Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

" Y our father is in his chambers, Your Grace. Should I rouse him?" the butler asked, bowed to Seraphina, looking flustered as he apologized for keeping her waiting.

Seraphina had sat in front of her father's house, her eyes closed, breathing slowly, trying to compose herself for a good five minutes. She had found to her surprise that she was upset enough to cry, as she rode in the carriage.

I hardly know this man. How could he move me to tears?

She wiped the tears from her eyes and added some powder on her face to distinguish the flush on her cheeks. She didn't want Tessa to suspect that there was anything wrong.

Plastering on a smile, she had alighted from the vehicle and gone to knock on the door. Again, it had taken a while before the butler came to open.

"No, no. I am here to fetch Tessa. Can you have her summoned?" Seraphina replied.

The butler bowed and went on his way as Seraphina stood at the door waiting.

Tessa soon came hurrying down the stairs with a look of concern on her face.

"Seraphina, what's the matter?" she asked even as she handed her hands to her sister.

Seraphina smiled. "Nothing is wrong. I thought I would come and take you shopping. The season is to start next week there is not much time."

Tessa gasped. "Your husband agreed to this?"

"Of course he did. You are his only sister-in-law after all." Seraphina hit Tessa gently with her fan.

"Hmm, it's not as if he has cared before."

Seraphina waved a dismissive hand. "He has been knee-deep in pig entrails and cows' milk. This is the first time he has spent a significant amount of time in the city."

"And he chooses to send you off to take me shopping?"

"Oh no. That was my decision. Now go and fetch your coat and shoes and let us go shopping!"

Tessa did a little skip before running off to do as she was told.

Seraphina smiled after her, shaking her head slowly. For all that she was looking for a husband, Tessa struck her very much like an excited child, yet to lose her innocence. Seraphina prayed that she would keep it as long as possible. She pushed away thoughts of Gerard that were trying to crowd in on her, turning her body sharply away as if that could stop her thoughts from spiraling.

She looked around the parlor where she was waiting, noting the dust coating the furniture, how threadbare the sofas were looking, the empty spaces in the wine bar. Their family had been flailing financially for a long time. But Seraphina remembered when they had at least made sure that their surroundings were pristine. Now the evidence of poverty was joined by neglect.

I have to get Tessa out of here.

It was all that she could do. She had struggled for years, trying to get her father back on track. She had done the books for the household, paid the bills, even hidden money so that her father could not spend all of it at the rakehells he frequented nightly.

Now she realized that there was nobody to do that.

She looked up as she sensed movement at the door.

Her father, Lord Northwick, stood there, his eyes bloodshot and baleful.

"What do you want?" he growled.

"Nothing. I have come to see Tessa."

"Is that so? I understand your husband's not keeping you as busy as he should. Do you want to see if Tessa might interest him? Two sisters for one," he laughed crudely.

Seraphina just blinked at him, flabbergasted that he would say such a thing.

He snorted, shaking his head.

"Cat got your tongue?" he took a step before pausing and turning back to her. "If he does agree to take her in, let him know not to forget my payment."

Seraphina frowned. "You are drunk."

"And so? You girls are always so judgmental. You know nothing," he spat before staggering away.

Seraphina stood frozen, breath coming in pants, trying to compose herself before Tessa returned.

"I'm ready!" She jumped, startled as Tessa appeared, a huge, excited smile on her face. Seraphina could do nothing but smile back.

Tessa gasped as they came to a stop in front of a dressmaker's shop. "We can't go in there! That is the most expensive modiste in the city."

Exactly.

"Don't even worry about it. My husband wants you to have the best."

Tessa's face lit up. "Oh my, he is so generous. You must thank him profusely on my behalf."

"Of course I will." Seraphina smiled gesturing towards the door. "Shall we?"

Tessa excitedly exited the vehicle, practically running towards the door. Seraphina followed more sedately, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. She knew just how annoyed her husband would be on her expenditure, but she was not really in a mood to care about his concerns.

Don't think you're the only one who can play games.

Every time she thought about how he'd looked at her with utter indifference, maybe even contempt when she tried to speak to him about their…encounter, she could literally feel her blood boil. Whatever he thought he was doing, she did not want any part of it, and she would not allow him to jerk her about.

She stepped into the shop to see that an attendant was already listening keenly as Tessa described to her exactly the type of gowns she wanted. Seraphina stood to the side, listening keenly. Tessa had good—albeit expensive—taste.

Seraphina went forward to feel the gold láme material the modiste was recommending for Tessa's debut gown.

She took a deep shaky breath, telling herself that Tessa deserved this. She would deal with the duke's ire later.

"This is Madame Knight, Seraphina," Tessa said, "She agrees with me that my debutante gown needn't be pure white."

"You will be presented to the Queen in white of course but we can add gold accents to the hem, sleeves and neckline. What do you think?" Madame Knight asked, her eyes flicking between Seraphina and Tessa.

Seraphina nodded. "Yes, it will help her to stand out."

Madame Knight nodded. "Exactly my thought."

"What of the other gowns?"

The modiste studied Tessa, "Well, she is concerned about expense and so I was thinking about two or three pieces that can be worn in different ways. For example, a simple white bodice with differing skirts of grey and light blue and emerald for day dress. For the evening, we can add several accessories—gloves, hats, fichus with two or three plain gowns in black and gold and perhaps a startling color like scarlet."

Tessa was nodding along earnestly.

