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She shed, dismissed She dressed to amuse herself, and to dazzle the court She dressed for power and admiration She certainly didn’t dress to enchant ranted

But the whole process of ht

She wanted all the passion and energy her husband devoted to the House of Lords, to the fate of England She wanted hier that he showed for a new bill in Parliament She wanted Elijah at her feet

She wanted what she probably couldn’t have No wife had that

Brigitte, her fem cards “All your beaux are below requesting to assist you in your toilette,” she said “Lord Corbin, of course, and Viscount St Albans Delacroix and Lord Piddleton”

Jemma wrinkled her nose “I don’t believe I shall ad”

“You shall dress alone, Your Grace?” The look on Brigitte’s face was almost comical

“I am never alone,” Jemma pointed out “I have your assistance as well as that of Mariette and Lucinda A woman with three maids, each with such decided opinions, can hardly beuidance!”

Brigitte’s eyes narrowed, just for a second “Indeed, Your Grace Perhaps you plan a special toilette for the fête this evening Shall I inforentlemen that you decline their counsel?”

But Jeed her itte knew that the duke would be going directly to the king’s fête Servants talked…servants knew

Je, hu infatuation with her husband In the lastin the library with a chessboard before her, waiting for Elijah to return fro all the papers, with particular attention to accounts of the Duke of Beaumont’s speeches She was…

She was a dunce She should behave as if there was nothing untoward about the evening Her husband had been in the country for teeks; thatto her A fashionable ould never even note the absence or presence of sonificant as a husband

“It’s just that I have a headache,” she said, with precisely the right note of lament “And Corbin and Delacroix can be so trivial If only Villiers were here”

Suspicion vanished from her maid’s eyes “He would soothe your head, Your Grace And he”—Brigitte dimpled—“is far from trivial”

Despite herself, Jemma smiled “But Villiers would never lower hi, I suspect that it takes hier to dress than it takes me I suppose I must needs admit Corbin, at least How do I appear?”

Je bows of sheer black ribbon Brigitte darted about, pulling a lock of hair over her shoulder so it e a touch of powder onto her nose

Her hair, of course, was already built into a forh it awaited ornamentation and powder One of her three French enius in that area and had spent two hours earlier that afternoon constructing a style fit for a royal occasion

Je table To hersuited her quite as much as dishabille, to be with her face painted, but her hair unpowdered, her legs showing through the frail lawn of her chemise If only Elijah visited her at this time in the afternoon…but he never did

Only strangers—or at best, acquaintances—thronged below in the drawing roo for perown

Presu their wives dress; their secrets were all known and the thrill of the unfa that she and Elijah hadn’t seen each other under intiine he felt a tinge of curiosity The last tiauche and, co, flat-chested twenty-year-old

“If Villiers were beloould you ad a box of ribbons onto the dressing table as if she were setting the stage for a play She snatched up Jelowing strands of color