Raven McAllan - The Rake's Unveiling Of Lady Belle

‘Five minutes then,’ Clarissa said in an ‘oh aren’t I helpful’ tone.

‘Clarissa, hush,’ Phillip said firmly. ‘I’m interested to hear what Lady Rosemary thinks.’

Rosemary smirked. Phillip narrowed his eyes, and then nodded.

Clarissa rolled her eyes, but kept her mouth shut. How Rosemary didn’t realise Clarissa did it to stop herself laughing Belinda had no idea.

‘She is rude and I won’t have it,’ Rosemary said petulantly. ‘She needs to apologise and leave us to sort this mess out.’

‘That’s a pity because I have no intention of asking her to cease offering her opinions, although this mess as you call it is easily resolved. If you can be rude to Madame Belle, who went against her better judgement to do this for me, why shouldn’t Clarissa be rude to you?’

Rosemary went red, white and then red again. ‘She…’ she waved at Belle ‘…is a servant.’

‘And your point is?’ Phillip asked in such a silky, threatening voice that Belinda shivered.

‘Well, if she can’t deliver…’ Rosemary said sulkily. ‘I mean not once has she brought me anything remotely suitable.’

Tippen opened her mouth. Belinda glared at her and Tippen shut it again hastily.

‘Then that suggests to me that you are not helping,’ Phillip said evenly. ‘For I know of no one else who has this problem. However, never mind. I will pay her for her time and accept she is of no use to you. You agree?’

‘Phillip.’ Clarissa wailed his name. ‘You can’t.’

Belinda said nothing. The look in Phillip’s eyes showed there was more to his words than there seemed.

‘Well?’ He ignored Clarissa’s entreaty and spoke to Rosemary. ‘What do you say?’

‘She is useless and I shall tell everyone so. Perhaps now you will listen to me and we should go to La Compte as I suggested?’ Rosemary tore the toile off her body and stood naked in front of them all. To Belinda’s amusement, her muff was much lighter than the hairs on her head and oh my, sported several grey strands. Someone must have told her the gossip was that Phillip preferred brunettes.

I wonder how she was going to explain the colour difference to him?

The woman’s sultry gaze seemed not to affect Phillip one jot, as he turned away from Rosemary and looked at Belinda.

‘Send me a bill and it will be paid by return.’

‘But I didn’t buy anything,’ Rosemary said in a voice laden with temper. ‘Why should she be recompensed when I’m still waiting for clothes?’

‘For your rudeness perhaps? Wasting her valuable time, certainly. Madame, don’t forget to charge for the toile,’ he said as he picked up his gloves, looked at and addressed his sister. ‘My dear.’ He turned his back on Rosemary, and ignored her outraged hiss and harrumph as he spoke to Clarissa. ‘Do you come with me?’

‘I’ll wait until Madame Belle can see me,’ Clarissa said slowly. ‘I’ll call for my carriage when I’ve finished.’

He nodded. ‘Then I’ll escort Lady Rattenberry off the premises, and see you at the ball this evening. He now looked directly at Rosemary with such indifference that Belinda was shocked. If a man who you thought was enamoured of you gave you that look, you’d surely never be able to lift your head again.

Not so Lady Rattenberry. ‘And we then go to La Compte?’

Phillip shrugged. ‘You may do so; I have no intention. I offered you a wardrobe, one you demanded I purchase from Madame Belle. You have now turned it down. I’ve kept my part of the bargain; you better keep yours. And that, my dear, includes no lies or indeed anything about your visit here. For…’ He took the lady’s chin in between his thumb and forefinger. Her eyes widened but she made no sound.

‘For,’ he continued, ‘if I hear one word, believe me your husband will hear more than one. And none will be conducive to your comfort. That I vow. Have I made myself clear?’

Rosemary blanched until her skin was the colour of the toile she had so recently discarded, and she nodded.

‘Good, I’m glad we understand each other. Do you need any help to dress?’

She shook her head.

‘Then hurry up.’

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