Only an Heiress Will Do by Virginia Heath

Author:Virginia Heath [Heath, Virginia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Abigail squeezed her hand. ‘Stop panicking, Gwen. I am sure that Madame Devy has made you the prettiest gown anyone has ever seen.’

Gwen was standing on a block in the fitting room of the shop, staring at herself in an enormous mirror while she waited and trying not to cringe as the modiste circled her, assessing.

‘Pretty is for silly girls at their first ball. What I have created is a statement. A bold and stunning gown for a confident, bold and stunning woman who knows her worth and does not care one jot if others don’t.’

If only that were true!

Gwen was dreading tomorrow night. Her stomach was in knots and her nerves were frayed just thinking about all the disdainful judgement she was going to be subjected to. All the disapproving stares and whispers behind fans. No gown was going to save her from that.

‘I’d much rather blend into the wallpaper, if you don’t mind.’

‘Nonsense.’ Madame Devy smiled at Gwen’s reflection kindly. ‘If one is doomed to set tongues wagging, one should do it without apology.’ The modiste tugged at the sleeve of her grey dress with a disapproving frown, exactly as she had with the beige one Gwen had worn for her original consultation. ‘Your time in the shadows is done, Mrs Mayhew. Now is your time to shine. Besides, I make the most beautiful and sought-after gowns in London and not wallpaper. If blending in and fading away is your intention, then you’ll need to find someone else to clothe you for the Renshaw Ball because what I have made you is a triumph, even if I do say so myself.’ She pulled one final face at Gwen’s plain day dress and shook her head while simultaneously ushering a hovering assistant closer. ‘Let us release you from this abomination to fashion so that we can arrange your hair to display your new gown to its best advantage.’

‘You want to do my hair? Now?’ Gwen could not disguise her incredulity. Thanks to Abigail’s insistence on her remaining hidden until tomorrow, she had been smuggled into the back entrance of Madame Devy’s shop under the cloak of darkness. ‘It is already past ten and this is supposed to be just a final fitting! I have important things to do tomorrow…’

‘Oh, shut up and do as you are told.’ Abigail was in the middle of pouring herself a cup of tea and was clearly content to be here for the duration. ‘You are about to be transformed from an ugly duckling into a swan, Gwen, so stop complaining and enjoy the process.’ Then, as if that was all that needed to be said on the matter, she turned to the modiste. ‘I am dying to see your creation. What colour did you go for in the end? Deep green? Turquoise? The gold?’

Gwen instinctively winced at each one as none of the fabrics they had spent hours and hours poring over weeks ago would have been her choice—if she’d actually had a choice.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.