AllFreeNovel
Share Us
***
“She’ll have the pink gown with the matching gloves,” the Duke of Dormondton told the seamstress as he inspected the drawings in front of him and Lady Eleanor. “I want these pearls removed from it, though. She has a pearl necklace that will suit her just fine.” To Eleanor, he added, “Simple is better. I know some ladies want to be flamboyant, but I find it unbecoming. The best wife is one who lets her sweet temperament win a gentleman’s heart.”
Eleanor didn’t have a problem with the gown being simple, but she wasn’t sure she wanted pink. The red gown seemed much more exciting. Before she had time to voice her opinion, her father was paying the seamstress.
“Are you sure you can have this ready by tomorrow afternoon?” he asked the seamstress.
“The design is an easy one,” the seamstress assured him. “I’ll have it done before I go to bed tonight.”
Eleanor wondered if the lady could sew clothes that fast for everyone or if it was her father’s additional money that prompted her to speed the process. Eleanor knew how to make clothes. She’d gotten bored in the country and had begged the maids to teach her how to make clothes after she was done with the lessons the governess had given her for the day. If there was one thing Eleanor didn’t care for, it was having nothing to do. She’d thought coming to London would be a lot of fun. Upon first glance, there was so much to do. But it seemed that it was just as boring as the country. She still spent most of her time all by herself.
The seamstress left, and her father turned his attention back to her. “There you go.” He sat next to her on the settee. “A new gown will give you more confidence. I know new clothes do that for me.” He gathered his cup and a scone.
She tapped the side of her cup, which was still full of tea.
“Is something troubling you?” he asked then bit into his scone.
“I have a difficult time around people I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t think a gown is going to make me exciting to talk to.”
“It’s a pretty gown, and you are a pretty lady. It almost pains me to say that since a part of me can’t believe you’re already grown up. But I’d be remiss in my duties as your father if I didn’t see to it that you get married. Every lady has a right to a husband and children. I’m just not sure if there’s one who deserves you.”
Considering that she hadn’t had a single suitor in all of these months of trying to find one, her father should be glad to have anyone take an interest in her.
“I never realized how difficult it is for fathers when their daughters are ready to marry,” he continued. “A daughter is like a precious gem. You don’t want just anyone to take her. Picking the right gentleman is paramount. In order to even attract him, we need to make sure you’re safe.”
“I am safe. No one is trying to harm me. The carriage wheel could have happened to anyone, as could the rat. As for tripping on the stairs and at the theatre, I was clumsy. My foot got stuck on the hem of my clothes. These gowns go down to the ankles.”
He nodded, though he didn’t seem to believe her.
She hid her disappointment. She shouldn’t be surprised he wasn’t listening to her. She’d already exhausted him on this topic. Maybe after the Runner assured him that there was no killer, her father would feel better.
“Tomorrow evening, I’ll let Mr. Tumilson watch over you,” her father said. “I’m sure he can be more discreet than I am. Since he’ll be coming with us, you’ll need to set aside two dances with him. I’d like gentlemen to assume he’s interested in you. Sometimes gentlemen need to think a lady already has a suitor in order to make an effort to get to know her.”
Eleanor felt the color drain from her face. “You didn’t hire Mr. Tumilson to play the part of my suitor, did you?”
“No, of course not. I only hired him to figure out who’s trying to kill you. But since he’s a bachelor and will be associating with us, people might think he’s hoping to be your suitor. I’d rather have them thinking that than knowing he’s a Runner.”
She supposed that made sense. “You’re not going to tell him to pretend to be romantically interested in me, are you?”
“When people see you dancing with him and learn you’re going to a dinner party with him, they’ll assume it.”
She relaxed. As long as Mr. Tumilson didn’t know this was part of the arrangement, she didn’t have to feel awkward around him. She was having a difficult enough time in London fitting in with the people here. She didn’t need Mr. Tumilson pretending to like her to add to the embarrassment.
She picked up a scone and took a bite. “What will happen if I don’t find a husband?”
“You will find one. I have some gentlemen in mind who haven’t met you yet. I asked around at White’s earlier today, and a couple will be at the ball tomorrow night. They all have titles and money, and, best of all, they’re looking to get married. I already arranged for them to be on the dance card. One wanted to make sure you weren’t a redhead before he agreed to dance with you.” He chuckled. “That was Lord Quinton. He’s a good gentleman, but he has a tendency to be superstitious. He won’t dance with a lady who has red hair. He thinks it’ll be bad luck.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “How can red hair bring bad luck?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t ask him. I think most gentlemen have something that makes them peculiar.”
Did they? She wouldn’t know. In fact, she knew very little about people in general. She hoped once she married, she wouldn’t have to keep running from one social activity to another. She barely had any time to read or sew. She used to do those things all the time in the country. They’d been pleasant ways to pass an afternoon, and they had always made her feel at peace. All of this running around had the opposite effect on her. But she would do it if it meant she would get married. This was what her father wanted for her, and she wanted to make him happy.
Her father patted her hand. “I have a feeling having Mr. Tumilson around will be the thing those gentlemen need to notice you.”
Since he expected it, she smiled before she sipped her tea.
