Not that there appears to be anyone to listen.
They soon arrived at Bond Street, where Georgiana decided to find the perfect gift for her little sister. It only took her four shops to find it—a puzzle shaped like a flower and made of wood. It would be perfect for Emma.
Beyond, of course, the other three packages she had already ordered to be delivered to her family’s London home.
“Finished, Your Grace?” Thomas asked politely when she rejoined him outside the shop. He stood with both horses beside him.
She offered a tight smile. Shopping usually made her more satisfied than it did now. “I suppose so.”
Her eyes darted about the lane before settling on the dress shop. They always had fine ribbons. And had her sister received the new dress they had discussed during the winter? Emma was growing so quickly…
“Actually, one more stop. I won’t be long.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Georgiana made her way into the dress shop, squeezing past a mother and her two daughters. It was crowded today. Though she preferred earlier hours, when it would be less busy, she resigned herself to this one last errand.
Seeing that the two shopkeepers were with other customers, however, it meant she needed to wait. They had both nodded and offered to help, since she was the highest-ranking woman under the roof, but she let them continue attend to the clients who came before her.
“Can you believe it?” she overheard as she moved toward the ribbons. Everyone chattered, and she did her best to ignore them. “A duchess in here at this hour.”
“Mama, you must let me have this green ribbon.”
“There isn’t a chance in this world I would ever allow you out of the house with that lace. You must put it down at once, or else you’ll embarrass me.”
“Do you think she always dresses like that? That is not much of a riding habit. I suppose she carries a whip somewhere, too. One must for such a wild husband.”
Georgiana had just reached the table of ribbons when she overheard the last murmur. The voice didn’t sound familiar to her. But something about it caught her attention.
She felt her insides twist. Was anyone else wearing a riding habit in the shop, or was it just her? Women usually dressed in preparation for their activities. Shopping like this wasn’t normal, but it wasn’t that outlandish. Or so she hoped.
I’m not exactly a diamond of the first water, after all. Not even the Pearl or Emerald of the Season. I’m only me. No one ever notices me. At least, they didn’t until I became a duchess.
“It’s a garish color. What is it, ultramarine? Absurd for this time of year.”
Dropping her gaze to her blue dress, Georgiana stiffened. No one else wore this shade right now but her. She dropped the ribbon she had been holding. The color was forgotten. There were more eyes on her now, and it made her skin crawl. She couldn’tnotnotice them.
“I suppose it doesn’t matter what she wears. That won’t change her husband, will it? Oh, the cost of a title. I heard the Duke once survived in a cave through winter, eating nothing but ice and dirt. Horrid, don’t you think? Hardly the mark of a gentleman.”
Georgiana whirled around. She couldn’t take it any longer. Heart pounding, she narrowed her eyes as she spotted the three whispering girls in the corner.
They were vaguely familiar to her. Two of them were wed, and one was not. She supposed they were around her age but couldn’t be certain. It only mattered that these young women had never cared to befriend her when they could merely mock her.
“Your Grace?” The younger of the shopkeepers, Madame Beverley, called. “May I offer my assistance?
“Thank you, but I’m afraid not. What a crowded shop it is today,” Georgiana found herself saying as she stared at the three girls. Then she sniffed. “It’s usually so quaint, but I fear… a rat may have entered your premises. Perhaps three. The smell here is too much for me. I adore your shop and trust it will smell better when I return next time. Thank you, my dear. Have a lovely day.”
Madame Beverley sputtered as she turned to go, stammering out a farewell.
There was a loud sniff nearby as well as a “Well, I never!” that Georgiana heard on her way out. That didn’t stop her.
Thomas opened his mouth when she reached his side. He must have seen her upset expression because he quickly fell quiet while assisting her into the saddle. Georgiana felt the storm of feelings grow within her as she nudged her horse into motion.
The trouble with London was that she could not ride fast or hard anywhere. Steering them toward Hyde Park shortly before the fashionable hour, she hoped to have a short gallop there. A good, hard ride always helped her clear her mind.
But then a sight on the edge of the park and further down the lane caught her attention. Her heart stuttered. She stared.
It can’t be… but I would recognize that skip anywhere.
