The Princess and the First Officer: An Age Gap Military Romance by Winters Maude

Author:Winters, Maude
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-19T00:00:00+00:00

Shadow Network

MAGGIE

Royal wedding gowns were made through a shadow network. Keir joked that it reminded him of spy plane development. Each contractor had their pieces, and they weren’t allowed to see the plans for the final product or talk about it. Every part of the dress, from the custom satin fabric to the delicate Chantilly lace piece that formed the sleeves to the beautiful veil, was under lock and key. The shadow network of craftspeople was in full swing as we launched through spring.

I decided on duchess satin with a custom weave. It was a white dress woven with silver accents interwoven in a thistle print. The entire ballgown looked spectacular paired with the simpler overlay for the bodice’s sleeves. The simple sweetheart neckline gave away just enough to bring it together. The cathedral lace veil added even more splendour to the look. I was over the moon about the entire concept.

I wouldn’t have my first real fitting—with the entire dress assembled in one piece—until July. For now, I only got the base gown. That did not include the overlay. I’d have to visualise it as best I could. However, the satin had been assembled in Paris starting in September of last year when I landed on the thistle concept—a Scottish symbol. My veil had some hidden easter eggs with embroidery I couldn’t wait to see—a boar from the McDonough family crest, a lion from our Lyons crest, a horse from the Kent family crest, and a dragon representing Wales.

I tried on the base dress with just the satin in April in the Ferguson Castle ballroom in Lauder. It was safer to do my first try-on up north to avert press suspicion. You could get away with much more in rural Scotland than in London.

I nearly fell over wearing the dress for the first time. It wasn’t just the concept coming together but also the weight of such satin. I’d have to carry this thing down the aisle and dance in it. How? Good lord!

“It’s so heavy,” I said. “How would I dance in this?”

The designer, Kurt, nodded. “I did warn you of the weight of this heavy fabric.

“Beauty is pain,” Sabine laughed.

She sat in a chair facing the pedestal where I stood, getting pinned like a cushion. Sabine was ready to pop. We were in Edinburgh for the engagement banquet our parents were throwing and the stag Malcolm and Jimmy threw for Keir. He wanted to do it before they were buried under another baby. The boys were already in Edinburgh along with Uncle Jamie and Auntie Greta, who’d stayed on. Mum, Papa, and I were sticking around Lauder with Sabine, worried she’d go anytime.

“Many brides are starting to do a second dress for their receptions. Maybe after the first dance, you will get to change out of the dress into something more fit for a knees-up?”

“Is that something we could even do in time?” Mum asked.

“If we did something ready-to-wear or customised a sheath dress, sure,” Kurt agreed. “Of course.

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