Page 69 of Last Night with the Duke
Madame Donceaux was answering her own questions as she moved her piece of measuring cloth from one part of Esmeralda’s body to another almost as fast as a whirlwind.
“What about the lavender fabric? The blue? No, no, with your eyes, the green is better for you. I will make green. And the dark ivory? That one too? You will be stunning.”
Esmeralda spun away from the modiste. “Now, wait a minute. Just how many gowns do you think you are going to make?”
Madame Donceaux looked confused. “As many as you want.”
“Fine. I want one. The yellow one.”
The dressmaker laughed a deep throaty laugh. “No, no, Mademoiselle. The duke—”
“I don’t care what the duke said. Now, you have your measurements, it’s time for you to go.”
“Good.” She smiled as if Esmeralda’s irritable temperament hadn’t bothered her at all. “I will go. I will choose fabrics for you that show your beauty. Not gray.” She motioned for her helpers to gather up the fabrics and trimmings. And then, instead of leaving the room, she walked over to Esmeralda’s wardrobe and started pulling out her dresses and gowns and throwing them over her arm.
This woman was unbelievable. “What are you doing?”
“Taking the gray with me. The Duke say, take the gray.”
Did he!“You can’t do that. Those are my clothes.”
She smiled. “I will bring you more, Mademoiselle. Blues, greens, corals. Before the day has ended, I will be back.”
Esmeralda tried to grab hold of her clothing, but the modiste swung away from her and made a run for the door. Esmeralda dashed in front of her and blocked the entrance. “You are not taking my clothing. I need those.”
A worried expression etched its way across Madame Donceaux’s face. “I do what the duke tells me. He says take the gray.”
“Oh, yes. The duke loves to tell people what to do, but I say no.”
“Good,” she said again. “These go with me.”
“No.”
“I have left you enough for today.”
Esmeralda grabbed hold of the clothing, but the modiste gathered them up tightly to her chest in a fierce grip. Madame Donceaux’s helpers stood to one side looking horrified at the tug of war between Esmeralda and the French dressmaker.
“What are you two doing?”
Esmeralda turned to see Lady Sara and Lady Vera, also in their nightclothes, watching her and Madame Donceaux fight over the clothing.
“You two sound like us when we are fighting over something,” Lady Vera said.
Esmeralda silently groaned when she suddenly realized how ridiculous she must look. The dressmakers grip didn’t loosen, so Esmeralda’s did.
“Let her have them, Miss Swift,” Lady Vera said. “It will be pleasant to see you in another color. Isn’t that right, Sara?”
Sara walked over to one of the ladies holding the fabrics and pulled a frothy parchment-colored material from her hands. “This will match your coloring perfectly, Miss Swift.”
Knowing she’d lost the battle, Esmeralda relented and slowly let go of the gowns and dresses and stepped away from the modiste. “What will you do with them?” she asked the woman.
“Charitable hospital is always in need of clothing. Will that please Mademoiselle?”
Esmeralda inhaled deeply and lifted her shoulders. “Yes. That will please me greatly.”
Chapter 22
Don’t speak for anyone other than yourself.
