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Chapter Thirty-Eight
Predictably, Nicholas took to avoiding her over the days despite her final words to him that night and Jenny buried herself in her research, surprisingly accomplishing a lot on the recent rock samples she had collected.
Staying away was difficult and she missed him but she wanted him to fight for them. “Don’t you look lovely in lavender?” Daphne stated wryly when she climbed into the carriage and saw Jenny. “Are you mourning?”
Jenny rolled her eyes. “I feel like wearing lavender today.”
They were going shopping for the upcoming ball the Duchess of Seagrave was hosting and Jenny had come to the Down residence to collect Daphne. “That is such a somber color.”
Jenny’s mood was not colorful and her choice of clothing reflected it. They spent their afternoon hopping from one shop to the other, sampling fabrics. All the while, Jenny plastered a smile onto her face, trying her damndest not to betray the wreck that she truly was inside. Daphne would ask questions that Jenny did not have answers to. Besides, she had grown weary of complaining about her pitiable relationship with her husband.
They ordered their dresses from Monsieur Raphael and were leaving his shop when Jenny noticed a quaint little dress shop that she had never visited. The last time she’d been in Bond Street, the dowager had disregarded the shop, dismissing it as too low a place for duchesses to patronize.
"Let's have a look in there, Daph.” She took her arm and drew her into the shop.
They walked in to the sore sight of Vanessa Whittaker standing on a stool as her measurements were being taken by a young girl that could only be an assistant. Jenny had half a mind to turn around and leave.
"Oh, Your Grace!" the modiste, a tall, gangly, and rather stylish brunette dipped into a curtsy, seeming to know Jenny already. "What an honor to finally have you grace our humble shop. I'm Madame Patricia, but you can call me Trish. Everyone calls me Trish."
Jenny found herself smiling—for the first time that day—at how proud Madame Patricia seemed of her moniker. Contrary to Persephone's opinion and the shop's outward appearance, the inside and displays around looked just as good as all the other shops they had been to, if not better than some.
"I heard about your visits to the shops on the street and wondered when it would be our turn to host you," Trish added, beaming.
"That is too tight!" Vanessa snapped at the assistant tending to her, her gaze trailing their every move in the mirror before her. Her eyes found Jenny’s and she smiled smugly.
"Miss Whittaker will have a looser cummerbund with this one too, Libby," Trish instructed the girl attending to Vanessa, “but leave that for now, her grace shall need your undivided attention."
It was Jenny’s turn to smile with satisfaction but she did not. Her gaze held Vanessa's displeased one in the mirror before she turned to introduce Daphne to Madame Patricia who immediately liked her.
"You seem like a very happy person, Miss Bexley," The modiste observed. "You simply radiate it. I like happy people."
Jenny was in agreement with her on that and she said it. “Nothing puts a damper on her. She is like sunshine.”
Daphne colored up demurely before they moved to the sitting area to look at some fabrics and designs.
"You have come to the right place, Your Grace, Miss Bexley. I shall have Libby take good care of you." Trish was practically bouncing on the edge of her seat with excitement.
Libby joined them, leaving Vanessa who descended from the stool and was now putting on her gloves before the mirror. While Jenny and Daphne perused a design catalog, Madame Patricia dragged Libby into an inner chamber to retrieve some fabrics. That was when Vanessa approached them, her features set firmly in a mask of impertinence.
"Getting a new dress are we,Your Grace?" she asked Jenny. "I see you are taking my advice and not getting too comfortable in one dress.” She looked up then as if she was thinking. “Or is it just the thrill of spending His Grace’s fortune that has you out here today?"
Daphne started to intervene, but Jenny stayed her with a hand over hers and a meaningful look.I have this, she silently said and Daphne reluctantly slumped back into her seat. “As—”
"Well, whatever new dress you purchase today, I would advise you to cherish it. Think of it as His Grace's souvenir to you,” Vanessa continued, cutting Jenny off.
"What use has a tree for a souvenir when it is where it should be?" Jenny returned, trying to decipher Vanessa's crypticadvicewhilst avoiding betraying any perplexity on her part. She could not understand why her comments always left her disquieted.
"How naively sweet of you to still consider Seaton your home." Vanessa laughed.
"I beg your pardon?" A knot formed in Jenny’s stomach at the same time a bitter taste rose up her throat.
"Oh, your husband hasn't told you?" Vanessa placed a hand to her chest in mock surprise.
"I should think that you are mature enough to keep our families out of our littlechats, Vanessa." She could feel her choler rising at Vanessa's direct involvement of her husband in their petulant bickering.
"Oh, dear Jenny,” Vanessa shook her head with a look of feigned pity on her face. “I shall spare you and get straight to the point since we have company that could rejoin us at any moment." Then she glanced meaningfully in the direction of the inner chamber that Trish and Libby were. "Nicholas has committed bigamy."
Jenny blinked. Surely she had not heard that right. “I beg your pardon?”
