Page 86 of Married to the Icy Duke
“I think I understand what you mean. And might I say, you look beautiful, my dear.”
Charlotte flushed, plucking at her silk skirts.
Her gown was a surprisingly simple one. It was the color, really, which would attract attention. Was it proper for a newlywed to wear blood red? Probably not.
Her gownwasblood red, vibrant and glittering. Black pearls had been sewn around the cuffs and hem, and circled the dangerously low neckline. The neckline swung low around her collarbones, just skimming the tops of her shoulders, leaving the upper curve of them bare.
Sybella had shockingly produced a small pot of cream infused with glitter, and Charlotte had patted a few fingertips of the stuff onto her shoulders, collarbones, and even a dab of it on hercheekbones. When the light caught her skin, she glittered and glowed.
Her mask, of course, would be black.
“I think this one would be dramatic,” Sybella murmured, holding up a small, circular mask that would seamlessly cover her features altogether. “But you’ll have to hold it in place by biting on a button on the inside. You’d be obliged to stay quiet.”
Charlotte snorted. “Give up speaking for a whole evening? I think not.”
“I concur,” Sybella chuckled, tossing away the mask. “A simple black domino for you, then?”
Charlotte smiled, holding up the mask in question. “I’ve had red-dyed pearls sewn onto the edges, as a contrast to my gown. What do you think?”
Sybella beamed. “I think you’ll cause a stir, to say the least.”
Charlotte carefully tied on her mask, tilting her head this way and that to inspect the result.
“I hope so,” she murmured. “I hope so very much.”
She hadn’t told Sybella about her plans for the evening. It would be too awkward, considering that it was all to do with Sybella’s brother.
Charlotte hoped that Isaac would be enthralled by her gown. After all, she did look particularly beautiful tonight. They would dance together, naturally, to open the ball. She hoped to convince him to step out onto the terrace, and then tell him …
Well, she hadn’t quite gotten that far ahead in her preparations. She hadn’t decided what to say to him, because no words seemed good enough.
Yet,she reminded herself firmly.I’ll find the right thing to say, I’m sure of it.
That was something to think about later. For now, Charlotte tweaked her mask and rose to her feet, smoothing out the fabric of her skirt. Nerves fizzled inside her, tightening her stomach. She hadn’t been able to eat much, and even the tea Sybella had ordered had tasted like water. Tepid water.
Leaving Sybella to finish getting ready, Charlotte hurried downstairs, wandering through the hallways, ballroom, and other rooms cleared out and decorated for the guests.
Delicious smells drifted through the house, mingling with the armfuls of fresh flowers Mrs. Ribb had brought in and draped thickly around the ballroom. The space almost looked like a jungle, dense with flowers and heavy with greenery.
In short, Mrs. Ribb had worked a miracle. Perling, too, had worked hard. Charlotte made a mental note to plan some sort of special treat for the servants. Afterwards, of course.
Gabriel and Thalia were here already, wearing matching blue-and-green outfits and identical blue dominos, but Charlotte only waved briefly as she passed by, en route to taste the punch to check that it was suitable. Isaac would be down at any moment, Perling had assured her. He was helping Mary get Tommy ready—the little boy had a costume of his own and was by all accounts mad with excitement.
Charlotte bit back a smile. She was looking forward to seeing Tommy’s little outfit. Of course, the little boy would only be at the party for half an hour or so, as it was already past his bedtime. She supposed that it would be enough for him.
My first party as a duchess.
It had better be a good one.
Voices drifted along from the doorway, and Charlotte guessed that her very first guests had arrived. Breathing in deeply, she moved to greet them.
To her surprise, Isaac was already in the hallway, ready to greet their guests, too. He wore black and red, naturally, a black suit trimmed with red and a red domino, one eye covered in red satin to block out his damaged eye. His gaze landed on her almost at once, even before she could call out to let him know that she was there.
His expression turned dark and hungry, and Charlotte felt an answering shiver down her spine. She came to stand beside him, heart hammering.
“I didn’t know you were going to wear something like that,” he murmured, his voice a deep rumble from his chest. Charlotte had to lean closer to hear and breathed in a rich scent of something sharp and spicy, a rich cologne she hadn’t smelled before.
“A red dress? With black trimmings?” she responded, grinning up at him. “Why not? I’m a Devil now, aren’t I?”
