Page 53 of Unmasking the Silver Heiress
As the world continued to transform from autumn rust to winter blue, Nell began to use her new clothes in earnest. The things she had brought with her were simply no longer effective against the elements, especially with the prickly salt frost from the ocean blowing over the world in great sheets amidst the snow and ice.
She had written to everyone ahead of Christmas in the hopes that her letters could be delivered despite the snow. Family came first, of course. To her aunt, she sent news of their success in securing the invitation to the winter masquerade. To her family in Winchester, she compiled a lighthearted recollection of events since they had last seen her, making life sound magical and thrilling without raising any undue alarm. And, at last, to her brother Peter, she wrote a letter that she posted to Oxford University, in the hopes that he had returned there for the remainder of the year.
After that, the letters were somewhat more challenging. To Gloriana, first and foremost, she sent a long and heartfelt explanation for her choices, an apology for taking so long to write, and a sincere congratulations on the news of her own eminent nuptials to none other than Alex Somers, which she had spotted in the newspaper some days past. It was a relief, a substantial relief, to see that announcement and know that Glory had found her way to a more suitable match without too much time for heartbreak.
She had paused, her blood chilling in her veins at the thought of how close her husband had come to marrying one of her dearest friends. Would it have been the same, between the two of them? Would they have fallen into the habit of sleeping in each other's arms? Would they have made love so passionately and so frequently?
It was impossible to know the answer to that. Logically, she knew there was no reason Nathaniel couldn't have found happiness with her beautiful friend, but something tugged at the strings of her rationale and saidno, you are a different creature entirely.Perhaps it was just pride, balking at the idea that her newfound happiness could have occurred with any other pairing but herself and Nathaniel.
Was she in love with him? Most assuredly. She was helplessly and utterly besotted in a way that felt richer and deeper than her infatuation with him had been, back when he was beyond reach. She could only hope that she was endearing herself to him as well, and that in time, he could come to feel for her as she felt for him.
Perhaps that had also influenced her to embrace her new finery and wear it daily. She knew she looked much more attractive in these things than in her old frocks, quite literally by design. She felt as though she walked taller and spoke more firmly when she was dressed in these things, when she had to pause upon passing a mirror to check that the reflection was indeed herself and not some other woman.
It also visibly pleased Gigi Dempierre, who had become a regular companion as the winter had set in.
After all, Nell had to fill her days with something after the ground had frozen too solid to allow any further capers beneath Meridian House, at least until spring. The staff had settled into their work restoring the house with such skill and speed that Nell was hardly needed for household management, aside from reviewing a few things every morning before breakfast and every evening after dinner.
With Gigi, every outing felt noteworthy. She had a way of noticing small details in the world, which, when pointed out, added such dimension to one's surroundings. Nell herself would never have noticed the man who was faking a limp until the woman he had been speaking to turned her back. She would have entirely missed the tiny clocks painted above the doorway of their favorite cafe. She never would have stopped to admire the painted parasol a woman was carrying to shield herself from the winter sun.
Perhaps most notably, Nell knew she would not have greeted Gigi's collection of songbirds at La Falaise with much more than a polite reception and nary a second thought, had the other woman not spent such much time and care introducing each for its unique personality and features. Now, Nell felt confident that she could accurately and confidently announce each of these birds at Britain's next royal reception, should they secure invitations.
To be frank, it had given her reservations about wearing her feathered dress to the upcoming masquerade.
"Don't be silly." Gigi laughed, collapsing onto one of Madame Bisset's sofas with a casual frivolousness that might only be found in the privacy of any other lady's bedchambers. "Songbirds didn't die to make that dress. I rather wager it was geese and a healthy dollop of black dye."
"Gigi!" Madame Bisset scolded, motioning for Gigi to take her shoes off the furniture. To Nell, she said, "It is best not to think overmuch about the origin of most things. That said, I do have many matching feathers left over to make a matching mask, and one for your husband, of course."
"And mine?" Gigi asked, flashing her dimples at the older woman. "Or shall I petition the local smith?"
"You will do no such thing!" the modiste huffed, dropping her hands onto her hips. "It will take some time, but you cannot trust that oaf with artistry! Imagine!"
"Madame Bisset rather fancies the smith," Gigi whispered theatrically to Nell. "He's got big,stronghands."
"Enough!On y va.Allez!I have work to do!" she said, flapping her hands at both women until they spilled back out onto the streets of Dover, unable to contain their giggles. Despite her tone, Madame Bisset was smiling as she shut the door on them, shaking her head with a fondness for Gigi's antics.
Gigi wasted no time gathering Nell's arm into a link with her own and starting off down the cobbled street. "Shall we go in search of mulled wine? Or perhaps a bite to eat, if you're hungry? I do not want to go back home yet.Mamanis at her absolute worst when she's in the throes of Yuletide planning."
"My husband's cousin won't be retrieving me for another hour or two yet," Nell said, contemplating the height of the sun in the winter sky. "I was rather hoping we might explore some of the other shops in the town center. I still haven't found a Christmas gift for Nathaniel."
"Ah!" Gigi nodded with approval. "Even better, and we can get cups of hot cider from the stalls. What would you like to purchase for your handsomebeau?"
"Is he a beau if I've already married him?" Nell asked with a laugh, allowing herself to be tugged down the first of a series of medieval streets toward a bustling holiday market in the square.
There had been something like this in Bath-Spa, during her days at finishing school. Mrs. Arlington always insisted their German counterparts did the best holiday markets in the world, but it had always been such fun to go browse the stalls before returning to Winchester for the holidays.
Her dear friend Tatiana had always insisted they go, dragging Gloriana and Nell toward the most eclectic vendors in search of gifts for their families. Without Tia, Nell was certain she'd never have found half so many unique things—arrangements of exotic insects pinned to careful displays under glass, tumbled crystals and gemstones, gleaming on bolts of velvet cloth, and handmade crafts made by the local wives rather than the artisans with storefronts. Many things were perhaps not suitable for Society, but quite pretty and charming in their own way.
None of those things sounded right for Nathaniel.
"I haven't the faintest idea," she confessed to her new friend, frowning. "Some weeks ago, I told him I wished to know everything there was about him, and though he's told me many stories of his life and experiences since then, I cannot think at all of what hobbies or leisurely pursuits might appeal to the man."
"Well, then," Gigi said, tilting her head with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Shall we simply strip you naked and wrap you in a bow? I'm certain he'd enjoy the gesture."
Nell flushed, but did not balk at such a jest. "I'm afraid that would be rather redundant, at this point," she said instead, making the other girl the one who gasped with scandalized glee.
They bought cider from a vendor Gigi seemed to know, who smiled at her like an old friend as he passed over the steaming cups of liquid. Nell was beginning to realize that many men in the city of Dover were in love with Gigi Dempierre, and Gigi herself did not care a whit about it.
"It is only because I never leave Dover," she had explained, waving away the observation like a gnat. "If I vanished every spring like other young ladies, I would be no different from any of them. Familiarity breeds obsession, you know."
