Ann Lethbridge - Falling for the Highland Rogue

‘Lots,’ she said.

After he dropped in three lumps, he raised a brow.

‘More,’ she said. ‘Please.’

And he almost dropped the damned things in the tea at the vision of what more might mean when said in that precise tone of voice in a different location. But he knew it to be artifice and added two more lumps and carried the cup and saucer to her outstretched hand.

She took a sip and smiled her pleasure. A sweet smile that softened her sharp edges to the point of vulnerability.

A shocking transformation. And one he wanted to explore. He nodded at the sugar bowl. ‘You’ve a sweet tooth.’

‘I do.’ Her eyes became distant. ‘My father was the same. He carried bulls’ eyes around in his pocket and would pop one in my mouth when my mother wasn’t looking.’

‘Your mother didn’t approve.’

A twinkle gleamed in her eye. ‘They made me very sticky.’

The vision made him chuckle.

‘I have found just the thing, madam,’ the seamstress said, marching in with a froth of gowns over her arm.

The smile disappeared and the mask dropped again, hard and impenetrable. Disappointment tightened his gut. The icicle had returned. More frosty than before, judging from the chill wafting in his direction as she imperiously held out her cup to him. And yet he found himself more drawn to a sticky little girl, than the siren who now appeared before him.

He returned the cup to the tray, feeling very much in the way as they pondered fabrics and styles. Wandering the room, he gazed at fashion plates artfully framed and placed on the walls like fine works of art. Drawings of women in various poses, ridiculous hats perched on starchy curls. He hoped she didn’t turn out looking like that!

The sounds behind him dwindled. Curious, he turned and caught her critical gaze as she took in her reflection. The seamstress gave a final twitch to the pale-peach skirts falling from beneath that magnificent bosom rising above a teasing edge of spangled lace.

‘Mr Gilvry?’ the seamstress asked. ‘Will it do for the ball?’

The effect was stunning. She’d gone from ladybird to lady in a few beats of his heart. She looked elegant. Graceful. And more than the sum of her parts. She looked as if she belonged to the upper echelons of society.

The slight stiffening of her body brought his gaze to her face. ‘You don’t approve,’ she said.

Approve? ‘It looks eminently suitable.’

‘Indeed,’ Mrs Macdonald said. ‘It was made for a young lady’s trousseau. Her mother was most particular.’

‘But she did not take it?’

The dressmaker’s face drooped. ‘Her betrothed died shortly before the wedding. She wanted none of the gowns.’

‘How sad,’ Charity said, sounding grim. She gave the woman a sharp look. ‘Then you have received some payment for these gowns?’

Was she trying to save his money? That he had not expected.

‘A deposit only,’ the seamstress was saying. ‘I will deduct it from the price, of course.’

She would now, Logan thought. He glanced at Mrs West, but she was focusing on the image in the mirror. ‘The hem must be lengthened,’ she pronounced.

Indeed it must. A good three inches of her lower legs were visible, exposing beautifully turned ankles. Fine boned like the rest of her. And long and slender feet.

‘I’m not entirely sure about the colour,’ she said.

He caught her unguarded expression in the mirror. Not coquettishness. Not looking for a fulsome compliment. She was uncertain.

‘The gown is perfect,’ he said soothingly.

Faint colour stained her cheekbones as if she had forgotten his presence. ‘An expert in fashion, Mr Gilvry?’ she said haughtily, hiding her misgivings, no doubt.

‘I have eyes in my head, Mrs West. This one will do. A court dress now, if you please, Mrs Donaldson,’ he said firmly. A man could only stand so much of this, pleasure or not.

The seamstress gestured to a white gown draped over the chaise. ‘This one is all I have, Mr Gilvry.’

‘Then we will take it. You have the measurements you need.’ He recalled Sanford’s earlier words of advice. ‘Mrs West will need ostrich feathers for the Drawing Room. And whatever else you deem is required.’

Mrs West looked startled, then gave him the smile of a cat who had trapped a bird against a window. ‘Why, how very generous, Mr Gilvry.’ She turned to the seamstress. ‘I’ll have five pairs of stockings.’ Her almond-shaped eyes scanned the room. ‘And the painted fan I saw in the case as I came in. The one with views of the city.’ She raised a questioning brow in Logan’s direction. ‘If that is all right with you, Mr Gilvry?’

It wasn’t really a question. He bowed. What else could he do? He just hoped the bargain he made with O’Banyon would make it worth the cost.

‘Then it seems we are done.’ She stepped down from the pedestal.

‘If you would care to disrobe behind the screen, Mrs West?’ the seamstress asked.

Charity gave her the most charming of smiles and disappeared behind the screen with the assistant trailing behind her.

More sounds of undressing. He forced himself not to imagine the scene.

‘This way if you please, sir,’ Mrs Donaldson said. ‘You can give me Mrs West’s direction and so forth while Aggie helps her dress.’

* * *

Trembling with shame, Charity could barely hold still while the maid fastened the buttons down the back of her gown.

Never before had a man chosen her clothes. Not even Jack. All these years, she had managed to keep her pride, and then he came along and made her see what she had become. And what on earth was she doing talking about her father, when she hadn’t thought of him in years?

And she’d thought him angelic? The man was the devil incarnate to make her feel so...so... She didn’t know how she felt. What was more, the rogue must have dressed a string of courtesans in his time to sit there with so much aplomb while she stood before him in her shift.

Fury beat a drum at her temple. Anger that she’d not seen right through him, along with the disappointment that she had let her guard down. She didn’t care that he wasn’t the man she’d thought, just that he’d fooled her. It had to be the reason for the unpleasant sensation in her stomach.

She put her hands on her hips and received a tut from the seamstress’s little assistant. She dropped her hands back to her sides. To think she’d felt sorry he found himself pitting his wits against the likes of Jack.

‘All done, ma’am,’ the girl said.

Charity gave her a sweet smile, though her teeth was gritted so hard they hurt. ‘Thank you.’

Smoothing her gloves, she strolled into the front of the shop. Mr Gilvry had a small bundle wrapped in brown paper and string hanging by a loop from a finger.

‘My purchases?’ she asked.

‘Mrs Donaldson thought you would want to take them with you.’

The older woman gave a brisk nod. ‘I will have the gowns ready for the day after tomorrow.’

‘You will find me at the White Horse.’

Mrs Donaldson looked down her thin pointy noise. ‘Aye. Mr Gilvry told me.’

Mr Gilvry put a hand in the small of her back to usher her out. A light possessive touch. And far too intimate for a gentleman with a lady. She leaned a little too close and felt the hitch in his breath with a smile as the doorbell tinkled overhead.

‘Very successful, I’m thinking,’ he said, shielding her with the umbrella and his body from the wind and the rain.

‘Mmm,’ she murmured giving him an arch sideways glance. ‘Is there a cobbler nearby?’

She could not help the little kick of triumph at the brief flash of dismay on his face. It restored her confidence no end.

* * *