Seraphina shook her head. "It's very generous of you to give us these options but I do assure you that it's not necessary. Please, make sure she has at least seven day-gowns and seven evening gowns. I also want a variety of accessories to go with the gowns including hats."

Tessa looked at her keenly. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. Go ahead."

Madame Knight nodded in understanding. "Very well then. Do take a seat as you wait, Your Grace. I shall need to take Miss Pennington's measurements and then we shall choose which bolts of cloth we wish to use."

A second attendant came by to lead Seraphina to her seat, giving her a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits to snack on as she waited. She leaned back with a sigh, and smiled, watching her sister pick out material with an excited smile.

She knew there'd be hell to pay for this, but it was worth it to see the happiness on Tessa's face.

Once her measurements were taken, designs were chosen for her gowns and she'd picked out a few accessories, they left the modiste's store, arm in arm, and took a walk down the street. "We need to get you some shoes as well. Come, let us visit the cobbler's."

Tessa's face lit up. "Oh, this is so exciting. I do not think I have ever had so many new things at the same time."

"I know it," Seraphina said sadly. "I wish it were different. I did the best I could for you."

Tessa squeezed her hand. "You did more than that sister. Do not think I didn't notice. I remember well the nights you gave me the last apple remaining in the basket and claimed to have eaten earlier. I knew those were lies. I knew you went to bed hungry. But I still ate the apple because I was hungry." A tear slipped down her cheek. "I should have shared with you," she whispered tearfully.

Seraphina gathered her close, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Do not feel guilty. I don't want you to feel bad."

"I know you don't," Tessa swallowed, "You are the best sister a girl could ever ask for."

"Oh, now you will make me cry it. Stop with the mawkish sentiments. Let us both get a new pair of shoes."

They entered the cobbler's establishment, and he shared with them some drawings depicting shoes of his own design. They oohed and aahed over a few until Seraphina got Tessa to choose a few, with her urging.

"You must have a new pair as well. You will be presenting me at the balls, won't you?" Tessa said anxiously.

"Of course I will." Seraphina smiled as she chose a pair.

Having shopped themselves to exhaustion, Seraphina and Tessa decided to pass by Gunter's for some ice to wind down the day. Neither was eager to return home, and so they were quite happy to stretch the afternoon out.

After buying their ices, they sat outside, watching the ton come and go and greeting those they knew.

"Your Grace! Fancy meeting you here." Lady Stanton said, coming up to them from behind.

Seraphina rolled her eyes before turning around and plastering a smile on her face. "Peggy, how lovely to see you."

The dowager viscountess leaned in to bus Seraphina's cheeks, but she paid no mind to Tessa. It was as if Lady Stanton could not see her.

"How is your husband? I hear he is in the city?"

Seraphina grimaced inwardly. "Yes, he has graced us with his presence."

"How lovely. I must have you both for dinner at my townhouse soon."

"Oh I do not think he has time for that. He has ever so much on his plate."

"Are you sure? Maybe you should ask. I'm sure he'd be happy as a lark to eat a well-cooked meal."

Seraphina frowned, wondering what Peggy could possibly mean by that.

Tessa grabbed her hand. "We should go, I think," she said, "or I shall be late." She gave Seraphina a loaded glance.

Seraphina nodded. "Very well," she turned to Peggy. "I shall see you another time. Oh, and this is my sister, Miss Tessa Pennington. Perhaps you did not think it appropriate to greet her before, but now you have been properly introduced."

Threading her arm through Tessa's, leaving Peggy in open-mouthed surprise, she began to walk away.

"Thank you for that," she murmured to Tessa.

Tessa giggled. "You're welcome. She seemed particularly unpleasant."

"She's well respected in the ton ."

"So you have to make civil whiskers with her?"

"Precisely."

"How terribly sad."

Seraphina smiled. "It's not so awful. She dotes on me for some reason—at least, I think she does." She shrugged.

"Hmm, anyway, I do not wish to go home. Is there anywhere else we can go?"

Seraphina laughed. "Well, I suppose we can promenade in the park. It's not too late."

"Are you sure? It won't tire you too much?"

Seraphina snorted. "How old do you think I am? I am perfectly capable of a little walk."

"Very well then. Let us go. Perhaps we can get a glimpse of what is on offer at this year's marriage mart." Tessa gasped. "Imagine if I am the diamond of the season. Would that not be wonderful?"

Seraphina didn't say anything, just studied her sister's rapt face thoughtfully. She did not want to take away her dreams, but she truly doubted that this particular one would come true. Tessa was pretty with her strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, but there were a lot more ladies that were better connected and would be better dressed.

Linking her arm through Tessa's, she led her to the pavilion. "Come let us go and see a puppet show. Do you remember when Mama used to bring us here?"

Tessa gave a light skip, "Yes! Oh that was ever so enjoyable." Her face fell. "I miss her. Do you ever think of her, Seraphina?"

Seraphina sighed, "Always. I do not know if I exaggerate in my memory how happy we were when she was alive, but I do know things changed drastically after she died."

Tessa nodded pensively, her eyes brooding. "Yes, they did. For one thing, Father started to imbibe a lot more. He began to shout a lot. He didn't always remember to instruct the footmen properly. Remember how he once forgot to order them to buy food?"

Seraphina pursed her lips, knowing fully well that their father never bought food in the house if she did not intervene.

Tessa did not need to know that, however.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a wet blanket," she said taking a deep breath, "Let us go and enjoy the puppet show."

Tessa clapped her hands excitedly, "Yes let's."