Free Scandal of Love by Janelle Daniels

think.” Narrowing her eyes, she studied Aubrey’s figure. “Perhaps the burnt-gold silk as well.”
    Sera smiled at the woman as she took a seat in one of the red-velvet upholstered benches. “We’d be happy to see anything you have that might be a fit for us.”
    “Excellent. Would you care for some tea while you wait? I can have a maid prepare it while we gather your measurements.”
    They both nodded.
    Madam Devereaux walked behind a large curtain for a moment, returning with a measuring device. “Your beverages will be here shortly.” Gesturing to a step in front of a curved wall of looking glasses, the modiste said, “Lady Sera, if you please.” After Sera stepped onto the platform, she continued, “What type of dress are you looking for?”
    “A morning dress and perhaps a walking dress. I could use another spencer jacket as well and some gloves.”
    Madam Devereaux nodded, stepping forward to measure her bust, waist, hips, torso, and arm length.
    After measuring Sera’s neck, she paused. “May I congratulate you on your upcoming wedding, Lady Sera?”
    Quinton’s image flashed through her mind, causing a slight tingle in her stomach. “Thank you.”
    “You are a lucky woman indeed, but I don’t need to tell you that.” The modiste winked. “If half of what they say is true about his time on the continent, you are lucky indeed.”
    Sera’s heart raced a bit faster. His time on the continent? Could Madam Devereaux possibly know what he had been doing there? Trying to sound casual, Sera said, “Yes I am. There is so much being said about his travels. What in particular are you referring to?”
    The modiste laughed. “I’m not speaking of any one thing.” Leaning forward she whispered so only Sera and Aubrey could hear her. “There was more than one heart-broken woman when he left Paris.”
    “No doubt,” Sera said dryly.
    “Was there ever any gossip about why he left England?” Aubrey asked, jumping into the conversation.
    The modiste’s shoulders shrugged as she measured the length of Sera’s legs. “Not much was said about it.” She paused, looking around the shop to make sure they were alone. “But I have heard whispers.”
    Sera leaned forward, willing the modiste to continue. Could she know why he left?
    “It is said that Lord Devericks had a terrible fight with his father the night before he left.”
    “What about?” Aubrey asked.
    “I’m sure that you know the late earl had a gambling problem.” Both girls nodded. “It was how he dealt with his disappointment. The earl had tried to force his son into a marriage, but Lord Devericks wouldn’t have it. The late earl gave him an ultimatum to try to force him into the marriage, but it didn’t work. Instead, Lord Devericks left the next morning, and didn’t return until his father died.”
    Sera gasped. “His father tried to force him? Why?”
    The modiste shrugged again. “No one knows. The earl probably began to gamble after his son left to deal with his disappointment.”
    “That’s terrible,” Sera whispered. Quinton had fled the country to avoid being forced into a marriage and now she was forced to marry him.
    Perhaps that was why he was trying to be so kind to her. He had made the choice to marry her, but she hadn’t had one, and he knew how that felt.
    Finished measuring, the modiste stepped back. “I’ll have some material squares brought out so that you may choose fabric for your dresses.”
    Sera nodded, but remained quiet until Madam Devereaux disappeared behind the curtain again.
    “Did you know?” Aubrey asked quietly.
    Sera shook her head. “No. I had no clue.” She didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t want to think about being forced into this marriage, about Quinton almost being forced into another one. She needed to put it out of her mind. It would be something she could pull out later and decide her feelings on. Until then, it was just too complicated.
    The next two hours were spent taking