so beautiful. But I have to ask you to put your veil down.” She stepped forward and pulled the heavy satin over her face.
Ariadne was confused. “Why?”
“There is someone here to see you,” Maisie said. As if he had somehow read her mind, the door opened again and Edward came in. Ariadne gasped and stood up from her seat. Maisie chuckled and left. “You have five minutes.”
After the door closed behind her, Ariadne rushed to Edward. She hadn’t seen him in over a day. Edward took her in his arms so that her head rested on his chest.
