“Of course, he is,” Henrietta and Devonmere said together.
But when? He’d been gone for weeks, and though Henrietta knew the Scottish estate needed his explicit attention after the flood, she couldn’t help but wish the weather had cooperated a bit more. Grayson had helped her get to this moment, and she wanted him by her side to see the unveiling of her new shop. Her second store.
To see the unveiling of all her accomplishments to the ton. There would be no more hiding after today, and while it was mostly pride that bounced her about, causing her to jostle her daughter, a stitch of fear wiggled its way into her heart as well. Yes, everyone who knew Mr. Blake’s shop was actually Miss Blake’s shop generally pretended not to, but no one would be able to pretend in—she unclasped the pocket watch pinned to her pelisse—five minutes!
Grayson was undeniably late. He’d not make it. Her heart sank, but she pulled herself up tall. She’d known it was a possibility even though she’d received daily letters from Grayson promising he’d return home on time.
“What has you in the doldrums, sis?” Tobias tugged a curl beneath Henrietta’s bonnet and hefted a giggling Adaline into the air.
“Grayson’s still in Scotland.”
“Unfortunate. But I’m here. Rejoice!”
“And me!” Huffing, Ada pushed to the front of the crowd and threw her arms around Henrietta. “How exciting! Are you excited? Of course, you’re excited.”
“I am,” Henrietta laughed. “But I wish Grayson were here. He’s helped me arrive at this pinnacle, and I’d like nothing better than to share it with him.” Stupid Scottish flood. That was ungenerous of her. Two men and a cow had perished, and Grayson had been helping rebuild roads, bridges, homes, everything.
Devonmere snorted. “If he’d taken my advice and sent a team of men to help, he’d be here right now. He didn’t have to run off up North himself. He could have advised from the comfort of his own home.”
Henrietta grinned up at her often grumpy father-in-law. “Yes, but Grayson must do things his own way, not yours.”
“Hmph.”
“And secretly, you’re proud of him.”
His lips lifted into a grin. “He’ll be here, Henrietta. And if he misses it, the guilt will eat him alive.”
Ada gasped. “Do you see who is here?” Her gaze fixated over her right shoulder at a woman in the crowd.
“Who?” But Henrietta saw who before she’d finished asking the question.
“The Duchess of Valingford,” Ada hissed. “Why do you think she’s come?”
Another surge of pride pinged through Henrietta. She felt like squealing her delight, shouting her victory. She allowed herself only a small, pleased smile as she shrugged a shoulder. “Oh, she hinted she would come for the unveiling at her fitting last week.”
Ada’s mouth dropped open.
Henrietta lifted one gloved finger and gently pushed it closed with a finger under Ada’s chin.
“You didn’t tell me!”
“You were out of the country. Where was it this time? Greece? The Antiguas? Ar—”
“Just because one is in Italy doesn’t mean one is out of reach. Paper and ink, Hen, are common modes of communication.” She shivered and cast Henrietta a reproachful look. “The Antiguas? I’d never! And you wouldn’t either, and you know it. I know for a fact Blake Textiles refuses to work with anyone involved in the slave trade.”
Henrietta nodded firmly. “Exactly right. And neither will my business.”
Tobias leaned in, a patch of sticky slobber running down his lapel, arms full of wiggly girl. “Speaking of which—have you decided on a name?”
Ada barked a laugh and gestured toward the covered sign. “Of course, she has or there would be no sign!”
Tobias shrugged. “There has been talk of simply using a symbol, which is not, if you ask me, a proper shop name.”
The symbol had been a silly idea born of frustration. The simple bird in flight hanging on a chain around her neck offered the perfect image, but it would cause more confusion than it was worth. Henrietta pulled out the pocket watch once more and checked it. Two minutes. “No one asked you, Tobias,” Henrietta reminded her brother.
“Precisely why I’ve had to give my opinion so freely and vociferously.”
Henrietta rolled her eyes and glanced down at the pocket watch once more. It was time. Exactly noon. Everyone gathered waited for Henrietta, Viscountess Rigsby, to open her new dress shop, her second dress shop, and the one that would introduce a new name to both locations.