rankled her composure.
Madame Le Fleur’s chin took a stubborn tilt. “ Non , he gave strict instructions.”
“Fine. Reduce my order to the green baize and the dark blue riding habit.” Serena rose to leave the modiste and all her wares.
“But, Mademoiselle …the other two gowns—”
“Will not be ordered unless the bill is sent to the address I gave you.” Serena carefully tensed the muscles in her face, taking on the superior mask Madame Marchander had taught all her girls to use when dealing with recalcitrant servants and rowdy patrons.
“As you wish, Mademoiselle . I will send the bill for the other two gowns to that address.” The woman shrugged in defeat. Serena knew she would give with the threat of losing the sale. Money always won in the end.
***
Brennan fought for control of his fury. Two dresses. He had ordered the modiste to provide a complete wardrobe and the fool woman had billed him for two dresses. Two! He took a deep breath. This must be Serena’s doing. He crumpled the insufficient bill in his hand and stalked upstairs. He found her in the sitting room she had taken over. She perched at a small writing desk. Bathed by the sun’s rays, her hair resembled a nimbus of living flame. Despite the arresting vision, Brennan stormed into the room and slapped the bill down in front of her. “Please explain this.”
She gasped and jumped at the thump of his palm on the desk. She glanced down at the paper and up to his face. Her mouth drew down and her gaze narrowed in anger. “I ordered two dresses because you neglected to give me any direction regarding what I should order or how much I could spend. If I overspent, it is your own fault.” She rose and pushed past him.
A fool. He was an utter fool. He thrust his fingers through his hair and cursed roundly under his breath. “Stop right there.” His command rang out and she stopped, which caused her skirts to swish around her trim ankles. “You are right. I should have told you what I wanted you to do. I assumed telling the modiste would be sufficient. It is clear I was mistaken.”
“I see. She tried to have me order more, but I believed….” She sighed and turned to face him. “I believed she was pushing for a sale. It never occurred you would have given her instructions.”
Brennan laughed so hard his shoulders shook. “I can just imagine how that exchange went. Madame Le Fleur is very tenacious when following instructions. However did you convince her to only make you two gowns?”
“It wasn’t an easy fight. I purchased two others in addition to those two. She departed rather unhappy about our arrangement.” Serena giggled.
“I only received a bill for two though.” Brennan’s mind raced. What happened to the other gowns?
“Oh, I had her send me the bill for the other two. They are all quite lovely.”
His temper flared to life anew. Bloody hell, she had paid for the clothing herself. “Serena, you will give me those bills so I may pay them. I intended to furnish you with an entire wardrobe, not just four dresses. Now, please send me those bills, and then I would like you to order at least five more.”
“No. I have no need of a new wardrobe. The four gowns, two of which I will pay for, is more than sufficient.” Her brows drew together in a scowl.
She dug in, her body stiffening, and Brennan had no clue how to prevent it. “Serena. Now come, sweetheart. I want to buy you a bunch of beautiful things. Why won’t you let me?”
Her chin tilted up in defiance. “It is not necessary. That is not why I am here, and it’s ridiculous to spend so much money on clothing. Obscene really.”
Recognizing defeat, Brennan let the issue of the two frocks go. However, the modiste had her measurements, he could order additional items without her agreement. “Very well. I will deal with Madame Le Fleur. Do you like what you selected?”
“I do. They are quite lovely.” Her smile eased his irritation.
“Excellent,
Madame Le Fleur’s chin took a stubborn tilt. “ Non , he gave strict instructions.”
“Fine. Reduce my order to the green baize and the dark blue riding habit.” Serena rose to leave the modiste and all her wares.
“But, Mademoiselle …the other two gowns—”
“Will not be ordered unless the bill is sent to the address I gave you.” Serena carefully tensed the muscles in her face, taking on the superior mask Madame Marchander had taught all her girls to use when dealing with recalcitrant servants and rowdy patrons.
“As you wish, Mademoiselle . I will send the bill for the other two gowns to that address.” The woman shrugged in defeat. Serena knew she would give with the threat of losing the sale. Money always won in the end.
***
Brennan fought for control of his fury. Two dresses. He had ordered the modiste to provide a complete wardrobe and the fool woman had billed him for two dresses. Two! He took a deep breath. This must be Serena’s doing. He crumpled the insufficient bill in his hand and stalked upstairs. He found her in the sitting room she had taken over. She perched at a small writing desk. Bathed by the sun’s rays, her hair resembled a nimbus of living flame. Despite the arresting vision, Brennan stormed into the room and slapped the bill down in front of her. “Please explain this.”
She gasped and jumped at the thump of his palm on the desk. She glanced down at the paper and up to his face. Her mouth drew down and her gaze narrowed in anger. “I ordered two dresses because you neglected to give me any direction regarding what I should order or how much I could spend. If I overspent, it is your own fault.” She rose and pushed past him.
A fool. He was an utter fool. He thrust his fingers through his hair and cursed roundly under his breath. “Stop right there.” His command rang out and she stopped, which caused her skirts to swish around her trim ankles. “You are right. I should have told you what I wanted you to do. I assumed telling the modiste would be sufficient. It is clear I was mistaken.”
“I see. She tried to have me order more, but I believed….” She sighed and turned to face him. “I believed she was pushing for a sale. It never occurred you would have given her instructions.”
Brennan laughed so hard his shoulders shook. “I can just imagine how that exchange went. Madame Le Fleur is very tenacious when following instructions. However did you convince her to only make you two gowns?”
“It wasn’t an easy fight. I purchased two others in addition to those two. She departed rather unhappy about our arrangement.” Serena giggled.
“I only received a bill for two though.” Brennan’s mind raced. What happened to the other gowns?
“Oh, I had her send me the bill for the other two. They are all quite lovely.”
His temper flared to life anew. Bloody hell, she had paid for the clothing herself. “Serena, you will give me those bills so I may pay them. I intended to furnish you with an entire wardrobe, not just four dresses. Now, please send me those bills, and then I would like you to order at least five more.”
“No. I have no need of a new wardrobe. The four gowns, two of which I will pay for, is more than sufficient.” Her brows drew together in a scowl.
She dug in, her body stiffening, and Brennan had no clue how to prevent it. “Serena. Now come, sweetheart. I want to buy you a bunch of beautiful things. Why won’t you let me?”
Her chin tilted up in defiance. “It is not necessary. That is not why I am here, and it’s ridiculous to spend so much money on clothing. Obscene really.”
Recognizing defeat, Brennan let the issue of the two frocks go. However, the modiste had her measurements, he could order additional items without her agreement. “Very well. I will deal with Madame Le Fleur. Do you like what you selected?”
“I do. They are quite lovely.” Her smile eased his irritation.
“Excellent,
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