Page 45 of A Duke Makes a Deal
“We have a very talented laundress; Miss Kelly is a miracle worker. She’ll tend to your gowns straight away.”
“All right,” Clara said as she was pushed gently towards the bath.
She had tried to protest, insisting that she could bathe herself, but Mrs. Bridges seemed determined to show Clara how the future duchess should be pampered. Lilac oil was added to the bath water and rose scented soaps were used to wash her hair.
Once she was finished, she was dressed in a silk robe and sat before a vanity. Her hair was brushed out and then twisted and pinned in a way it never had been before. When Clara’s questioning face met Mrs. Bridges in the mirror, the housekeeper smiled.
“Your hair doesn’t need manufactured curls, my lady. A cousin of mine has a similar texture and the heat only aggravates her attempts at curling. She discovered that simply twisting the hair while it’s wet will give a more pleasant effect.”
“How interesting,” Clara said, excited to see how her hair would turn out.
After she was dressed in a pale blue gown that had been brought in from her sister-in-law, she was lightly spritzed with a sweet citrus perfume. The faintest of vegetable rouge was applied to her cheeks and her dried hair was released from its twists.
Clara’s eye widened with uncertainty as she saw the results, but after Mrs. Bridges began braiding and pining it, pullingcertain strands here and there in a way Clara had never witnessed, she began to see it come together.
Half-moon shaped combs adorned with pearls were used to set a sort of crown-like pattern in her hair, while also holding the mass intact. Once the style was complete, a maid came forward with a wooden box and opened it, revealing an astonishing number of shining baubles.
“Oh, my goodness,” Clara said breathlessly as she looked at the magnificent pieces. She felt as though a pirate’s chest of treasure had just been revealed to her. She looked up at Mrs. Bridges. “What is all this?”
“These are yours, my lady.”
“Mine?”
“Yes. His grace requested that the family jewels be presented to you, so that you may pick out your favorites.”
Clara was astonished. Though her family had been able to afford anything she wanted, she had never been very interested in jewelry. That was, until such a bounty had been presented to her.
Her hand rose to the box as her fingers gently touched gold bracelets, ruby set necklaces and sapphire earrings. There was even a diamond tiara. It seemed as though every color of the rainbow had been placed in these shining stones and while each piece seemed more lavish than the last, a small, rose cut diamond, surrounded by seed pearls set on a gold band, caught her eye. She picked the ring up and brought it close.
It was a charming little piece, one that seemed to be lost in the sea of other gems, but Clara quite liked it. Smiling, she placed it on her ring finger and flexed her hand as she stared at it. Yes. This was just right.
Looking up, she saw Mrs. Bridges nod towards the box.
“And what else?”
“Oh, I think this will be enough.”
A brief, uncertain expression passed over the maid’s face as she looked up at the housekeeper, but Mrs. Bridges didn’t show any reaction other than to nod.
“As you wish, my lady.”
The maid closed the box and turned to put it away, while a pair of footmen came to remove the tub and bring in her valise. Clara eyed the bag, eager to continue her reading when the housekeeper spoke.
“Dinner will be served at eight o’clock. If there is anything else we can do, please just ring.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. Bridges. I think I will read until then,” Clara said as the housekeeper and the rest of the maids left.
She got up and reached for her valise, pulling her book out and began reading. But just as she settled into one of the large chairs positioned in front of her fireplace, a knock sounded from the door. Turning, she saw the door open and Silas walked in.
She stood, her heart leaping as he came to a sudden stop at the sight of her. His eyes roamed over her body and Clara reminded herself that it was silly to always react this way to seeing him. There wasn’t anything amorous between them and if she needed to repeat it to herself a thousand times to realize it, she would.
Still, it wasn’t completely her fault, when Silas stared at her as though he were a man starved and she was a meal. Clearing her throat, she broke his concentration and he blinked.
“Clara. You look…” He started, but didn’t finish.
Clara swallowed, worried that her appearance wasn’t pleasing enough when he suddenly cleared his throat. His eyes focused on hers.
“You’re breathtaking.”
