Free An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser Page B

said.
    Mrs. Flynn flashed her a look. “You’re willing to risk your job on this?”
    Lucy felt a sharp pull in her stomach. Would it really come to that? If this one dress failed, would she lose her job? She’d made the alterations without being able to try the dress on Miss Langdon in the process.
    Mrs. Flynn was waiting for an answer.
    Lucy hedged. “The girl needs help. The normal methods of dressmaking won’t work with her, and—”
    “You think I don’t know that?”
    The other women in the room looked away and made themselves busy. Doubt slid front and center. Had Lucy made a horrible mistake?
    The doubt let humility and regret have their way with her and Lucy found herself sincerely saying, “I’m sorry, Madame. My intentions were good, but I should have consulted you first.”
    By the lift of her left eyebrow, it was apparent Lucy’s apology took Mrs. Flynn by surprise. “Well, then. You’re new. You didn’t know, but now you do. All designs must go through me.”
    “Yes, Madame.”
    “Now, back to work, all of—”
    The bell on the front door announced a customer. Mrs. Flynn left them.
    “Lucky Lucy. That’s what we should call you,” Tessie said. “None of us have ever spoken to Madame like that.”
    “And lived,” Mavis added.
    Sofia rolled a length of ribbon into a circle. “You should have gotten me up. I could have helped.”
    “Hush,” Mamma said. “You stick with the rules, young lady.”
    Sofia tossed the ribbon onto a table, where it unwound and fell still. “But why does Lucy get to—?”
    A stern look from their mother silenced her.
    Lucy took up the hem she’d been working on the day before. As she sewed she thought about the dress she’d altered for Miss Langdon. She’d adjusted the hem after inserting a pocket full of padding on the skirt’s hipline. Another pad had been carefully hidden beneath the three ruffles of the mousseline at each shoulder. It was further disguised with a lapel of black guipure lace that matched a godet detail around the waist. If you didn’t know . . .
    This had to work.

    Timbrook entered the drawing room and announced, “Mr. DeWitt is here, Miss Langdon.”
    Rowena immediately set her embroidery aside. “Show him in.”
    She wasn’t expecting him. Or had she missed something on her calendar? Actually, since being so rude to the group last night at Delmonico’s, she’d feared he wouldn’t want to see her again at all.
    Rowena put a hand to her hair and wished she were wearing her pink day dress instead of this plainer green one. She bit her lips, pinched her cheeks, and—
    Edward entered the room.
    He paused and nodded, and she did the same. “I hope I’m not disturbing you,” he said.
    “Not at all. You are always welcome here, Mr. DeWitt. Please sit down.” She indicated a chair near her settee.
    As he took his place she noticed a book in his hands. She couldn’t see the title because he placed it on his lap and covered it with his hands. She purposely kept her eyes away, to let him take the initiative.
    He got right to the point. “I’ve come with a gift.” He handed her the book.
    It was a copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
    Rowena was taken aback, not certain if he was being kind or making fun of her by hearkening back to her comment about its author at Delmonico’s.
    He must have noticed her reticence, for he quickly added, “It’s a favorite of mine, and since you’re obviously knowledgeable about the book and its author, I wanted to give it to you as a gift. I’m only sorry I couldn’t find The Poor Life , which you mentioned.”
    She released the breath she’d been saving. “That’s very kind of you, Mr. DeWitt.”
    “Please call me Edward. And may I call you Rowena?”
    She felt a glow ignite from within. This was a very good sign. “Of course.”
    Since an opening had presented itself, she brought forward an issue that had been bothering her. “I did want to apologize for my rudeness last night. For me to