Lady in Demand by Wendy Vella

Author:Wendy Vella [Vella, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780992264369
Publisher: Wendy Vella
Published: 2014-05-23T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Life for Phoebe became very busy over the next few weeks. Most evenings, she, Hannah and Alex were out late dancing and pretending to enjoy the social whirl. Their days were spent at the boutique or running errands for the boutique. They had hired a seamstress, designed dresses, refitted the entire premises and Phoebe had relished every step of the process.

Phoebe had managed to avoid Lord Levermarch as much as possible, but the few times she could not, she was polite and formal as was he. She’d watched him dance many times with Lady Croxley and Alex had told her that Finn had taken her driving in the park, much to his horror. Both he and Ben disliked the woman; however, neither knew how to dissuade Finn, yet knew they must try as it now appeared certain that he may offer for her. Of course Phoebe had known the viscount was thinking of doing this, and it should not bother her, as hadn’t she believed them perfectly suited? Yet it did bother her, and she thought that this was because it upset Alex and Ben so much. Well, that’s what she had convinced herself to believe, anyway.

“I think that mirror should go there, Alex,” Phoebe said from her position seated on a chair in the middle of the front room of their boutique. She and Alex were working in the front display area today.

“We have moved it three times, Phoebe.”

She laughed as Alex scowled. “But it must be placed perfectly, Alex, as you very well know.”

Alex, had found them not one but two French seamstresses. Genevieve and Jacqueline Allard were sisters, both middle-aged with an excellent grasp of English. It had been Jacqueline who had let it slip that they had, in fact, worked in a gambling hell, which had not worried either Hannah or Phoebe, especially as she had once been a highwayman. However Hannah, of course, had needed to test the women’s skills and immediately set them to designing and sewing a dress for her, which they had done in a surprisingly short amount of time. It had turned out to be exquisitely crafted with everyone concerned happy with the finished product.

“It’s like a sweets store in here, don’t you think, Alex,” Phoebe said, looking around the room. There was color everywhere. Shelves and cabinets displayed trims and buttons and fabrics. There were mirrors and toward the back behind a curtain, rooms for fitting.

Comfortable chairs sat in discreet areas for weary feet to rest. Phoebe thought it the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

“I am saddened that we cannot be here for the opening next week; however, we will be able to see how the women of society react to your dresses at the Hathaway ball.”

“I’m nervous, Alex. What if they don’t like them?” Phoebe said the words that had been plaguing her for days.

“You could wear a sack and still create a sensation, Phoebe, but dressed in one of our designs you will likely cause a riot.

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