Free The Tempestuous Debutante: Book 4 in the Cotillion Ball Series (Crimson Romance) by Becky Lower Page B

Blake turned each page of the sketchpad. He carefully studied each one without comment, until he got to the last design. Jasmine controlled her impulse to squirm in her chair. He lifted his eyes from the page and handed the pad back to her.
    “I am impressed with what I’ve seen. But let’s think beyond footwear for a moment. I have a corner on the silk market in the city, and have a notion to do more with it than fashion it into top hats and sell the occasional yard to a dressmaker. What about ladies’ fashion? Does your creativity extend to dresses, too? ”
    Jasmine and Colleen shot a glance at each other. “I’ve been designing dresses for years in my head, and now I’ve taken to experimenting with my own clothes, updating last year’s gowns. This dress I’m wearing today is one of my creations. I do the design work and Colleen does the actual sewing.”
    Blake stared at her, hard. Jasmine remembered that one of Heather’s complaints about him was that he thought women were the weaker sex, and shouldn’t cloud their limited mental capacities with things such as business and current affairs. But surely he wouldn’t turn his back on a sound business proposition, would he?
    “When could this new cobbler start production?”
    “He’s ready as soon as I give him an order to fulfill.”
    Blake extended his hand to her then. “We’ll need to talk to your father, but I think we can be partners, as long as you include dressmaking, too.”
    Jasmine took the outstretched hand in her own and shook it, just as she’d seen men do. “I’ll talk to Papa, Mr. Morgan. I’m looking forward to this.”

Chapter Ten
    Jasmine could barely control herself on the ride home. Colleen’s face was flush with excitement as well, she noted. They both jumped up and down on the padded seats of the carriage and squealed their joy. Jasmine was pleased that they were in an enclosed carriage today, with Robert, the groomsman, handling the reins. Their childish reaction to the news would not be seen by everyone on the streets. If Robert heard them screaming, he at least would be enough of a professional not to do more than raise an eyebrow at them when they alighted from the carriage. Jasmine took a peek out the carriage window, though, relieved to see no one looking at them.
    “I can’t believe we pulled it off!” Jasmine clasped hands with her lady’s maid.
    “I had no doubt, lass, in your abilities. Although I have to say, I was a bit skeptical of Mr. Morgan being accepting of your offer. I never did care for the man when he was seeing Heather. Always thought he was a bit full o’ himself.”
    “Yes, he’s maybe not husband material for the Fitzpatrick women, but he could be just what I need for a business partner. Who would have guessed that Papa’s decree of no new clothes would evolve into this?”
    “Speaking of Mr. Fitzpatrick, have you given any thought to what you’ll say to him?”
    “No, not yet, although I have some ideas flitting around in my head. We’ll need to find a new lady’s maid, for one thing, since you’ll be too busy working in the shop to care for my clothing and hair. Second, I think we need to invest in one of those newfangled sewing machines and hire someone to use it for straight seams. You can oversee the shop’s day-to-day operations and do the handwork on the dresses. I’ll design them, and find us the clientele we need. Can you think of anything else?”
    “Well, there is the fabric, beads, buckles, fringes, seed pearls, thread, and all that, too. I know we can buy silks and satins from Mr. Morgan at a reduced price, but all the other things that you decorate your gowns with will have to be purchased by us. Oh, this is so exciting.”
    Jasmine leaned back in her seat, her stomach turning cartwheels. Who would have thought a simple boot design could have mushroomed into a possible business venture? She couldn’t wait to tell Parr. He had championed her all along, first with figuring out