Page 45 of The Duke's Indecent Match
The look in her mother’s eyes softened, and she reached up to brush an errant lock of hair away from Kalina’s face, tucking it behind her ear.
“You have both of us.Always.No matter how much your father makes me want to shake him sometimes.My anger at him does not affect either of our feelings toward you.”She sighed.“But I will try to ease my temper.For your sake.”
Relaxing, knowing that was the first step toward her mother forgiving her father, Kalina nodded.
“Would you like to choose a dress now?”her mother asked.
No, she would notliketo, but she knew she needed to.Kalina nodded again.This was not how she’d pictured choosing her wedding gown.She’d imagined being at the modistes with her mother, picking the fabric, poring over the possible designs.Instead, they were selecting one from what she had on hand.
“I pulled out the blush because it is the closest to white, and I know that’s all the rage for weddings now,” Margaret said, holding up both dresses.“But I also think the pink silk would look lovely.And you have not worn it yet.”
The silk was a much brighter hue, cut to perfection.It was an attention-getting dress.Kalina felt very much that she’d had enough attention.The more she could make this appear like a regular wedding to the rest of the guests, the better it would be.The blush had pink underskirts, heavily trimmed with cream lace, which lightened them.The overskirt was trimmed with lace and a pink ribbon that matched the hue of the underskirts exactly.Layers of lace bolstered the hips of the skirt where it connected to the bodice, which was also adorned with a panel of lace down the center.Tiny puff sleeves of the same fabric as the underskirt were topped with more lace that lifted into the air like little wings.The neckline was scandalously low for a day dress, but no lower than the pink silk.
It was the closest thing she had on hand to a fashionable wedding gown.
“The blush,” she said, pointing to the dress in Margaret’s left hand.“As you say, it is closer to white.”
“Very good, miss.”Turning, Margaret put the pink silk back into the wardrobe.Kalina watched it go with a kind of longing.She wondered if she would ever have the chance to wear it now or if Hereford would banish her to rusticate in the country in revenge for being trapped into marriage with her.
What her life would look like as his wife…
She could not begin to guess.
That was a problem for the future.Right now, she needed to get through the next few days, then she would contemplate what retribution she might have to live with.
Once her gown and jewelry had been chosen, Kalina shooed her mother and Margaret out of the room.She needed some space to think.Some time.
Normally, she would have thrown herself down on the bed to do so, but she found herself reluctant to approach the offending piece of furniture again.Not that it was the bed’s fault there had been a man in it with her, but she was not ready to return to it.
Instead, she went back to the window and sat down on the cushioned seat.Though she stared out into the sunny day, she was not truly seeing anything.Now that she was alone, the morning replayed in her head.
Waking up.
Realizing there was a man beside her.
Screaming.
What could she have done differently?
How could she have stopped it?
Why had her father done that?
A question she had not been able to ask him as yet.One that she would need complete privacy for, just in case his answer made matters with her mother worse.But she could not fathom what he had been thinking.
A knock at her door made her jerk upright, bouncing to her feet as surprise ran through her.
“Come in.”
The door opened to reveal Lady Astrid.Immediately, Kalina’s mouth went dry, and her palms turned clammy as she faced the young woman who had been so kind to her… and whose hospitality Kalina’s father had so abused.It did not help that Lady Astrid’s expression was a smooth mask of blank neutrality, which fair screamed her displeasure.
“Is your mother not here?”Lady Astrid asked, looking around the room with a frown.“I thought you were in here together.”
“No, I… I needed a moment to myself.”Kalina’s heart was racing in her chest, her empty stomach now filled with butterflies.“Lady Astrid… I…”
“The ballroom is being set up,” Lady Astrid interrupted, as though Kalina had not started speaking.She did it so smoothly, it was entirely possible that she had not heard Kalina’s stuttering words, but from the way she avoided Kalina’s gaze, it was unlikely that was the case.“If you and your mother would like any input on the decorations.”
The idea of trying to direct the decoration of Lady Astrid’s ballroom for this farce of a wedding made Kalina feel distinctly ill.
