Free Magical Masquerade: A Regency Masquerade by Hilary Gilman Page A

taken about.’ She stopped, lifted a worshipful countenance to
his, and said, ‘I hope we will see you at Camer this Christmas?’
    Minette, watching, thought just for a moment that she
read calculation in his face — and it chilled her. Then he bent his head and said
in caressing accents, ‘Nothing could keep me away now.’
Nine

 
    A few carefully casual questions put to Becky had armed Minette with the
knowledge that her fashionable twin patronised a certain mantua-maker in Bond
Street and, on the following morning, the two young ladies were conveyed
thither in Rochford’s town carriage. Arabella, conscious that she would be
entering a true temple of fashion, had insisted on arraying herself in the pink
pelisse she had acquired in Bath and the appalling bonnet that went with it.
    They were not the first visitors to disturb the
almost religious hush of the elegant establishment that morning. Two ladies
were already there, the youngest of whom was standing in front of a long mirror
while a menial upon her knees was pinning up the flounce of a charming walking
dress. Her companion, a lady on the shady side of forty, turned and glanced towards
the door when the ringing of the little bell heralded the arrival of newcomers
into the shop. At the sight of this lady Bella gave a sharp little cry and came
to a sudden halt.
    ‘Oh! My Goodness!’
    ‘What is it, my love?’ asked Minette, absently, as
she drank in the beauties of a ravishing ball gown displayed upon a stand.
    ‘Don’t look towards her now, but Lady Ashbury is
here.’
    Despite Arabella’s adjuration, Minette could not
forbear to peek at Rochford’s mistress. The lady was not, and could never have
been, a beauty, but her countenance had an appealing sweetness. She was a tall
woman, slender and graceful. Her hair, which was of a soft brown under a very
stylish hat, was lightly streaked with silver. At the sight of Minette, she
started a little, but she quickly recovered herself, bowed, and gave her a tight,
little smile. Then she turned to her companion and said in a melodic voice, ‘My
love, we must be getting on. Madame ,
you will send the gown home by the end of the day, will you not?’
    ‘Certainly, my lady.’ She called to an unseen menial in another room.
‘The puce taffeta must be sent home to Lady Ashbury today. See that it is.’
    Then, catching sight of the new arrivals, the
haughty proprietress bustled forward to greet her newest and most profligate patroness.
She visibly blenched when she took in Arabella’s finery. However, when Minette
explained that she wished to purchase a whole wardrobe of clothes suitable,
with a very slight emphasis on the word ‘suitable’ for a young lady about to
appear in society, she nodded her complete comprehension. It said much for her
professional tact that she was able to persuade Arabella that the demure and
expensive gowns she recommended were both more modish and more becoming than
the dashing attire her heart yearned after.
    The young lady who had been fitted for the new
walking dress had retired to change back into her own raiment and now emerged
at Lady Ashbury’s side. A horrid suspicion had dawned upon Minette upon
learning the tall lady’s identity, and she narrowly scrutinised the young girl
for any resemblance to Rochford. She found none and was suitably ashamed when
she heard Lady Ashbury casually refer to the young lady as her niece as she
took leave of Madame .
    The four ladies exchanged bows, and Lady Ashbury
uttered, ‘Good day’ in a choked voice before brushing past them with more haste
than civility. Minette caught a glimpse of tears in the older woman’s eyes, and
wondered.
    ‘Well, I must say,’ remarked Bella in an aggrieved
voice, ‘I do think it is outside of enough. One would think that she was Rochford’s wife and you his mistress from the way she
behaves.’
    ‘She resents his marriage, I suppose.’
    ‘Then she is a great fool. She must have known he
would marry