A Practical Partnership by Lily George

Author:Lily George
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“Upon my word, this is astonishing,” Hannah blurted as she walked into her study. She dropped her valise in startled wonder. The sight of roll upon roll of fabric was well-nigh overwhelming. Baskets of notions overflowed in one corner. She caught glimpses of lace, of flowers and of carefully crafted birds that looked ready to take flight. All that she had requested must be here, along with a great deal that she hadn’t even considered.

“Surprise!” Jane called, laughing, as she rose from the settee. “You see, my brother took your request quite seriously. Everything you need to turn me into a diamond of the first water is here, right in this room.”

“I must confess, I am quite amazed.” Hannah smiled as Jane embraced her. “I could turn this room into another location for the Siddons Sisters Millinery Shop, so great is our inventory of supplies.”

Jane walked over to the corner of the sitting room and pulled the embroidered bellpull. “We won’t, of course, leave all of this in here,” she stated matter-of-factly. “John has had an entire room downstairs cleared out for storage. This was just set up to surprise you.”

“Well, it certainly worked.” Hannah removed her bonnet and cast it aside. “I cannot wait to start your wardrobe.” In fact, her fingers fairly itched to open all the boxes and baskets, to touch all the fabrics and to begin the hard work of cutting and laying out each garment.

The sitting room door opened, and a maid came in. She bobbed a curtsy at Jane. “You rang, Miss Jane?”

“Yes. Go and fetch the footmen, and have them start moving all of this to the room Mr. John set aside downstairs. Then please send Lucinda and Amelia up here as they need to meet Miss Hannah.”

The maid bobbed a respectful curtsy and left to do as she was asked.

Jane turned to Hannah. “Amelia and Lucinda are the maids that John has assigned to help you with my wardrobe. They are skilled seamstresses, though they lack your talent. After I’ve introduced you, you may order them about as you see fit.”

“I am not sure where to begin,” Hannah murmured, wandering over to a bolt of fine lavender silk. “There’s just so much to do, and so much to choose from. I shall have to make a list.”

“Well, I am certain that you will be working away busily in no time at all.” Jane paused for a moment, pursing her lips. “Did you enjoy your time in Tansley?”

“I did.” Hannah flicked a quick glance at her friend. Was Jane actually interested in her trip, or more concerned about whether or not she’d caught a glimpse of the Holdcrofts? “I saw many familiar faces, including your particular friend, Timothy Holdcroft.”

Jane paled a little. “Did you really? How was he? Did he say anything?”

“Not much, to be perfectly honest, though he seemed well.” There was surely no harm in telling Jane about his visit. She was agreeing to a London Season and had made no more demands to change her brother’s plans.

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