Page 103 of Regency in Color
Alex blinked at her, his hands over his ears. “What was that for?”
“Did it not occur to any one of you to ask me?” Andie balled up her fists in frustration. “Frank Creighton is the only man I would consider marrying. Do you mean to tell me that you and Mother would support the match if I wanted it?”
“Of course.” He shrugged. “It’s not ideal, obviously, but he is the Bodmin’s brother. If he makes you happy…”
“Deliriously,” she snapped. “Now, will you help me fix this?”
“Fine!” Alex threw up his hands in surrender. “But seriously…”
Andie looked at him.
“Frank?” He dodged the pillow she threw at him. “I thought it was just a lark. Isn’t he fifty?”
“Forty-two.” She finally turned her attention to the striped box. “I’ll be thirty in September. I’m not a child anymore, Alex.” Andie removed the lid to find a letter sitting on top of several layers of tissue paper. “What is this?”
Alex shook his head. “I have no idea. Clement said it arrived for you this morning.”
Flipping the letter over, she popped the sealing wax, and a small metal object fell out. Confused, she read the note.
Dear Miss Archer,
Dad’s miserable. Please come back. I’ll be at the Vauxhall bandstand tonight at 8. I have enclosed a lockpick in case you need it.
With love,
Lu CC
A lockpick.Lulu had sent her a lockpick.
Andie covered her mouth to suppress her laughter as tears sprung to her eyes.
“Is it from Frank?” Alex asked.
She shook her head, removing the tissue paper. Inside the box was a magnificent midnight-blue gown spangled all over with silver stars. It looked just like Lulu’s drawing. Andie gathered it to her chest. “If tonight goes the way I very much hope it will, it’s from my daughter.”
* * *
In the end,Andie didn’t have to look for Lulu.
Within minutes of arriving at Vauxhall with Alex and her mother, Andie had located the bandstand and was on her way there when a slight figure charged out of the crowd. There were plenty of people in military dress, but no one looked quite like Lulu. Tonight she had accented her gold empire-waist gown with costume armor on her shoulders like a short spencer and a steel helmet with an open face. It was probably left over from a medieval play, but without the visor, it looked Greek from a distance.
Andie had never been so happy to see someone in her life. Lulu rushed to hug her, then paused to take in the dress. “It fits. Good. Come on, we’ll have to hurry if you don’t want him to see you.”
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” her mother asked as she and Alex caught up.
Lulu stopped midstride, taking in the magnificence that was Sidonie Archambault. She was wearing an elaborate gown in the exact shade of pink as their foil-wrapped chocolate boxes. Her hair was styled like Madame Pompadour’s. Well out of fashion, yes, but Madame Archambault dressed exactly as she wanted, and when it came to hair, bigger was always better. Lulu gaped, hardly able to take it all in. Awkwardly, she curtsied. “Are you the queen?”
Sidonie laughed, genuinely delighted by the question. “Andromeda, dear, who is your charming friend in the marvelous dress?”
Andie watched the exchange with no little amusement. These two would clearly have much to talk about in the coming years. “Mother, this is Lucrezia Creighton-Crowley, Frank’s daughter. Lulu, this is my mother, Madame Archambault, and my brother, Alexandre.”
“You must call me Sidonie.” Her mother embraced Lulu like a long-lost child. As Lulu led them through the park to a smaller stage, her mother chattered happily about the new shipment of arms and armor they had received at the British Museum, offering to take Lulu as her guest.
Andie smiled at Alex as she took his arm. Her brother only laughed and shook his head.
