Free Celeste Bradley - [Heiress Brides 03] by Duke Most Wanted

concerning her baggage made his welcomeclear. As he moved off, Sophie smiled at Patricia. “I’m very glad you’re here. If you don’t mind, I’d like your help.”
    Patricia tilted her head. “I’m happy to, miss, but you’ve never let me do your hair before.”
    Sophie looked down at her gloved hands. “Things change.”
    Patricia let out a breath. “Indeed, miss.”
    Sophie glanced up to see the pretty maid’s gaze following the male servants up the stairs. Did Patricia fancy one of the handsome young footmen? If so, Deirdre probably wouldn’t stand in her way like most mistresses would.
    Lucky girl—a romance without obstruction.
    Envy became no one, however. Sophie had come here to accomplish something and there was no time to spare on might-have-beens.
    Meggie tugged at her hand. “Sophie, Papa and Dee are at Brookmoor visiting Great-Uncle. I couldn’t go. I’m not a soothing visitor for an elderly gentleman,” she stated matter-of-factly.
    Sophie knelt fluidly, putting her at eye level with the child. “You know, Nutmeg, I don’t think I am either.”
    Meggie grinned. “Want to play cards after dinner?”
    Sophie squashed the pert little nose gently between her knuckles. “You cheat, you little beast.”
    Meggie’s smile widened. “So do you. I just do it better.”
    Sophie laughed and stood. “You’re on, beastie.” Then she turned to Patricia. “Lementeur will be arriving shortly. I—”
    Patricia blinked in shock. “Mary, Jesus and Joseph,” she breathed. “
Here?
”
    “Yes.” Sophie knew that the ladies in London admired Lementeur’s designs, but apparently she lacked the full truth of his importance. “He is helping me . . . improve my style.”
    Patricia’s jaw dropped. Then shut. Then a slow, eager smile bloomed. “Oh, miss. You’re goin’ to look like a princess!”
    Sophie grimaced. “Pity the kingdom.” Reaching down, she took Meggie’s hand. “Lady Nutmeg, why don’t you help me unpack?”
    Meggie gazed up at her with narrowed eyes. “You’re not as pretty as Dee, Sophie.”
    Sophie nodded calmly. It was only the truth, and Meggie’s loyalty to her new mother was understandable.
    “Except when you smile.”
    As she walked up the stairs with Meggie in tow, Sophie wondered if Meggie had meant to say that she
was
as pretty as Deirdre when she smiled?
    Not possible.
    On the way to her room, Sophie paused in the gallery, noticing several new canvases hanging in the long Marbrook family line. Where once the row of paintings had ended with very young Raphael and Calder portraits and one of Calder’s deceased first wife, there now extended an entirely new sequence.
    First, a portrait of Calder, the elder and the current Marquis of Brookhaven, and his bride. He was a big man, broad-shouldered and dark-haired, with brown eyes glowering out of chiseled features. His expressionmade Sophie smile, for she could just imagine his impatience with the process of sitting for a portrait. Calder was a man of action, not of leisure.
    Standing next to him was an exquisite rendition of Deirdre. She was a regal, golden-haired beauty with eyes like sapphires. The smile she wore was cool and haughty, but her gaze snapped with humor and a trace of impatience of her own. If Sophie was not mistaken, her cousin’s hand on Calder’s shoulder was quite literally pinning him in place!
    Theirs had not been an easy courtship, especially considering that most of it had taken place after their marriage of convenience, yet even in the portrait Sophie could see the way that Calder’s entire being gravitated toward Deirdre’s as if she were the earth and he was the smitten moon. Every day was a battle of wills, yet it seemed that the prize was nothing less than complete devotion.
    In the next portrait stood Lord Raphael Marbrook, the illegitimate but recognized second son. The resemblance between the half-brothers was astonishing if one only looked at hair and eye color and general bone