may have lost the opportunity to order a full trousseau in time for Brussels. I cancelled it after the attack. Now I must beg her to try and do as much as she can.'
'Why you have plenty in the press and the armoire.'
'Yes, I know but they are not the very latest fashion. I will look only "well dressed" instead of "much dressed" in up to the minute styles. I have need of new morning dresses, afternoon and evening gowns, a wedding dress and all the accessories. And that is besides pelisses, cottages, headdresses, bonnets, reticules and stockings.'
'You must be very disappointed milady.'
'Yes I am somewhat. But, Lady Venetia will accompany me to Mrs. Wallis's this morning. Lord Horatio will chaperone us, as Lord Alexander is away at present. Perchance, I will have recourse to a Modiste in Brussels. Such a to do, so little time. I just hope I will appear suitably dressed for my entrance into the high society of Brussels.'
As Sarah fashioned her hair in front of the large mirror on the dresser, Isa said, ' D'you know, I think I would like to try the new short style, although I can't stand the woman, I really did admire Lady Broughton's hairstyle yesterday morning.'
'But milady what would his lordship say? You have such beautiful hair.'
'Tis not his business Sarah. He is not my master, my future husband yes. However, he does not own me.'
Sarah gasped, ' Oh my lady - I would be terrified to say that. Someone might hear us.'
'Desist Sarah, never let any man dominate you. Of what use is your existence, if it is to be some rakehell's minion. I know they are not all roués, but they do not have the right to own our body and indeed, our soul.'
Sarah kept quiet, knowing how passionate her mistress was on the matters of the sexes and their rights. Nevertheless, she knew the master would be furious if Isabella was to appear with her hair shorn. As she braided the heavy locks, she paused, hearing a light tap at the door and a timid voice speaking hesitantly. 'Milady, I beg leave to speak with you.'
Sarah opened the door to an abigail anxiously carrying a small silver tray holding two cards. 'Beg pardon Miss Sarah, but there be two young ladies downstairs who ask to visit with Lady Isabella.'
'Thank you Mary. That's all.'
'But won't I be giving them an answer Miss?'
'No, I shall see to it myself. Thank you. Pray ask them to wait a few minutes.'
Frowning, Sarah brought the tray to Isabella, who smiled, as she saw the crests on the cards. 'Ah tis Lady Phillipa and Lady Henrietta. La, I shall make haste. Patting her hair, she said, 'That's looks very neat - thank you Sarah. Now if you would bring me my cottage, I shall go downstairs.'
Lady Henrietta sat on an elegant Queen Anne chair, the gilt glistening in the morning sun, whilst Lady Phillipa reclined on a Queen Anne settee upholstered in pale green velvet. Both girls rose and rushed to Isa. Phillipa hugged her. 'Dearest, I received Alex's note. I am so relieved. I knew, just knew Alex would not cast you aside.'
Isa eyes widened. 'Alex said nothing to me of this. The tease.'
Phillipa beamed. 'He wanted it to be a surprise.'
'So he arranged for you both to accompany me? La, I could kiss him.' Upon which, she sat down with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Henrietta hugged her, 'When he found out you'd cancelled the trousseau; he sent Mrs . Wallis a note and asked her to continue with it. So, Mrs. Wallis has the seamstresses working day and night. There is a team waiting for you at the shop.'
The door opened to admit the earl, his face beaming. Striding across, he took her hands, 'My dear girl, have wonderful day. Now you have no worries.'
Isa gasped. 'Papa you knew - you knew last night when we were talking. So Venetia knows as well?'
The earl laughed, delighted to see the joy on Isa's face. 'Yes of course.'
'And Mama?'
The Earl beetled his brows. 'No - your mama could not cope with it. We decided not to talk of it with her. You know how delicate she can be.'
Henrietta
'Why you have plenty in the press and the armoire.'
'Yes, I know but they are not the very latest fashion. I will look only "well dressed" instead of "much dressed" in up to the minute styles. I have need of new morning dresses, afternoon and evening gowns, a wedding dress and all the accessories. And that is besides pelisses, cottages, headdresses, bonnets, reticules and stockings.'
'You must be very disappointed milady.'
'Yes I am somewhat. But, Lady Venetia will accompany me to Mrs. Wallis's this morning. Lord Horatio will chaperone us, as Lord Alexander is away at present. Perchance, I will have recourse to a Modiste in Brussels. Such a to do, so little time. I just hope I will appear suitably dressed for my entrance into the high society of Brussels.'
As Sarah fashioned her hair in front of the large mirror on the dresser, Isa said, ' D'you know, I think I would like to try the new short style, although I can't stand the woman, I really did admire Lady Broughton's hairstyle yesterday morning.'
'But milady what would his lordship say? You have such beautiful hair.'
'Tis not his business Sarah. He is not my master, my future husband yes. However, he does not own me.'
Sarah gasped, ' Oh my lady - I would be terrified to say that. Someone might hear us.'
'Desist Sarah, never let any man dominate you. Of what use is your existence, if it is to be some rakehell's minion. I know they are not all roués, but they do not have the right to own our body and indeed, our soul.'
Sarah kept quiet, knowing how passionate her mistress was on the matters of the sexes and their rights. Nevertheless, she knew the master would be furious if Isabella was to appear with her hair shorn. As she braided the heavy locks, she paused, hearing a light tap at the door and a timid voice speaking hesitantly. 'Milady, I beg leave to speak with you.'
Sarah opened the door to an abigail anxiously carrying a small silver tray holding two cards. 'Beg pardon Miss Sarah, but there be two young ladies downstairs who ask to visit with Lady Isabella.'
'Thank you Mary. That's all.'
'But won't I be giving them an answer Miss?'
'No, I shall see to it myself. Thank you. Pray ask them to wait a few minutes.'
Frowning, Sarah brought the tray to Isabella, who smiled, as she saw the crests on the cards. 'Ah tis Lady Phillipa and Lady Henrietta. La, I shall make haste. Patting her hair, she said, 'That's looks very neat - thank you Sarah. Now if you would bring me my cottage, I shall go downstairs.'
Lady Henrietta sat on an elegant Queen Anne chair, the gilt glistening in the morning sun, whilst Lady Phillipa reclined on a Queen Anne settee upholstered in pale green velvet. Both girls rose and rushed to Isa. Phillipa hugged her. 'Dearest, I received Alex's note. I am so relieved. I knew, just knew Alex would not cast you aside.'
Isa eyes widened. 'Alex said nothing to me of this. The tease.'
Phillipa beamed. 'He wanted it to be a surprise.'
'So he arranged for you both to accompany me? La, I could kiss him.' Upon which, she sat down with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Henrietta hugged her, 'When he found out you'd cancelled the trousseau; he sent Mrs . Wallis a note and asked her to continue with it. So, Mrs. Wallis has the seamstresses working day and night. There is a team waiting for you at the shop.'
The door opened to admit the earl, his face beaming. Striding across, he took her hands, 'My dear girl, have wonderful day. Now you have no worries.'
Isa gasped. 'Papa you knew - you knew last night when we were talking. So Venetia knows as well?'
The earl laughed, delighted to see the joy on Isa's face. 'Yes of course.'
'And Mama?'
The Earl beetled his brows. 'No - your mama could not cope with it. We decided not to talk of it with her. You know how delicate she can be.'
Henrietta
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