Page 8 of Saving a Scoundrel
She swallowed a sigh as the day dress was removed and exchanged for an elegant evening gown. Obediently sliding her arms into the sleeves, Eleanor couldn’t help but feel like a porcelain doll, dressed and undressed at its owner’s whim.
A murmur of approval came from Lady Dearborn. “That looks lovely, Eleanor.”
Ellie smoothed her hands down the soft silk of the skirt. The sunny pale yellow made her smile. The dress hugged her figure and showed more of her collarbone than she had ever been previously allowed. She ran a finger across the beaded edge of the bodice and wrinkled her nose. “You don’t think the neckline is too low?”
Lady Dearborn shook her head. “No, my dear. We each have our own assets which we must use to our advantage.”
Ellie was fairly sure her father would disagree with that statement. His voice echoed in her head, “Watch out for rogues and rakes; they’re only after one thing.”
“I wish I had half as much as you to fill out my bodice,” Susanna said.
The seamstress, mouth full of pins, nodded her head in agreement. Ellie glanced back into the tall mirror across from her; it was hard to block her father’s disapproving voice in her head. She raised her chin and straightened her shoulders. Perhaps in her new, more colorful, and daring wardrobe, she might capture Lucius Grisham’s attention as something other than just his sister’s childhood friend.
“All right, miss, that was the last one. Mabel will help you get dressed.”
Lady Dearborn rose. “Thank you, Mrs. Tremont. When will everything be delivered?”
The two older ladies left the dressing area as they discussed the delivery of her new wardrobe. Ellie donned her practical gray-and-white striped day dress and turned around to allow the assistant to help her fasten the few buttons up the back. Next, she picked up her straw bonnet and tied the ribbons with quick, efficient movements. There now, that practical girl in the mirror was someone she recognized.
Susanna came over and slid her arm around Ellie’s shoulder. “I am going to start a bonfire and burn all these gray dresses once the new ones are delivered.” She squeezed Ellie’s arm affectionately. “You looked lovely in yellow.”
Several inches taller, Susanna was lithe and athletic, where Ellie was all curves. To say Susanna had a flair for the dramatic was an understatement. She absolutely would make a bonfire. It wouldn’t occur to her to do something sensible like donating the dresses to those less fortunate. Ellie laid her head on Susanna’s shoulder. She really was the best of friends.
“So, what is our real plan of action for tracking down the man from the letters?” Ellie stepped back and crossed her arms across her chest. “We have been in London a fortnight and haven’t got to do anything but be fitted for new clothing.”
“I know. But this is what being in town is all about. The dresses, the parties, the dull carriage rides through the park at the fashionable hour. If we want to find adventure, we will have to sneak out.”
Ellie frowned. “No sneaking out.”
“Then we will need a good cover for what we want to do. Like a visit to a friend’s house for tea with a side trip to scout out the bookseller from which Mr. Buxley said he bought the crates. We can ask our coachman Sam Green to drive us. He can be trusted not to blab.”
“How do you know?”
“I caught him and one of the maids, quite by accident,” she raised one eyebrow, “in flagrante delicto.”
Ellie laid a hand to her throat. “Really?”
Susanna nodded. “In a linen closet. I thought it was the door to the housekeeper’s room. It turns out it was the next one down.” She waved a hand airily. “Anyway, now he feels quite beholden to me even though I assured him I wouldn’t tell. He and Ann do make the most adorable couple.”
“When did this happen? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Knowledge such as this should always be shared with one’s friends.
“I promised not to tell.” Susanna shrugged her shoulders.
Ellie scrunched her nose. Susanna always knew everything about everyone. How she got her information, Ellie never could figure out. She wondered how many other interesting tidbits her friend kept to herself. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “How could they manage it in a closet? I mean, I thought one had to use a bed.”
Susanna shook her head and lowered her voice as well. “They were doing it standing up against the wall. They had on most of their clothes, except his pants were down, and I got an excellent view of his very taut backside.”
“Oh!” Interesting. Ellie tried to picture the mechanics. She generally knew how things were supposed to work, but the books she’d read hadn’t had any pictures.
“Ladies!” Lady Dearborn called from the front of the store. “Don’t dawdle.”
She and Susanna exchanged a grin. She would have to pry more details from her friend later. They wound their way through tables laden with colorful silk and satin bolts of cloth to join Lady Dearborn, who stood at the front of the store with Mrs. Tremont. Lady Dearborn shared her daughter’s auburn hair color and flair for the dramatic. Her hands punctuated her speech as she regaled Mrs. Tremont with one of her many stories. Mrs. Tremont laughed; her hand flew to her mouth as she tried to stifle a loud chuckle.
“Ah, finally. Let’s be on our way.” Susanna’s mother spotted them. “Next up, the milliner.”
Chapter Six
“Are you surethis neckline isn’t too low?” Ellie whispered to her friend. She laid a gloved hand against her chest. Perhaps she should have insisted on the lacy chemisette. They had just handed off their capes to a waiting footman at the Ponsonby ball, and she felt rather naked without the extra layer.
