studied her, lips pursed and one finger tapping her lips. "Corinne, the peacock satin. Quickly."
Corinne ran from the room.
"I think we will try darker colors first, yes?" Madame Giselle didn’t wait for a response. She turned to the doorway. "Corinne, hurry . "
A shadow filled the doorway and Calliope tried to will Corinne to move faster. It was chilly standing nearly naked.
It was not Corinne in the doorway. Calliope’s first instinct was to throw her hands in front of her, but obstinacy prevailed and she maintained her stance, jutting her chin forward.
"My lord, you are not allowed in here." Madame Giselle was frowning.
Angelford didn’t seem to notice. His gaze lazily scanned Calliope from head to toe, lighting each spot on fire as his eyes dropped. "Try not to spend Stephen’s money all in one spot, love."
She placed her hands on her hips. "It’s not Stephens money that you have to worry about being spent. Good day, my lord."
He doffed his hat, smiled and turned. Madame Giselle followed him out. Calliope ran her fingers down the shift as if to lengthen it. She tried to cool her body and mind. He was turning her into a bawdy actress.
Madame Giselle returned, pushing Corinne in front of her. "Please excuse the intrusion, mademoiselle. I don’t know what his lordship was thinking."
The next few hours were a whirlwind of pins, fabric, designs and fittings. Calliope was forced to select eveningwear, undergarments and riding-habits as well as the requested day dresses. Madame Giselle was adamant she could only gain a sense of a woman’s style by looking at every facet of her dress. Calliope finally relaxed and allowed some of her own taste to show through by making suggestions and recommendations.
Calliope decided on a morning dress in vibrant blue and a day dress in deep green. They would suit her courtesan’s persona. A bolt of pale violet blue caught her eye.
"I would like the two in the forms we discussed. In addition I would like the violet blue in the classic style, something simple." She couldn’t resist the one indulgence for herself, not Esmerelda.
Madame Giselle gave her a measuring look. "Of course, mademoiselle."
"If you could send them to my address, I would be most appreciative. And the bill as well."
"As mademoiselle wishes."
"Thank you, Madame Giselle. Your taste is exquisite and I appreciate the time you have taken with me."
A startled look crossed Madame Giselle’s face, quickly replaced with the measuring look. "It has been a pleasure, mademoiselle. I look forward to finishing more garments for you."
There would be no chance of that, but Calliope nodded.
To her relief Stephen was waiting alone.
"Once more you have made wonderful cakes, Giselle. If you could send ten of each type, words would fail to express my gratitude, " he said.
"For you, anything. But I would have made the cakes without your sponsorship. The ingredients were enough."
Stephen nodded and kissed her hand. Calliope knew she had missed something again, but all of the poking and prodding, standing up and sifting through designs she would never be able to afford, had left her physically and mentally exhausted.
Stephen escorted Calliope from the shop and handed her into his curricle as the tiger jumped on the back. "Would you like to attend the races this weekend?"
She looked at him in surprise. "I would love to . "
"Wonderful. We will meet James and Stella there."
It was too late to back out, but she could feel her lips twist. "Wonderful," she repeated sourly.
He ignored her sarcasm and pulled into traffic. "Madame Giselle should have at least one of the gowns ready for you tomorrow . "
Calliope bounced up the steps to the plain brick townhouse. Sketching in the park was revitalizing. The door was immediately opened and she stepped into the warm, inviting interior. It was like stepping
Corinne ran from the room.
"I think we will try darker colors first, yes?" Madame Giselle didn’t wait for a response. She turned to the doorway. "Corinne, hurry . "
A shadow filled the doorway and Calliope tried to will Corinne to move faster. It was chilly standing nearly naked.
It was not Corinne in the doorway. Calliope’s first instinct was to throw her hands in front of her, but obstinacy prevailed and she maintained her stance, jutting her chin forward.
"My lord, you are not allowed in here." Madame Giselle was frowning.
Angelford didn’t seem to notice. His gaze lazily scanned Calliope from head to toe, lighting each spot on fire as his eyes dropped. "Try not to spend Stephen’s money all in one spot, love."
She placed her hands on her hips. "It’s not Stephens money that you have to worry about being spent. Good day, my lord."
He doffed his hat, smiled and turned. Madame Giselle followed him out. Calliope ran her fingers down the shift as if to lengthen it. She tried to cool her body and mind. He was turning her into a bawdy actress.
Madame Giselle returned, pushing Corinne in front of her. "Please excuse the intrusion, mademoiselle. I don’t know what his lordship was thinking."
The next few hours were a whirlwind of pins, fabric, designs and fittings. Calliope was forced to select eveningwear, undergarments and riding-habits as well as the requested day dresses. Madame Giselle was adamant she could only gain a sense of a woman’s style by looking at every facet of her dress. Calliope finally relaxed and allowed some of her own taste to show through by making suggestions and recommendations.
Calliope decided on a morning dress in vibrant blue and a day dress in deep green. They would suit her courtesan’s persona. A bolt of pale violet blue caught her eye.
"I would like the two in the forms we discussed. In addition I would like the violet blue in the classic style, something simple." She couldn’t resist the one indulgence for herself, not Esmerelda.
Madame Giselle gave her a measuring look. "Of course, mademoiselle."
"If you could send them to my address, I would be most appreciative. And the bill as well."
"As mademoiselle wishes."
"Thank you, Madame Giselle. Your taste is exquisite and I appreciate the time you have taken with me."
A startled look crossed Madame Giselle’s face, quickly replaced with the measuring look. "It has been a pleasure, mademoiselle. I look forward to finishing more garments for you."
There would be no chance of that, but Calliope nodded.
To her relief Stephen was waiting alone.
"Once more you have made wonderful cakes, Giselle. If you could send ten of each type, words would fail to express my gratitude, " he said.
"For you, anything. But I would have made the cakes without your sponsorship. The ingredients were enough."
Stephen nodded and kissed her hand. Calliope knew she had missed something again, but all of the poking and prodding, standing up and sifting through designs she would never be able to afford, had left her physically and mentally exhausted.
Stephen escorted Calliope from the shop and handed her into his curricle as the tiger jumped on the back. "Would you like to attend the races this weekend?"
She looked at him in surprise. "I would love to . "
"Wonderful. We will meet James and Stella there."
It was too late to back out, but she could feel her lips twist. "Wonderful," she repeated sourly.
He ignored her sarcasm and pulled into traffic. "Madame Giselle should have at least one of the gowns ready for you tomorrow . "
Calliope bounced up the steps to the plain brick townhouse. Sketching in the park was revitalizing. The door was immediately opened and she stepped into the warm, inviting interior. It was like stepping
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