Page 48 of The Duke's Cursed Bride
“I think I am,” Madeleine said. “I never imagined I could feel ready for my wedding day so quickly. It’s only been a few weeks since our engagement was finalized. I thought I would still be horribly nervous when the day arrived, but I’m really not. I feel prepared.”
“I’m glad,” Horatia said. “And your gown is ready.” She gestured to the wedding gown Henrietta had sent over for Madeleine to wear tomorrow.
Madeleine eyed it with misgivings.
“I know that look, my lady,” Horatia said. “Something is troubling you. What is it?”
“It’s the gown,” Madeleine admitted. “I don’t know if I want to wear it.”
“The Dowager Duchess sent it over for you,” Horatia pointed out. “You haven’t anything else to wear to the wedding.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Madeleine said. “I didn’t tell you about it because I was sure I would ignore it—I didn’t want to make trouble, you see. But Thomas sent something over too.”
“The Duke and his mother sent you two different gowns?” Horatia frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Well, I don’t think the one the Duke sent was meant for the wedding,” Madeleine explained. “I think he simply meant it as a gift. But…well, look at it, Horatia. It’s certainly lovely enough to be a wedding gown.”
She went to the wardrobe and took it out to show to her lady’s maid.
Horatia looked at the gown. It was pale yellow and had flowers embroidered on the bodice. “This fits you?”
“Yes, like a glove. I’m sure he took the measurements we had done and gave them to the dressmaker who made it,” Madeleine said. “And don’t you think it’s beautiful enough to wear to my wedding? Beautiful enough to get married in?”
“Yes, it is,” Horatia said. “But if the Dowager Duchess sent a gown specifically for the wedding, that’s the one you ought to wear. She’ll be expecting to see it, Lady Madeleine. She’ll want to know that she can count on you to do as you’re told once you join her household.”
Madeleine nodded slowly, but the truth was that she wasn’t sure she really wanted to be counted upon to do as she was told. She didn’t want Henrietta to get the idea that she could just tell Madeleine to do things and that Madeleine would comply.
Henrietta had said she liked Madeleine’s honesty. She’d said that she liked the way Madeleine stood up for herself.
If she had meant that, maybe she wouldn’t mind seeing Madeleine in a different gown.
The problem was that the one Thomas had sent didn’t have the high collar that Henrietta had so favored. Of course, that was what Madeleine liked about it. She hated those collars. She had really come to resent the fact that Henrietta seemed intent upon dressing her in them, and she wished she had resisted the idea when it had first been presented to her. They were uncomfortable, and the more time she spent in them, the more she thought they were also unattractive. The idea of wearing such a thing in front of all of society on the day she married the Duke of Westcourt was most unappealing to her.
She knew what Henrietta would likely say—let them talk about your gown. It’s better than having them talk about your scar.
But actually, it wasn’t better. Her scar might be unsightly, but there was nothing Madeleine could do about it. It was something that had happened to her. That was different fromchoosingsomething ugly.
Now, the gown Thomas had sent to her—that was beautiful, and Madeleine knew she would feel beautiful wearing it. And shouldn’t she be able to feel beautiful on the day of her wedding? Wasn’t that a fair thing for her to want?
“I might wear it,” she told Horatia.
“Well, you’ll do as you feel is right,” Horatia said. “But I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to risk offending the Dowager Duchess on the very first day of your marriage. And you might well offend the Duke as well, you know. I’m sure he didn’t expect to see that gown on your wedding day. You want to show your husband you are obedient, my lady.”
“But I’m not obedient,” Madeleine said.
Horatia laughed. “Don’t I know that all too well! But you’ll need to find a way to bend to the will of your husband, my lady. All young ladies must do so eventually. That’s part of being married.”
Madeleine frowned, gazing at the gown that hung from the front of her wardrobe. The idea of being obedient didn’t appeal to her at all. She didn’t want to show Thomas that she was the kind of lady who would do as she was told. Shewasn’tthat kind of lady. She was determined to be herself throughout this marriage. That was the only thing that was going to make it tolerable.
“You’ll support me in whatever I choose, won’t you?” she asked Horatia.
“Of course I will,” Horatia said. “You know I will. I always have, haven’t I?”
“Yes, you have.”
“And you can count on me now. I’m the person you can count on no matter what, Lady Madeleine. I’ll be by your side for the rest of your life. And if you’ve decided that wearing this gown is what you want to do, I’ll help you dress in it tomorrow.”
“That’s what I want to do,” Madeleine decided.
