Page 5 of Summoner of Sins

Sophie was still puzzling over his first comment. Would it have been a problem if she’d agreed to dance with whoever that man was? Why?

“Bring her to a modiste. The woman will do the rest.”

She delicately cleared her throat. She had no idea why she might need them, whatever the reason, this might be the excuse she needed to see Tabbie again. “I know who to ask for help. I hope.”

Lord Whitehouse gave her a wide smile. “Beautiful and resourceful. You will prove to be as useful as I hoped.”

Her brows drew together. What did that mean? Now she was truly confused. This man had hopes for her? Why? How? When?

Her uncle clamped a hand on her arm even as Elsa appeared in her peripheral vision.

“Excuse me,” Elsa called, lifting a finger.

“Yes?” she asked, not quite certain that the woman was speaking to her.

“I should like to call upon you,” Elsa said with the sweetest most innocent smile. “Perhaps invite you to my garden party next week.”

Sophie shook her head. Had she stepped into a different world? It looked like the same one, but everyone was acting so oddly.

“Send invitations to me, Miss Dayton,” Lord Whitehouse nodded at Elsa, the two of them clearly acquainted. Then, he leaned over and whispered to her uncle, her uncle nodding as the other man spoke.

What were they saying? It was surely about her.

Tabbie came into view as well, standing ten feet away from Elsa, her look one of concern. She gave the other woman a wide-eyed stare.

“What’s happening?” Tabbie mouthed.

“I don’t know,” Sophie said back, so glad someone else understood that the whole world had gone mad.

CHAPTER TWO

“How much did he give you to buy dresses?” Tabbie asked as they stood inside her massive dressing room.

Sophie had come to Tabbie’s calling hours in the hopes of retaining aid in the purchase of fashionable dresses. Instead, Tabbie had pulled her up to her private rooms. They stood staring at the racks and racks of clothing. A maid stood just behind them.

She pulled out the bag of coin she’d been given by her uncle. Opening it, she shifted through the coins. “There must be 500 pounds here.”

“Believe it or not, that doesn’t buy you much in a London dress shop.” Tabbie frowned as she looked down into the bag.

Sophie shook her head. The events of the last several days had her head spinning. They had left her uncle’s home and were staying at Lord Whitehouse’s estate. One nanny had turned into two, and now she hardly saw her sister at all. They were allowed a small window of time together in the late afternoon and that was it.

Instead, she’d been thrust into the care of a tutor of her own. A woman who was supposed to teach her the finer points of society. They mostly practiced serving and pouring tea. Two skills for which Sophie was already perfectly confident. Her mother had been the daughter of an earl, even if she’d married a man not of society.

Tabbie pulled a gown from the collection. “I’ve never liked the neck on this dress.”

The maid took the dress, folding it over her arm as Sophie attempted to understand. “You’re getting rid of it?”

“And this one is from last season but if we tweaked the style of bow…” On and on it went with Tabbie pulling out an entire wardrobe from her collection.

There were dresses for garden parties and balls, teas, and masquerades. “I think we’re the same size, so let’s try a few on you to see how they fit.”

“What?” Sophie knew she was being thick. But she didn’t expect this. “You can’t mean…”

Tabbie stopped in front of her. “I know we don’t know each other that well.”

“No, I suppose not.” Somehow, Sophie already felt as though they’d known each other for a very long time. “And yet, I think you might understand more of what’s happening in my life than I do.”

Tabbie winced as she took one of Sophie’s hands. “I might understand a few things.”

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