Page 13 of Three Rules to Wed a Duke

“Oh, so Her Ladyship is plannin’ to make you look dull so her own daughter can shine? Miss Turner, there’s no amount of polishin’ that will ever make that girl prettier than you, forgive my sayin’ so,” Sara said slyly. “Never mind about that. Just wait til ya see how I make you turn out!”

For the next few minutes, Sara raced back and forth from Frances’ room, returning each time with more and more items. A silk ribbon to tie around her slender neck, a glittering brooch to pin the bodice of her gown and a bit of lace to fasten across the top, even a scattering of hair pins each topped with a tiny, delicate shell soon dotted the cover of her bed.

“Sara, where did you get all this?” Frances asked, bewildered.

“Borrowed it from the others. But do be careful with all of it, I promised ‘em all you’d take care with their things,” she answered. “But this is nothin’. Wait til they see what that gorgeous hair of yours can do!”

More than thirty minutes passed as Sara brushed out Frances’ dark brown hair until it gleamed. She pulled and twisted and worked each lock into a separate coil until Frances looked likeone of the Greek goddesses whose statue stood in the middle of the museum hall.

“Now, what do ya think?” Sara asked, holding up a small borrowed looking glass for Frances to see.

“Sara, you’re incredible! How did you learn to do this?” she breathed, turning her head this way and that to admire the maid’s handiwork.

“I told ya, I been practicin’. But Miss Turner, you must promise me ya won’t tell. Ya have to say ya did it yerself, otherwise Lady Hutchings’ll forbid me to help ya anymore.”

“Sara, it will pain my heart dearly to steal the credit for this, but you have my word. I will not let on that it was you, I promise.”

Sara smiled with relief and Frances thanked her once more. She went downstairs to wait for Juliet, passing the time by practicing looking unbothered by the entire arrangement. When at long last Juliet was ready, she and Lady Hutchings both stopped in the doorway to the drawing room and gaped at Frances.

“What’s… what did you do?” Juliet demanded, staring at Frances before turning to her mother with a silent, pleading look.

“Are you ready to go?” Frances asked simply, pretending to be oblivious to their stares.

“Where did you get all that?” Lady Hutchings demanded shrilly, looking her up and down.

Frances looked down and held out the skirts of her simple gown. She looked back to her aunt as though she didn’t understand her meaning.

“This is just an old gown I’ve had. Oh these? They’re just some things I borrowed. I’d hate for anyone at Lord Dartmouth’s party to think that my aunt and uncle couldn’t afford to properly outfit me for the Season. I’m only thinking of you, Aunt Bridget,” she said with a simpering look.

Her aunt was positively fuming. But what could she say to Frances’ thoughtful explanation? Without another word, she strode away, leaving the girls to head out to the waiting carriage.

At Lord Dartmouth’s house, Frances positioned herself in a place where she could conspicuously watch over her cousin without losing sight of her in the crowd of guests. As the house had a grand ballroom where the dancing was to take place, keeping a close eye on her would prove an easy task. She bade Juliet inform her if she decided to go out to the terrace, then settled back against the wall to wait for the agonizingly long event to end.

“Frances! You’ve made it at last! Come, let’s take a turn of the room,” Agnes called out, coming up beside her and squeezing her hand. Frances noted how Agnes looked over her gown, but the sweet girl said nothing about it.

“I’m afraid I mustn’t. My aunt was unable to attend this evening, so I must keep my attention on Juliet,” she explained.

“It’s no bother. Where is she, and we’ll stay with her, too.”

Frances smiled. That was so like Agnes to be perpetually happy, even as she worried over her circumstances or tolerated others’ snide remarks and scorn.

“I don’t know that she would want us to stay with her. See? She’s already found some of her own friends. No, I’m content to stand here.”

“Then I shall stay with you. When Emma comes, we shall each take our turn all evening keeping you company!” she promised.

“You are too kind, Aggie. But you mustn’t. Go and have your fun, and don’t forget to bring me something to drink once in a while to keep me from growing parched!”

Frances smiled to herself as she watched Agnes reluctantly disappear into the crowd of guests. Though her family was far from ideal, Frances knew that she was still luckier than most in that regard. Coupled with the good friends she had, she truly counted herself blessed.

Throughout the evening, Frances fought to keep a close eye on Juliet, but it almost seemed as though her cousin was trying to evade her. There was a lengthy, heart-stopping feeling of panic when she couldn’t see the girl any longer, and her mindraced with terrible possibilities. She hoped she’d gone out to the terrace with some of her friends, but Frances did not find her there. She’d searched the first floor of the house room by room, politely inquiring of any of the younger ladies she saw if they’d chanced to see Juliet, but no one had. She feared the worst but didn’t dare to make a bigger fuss, knowing that rumors could circulate at any time.

“Emma, Agnes! There you are, thank goodness,” Frances said breathlessly when she came across them standing with some gentlemen. She made her apologies to the would-be suitors and pulled the girls away. “I cannot find Juliet anywhere!”

“Your cousin? Did you look on the terrace?” Emma asked, looking worried.

“Perhaps a moonlight stroll in the garden?” Agnes suggested with a hint of a smile, but a stern look from Frances prompted her to grow serious.

“You must help me find her, but we must be discreet about it! I fear the worst, and of course, it will be my fault if some harm comes to her.”

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