Chapter Six
Catherine
Catherine stands in the foyer, wringing her cream gloves between her fingers. She’s wearing a matching cream dress beneath
her light blue pelisse. Their lady’s maid, Miss Teit, arranged her curls beautifully beneath her bonnet, which has a blue
ribbon woven into the hood. All of it will be easy enough to take on and off throughout a day of shopping.
She looks lovely. Mother said so. Father said so. Miss Teit said so.
Catherine wishes she felt as confident about the day as everyone else does about her outfit. But she’s about to go shopping
with Lady Rosalie, Miss Raught, and Miss Linet. She’ll be alone with them for hours, rather than a few scattered minutes at
a large function. They’re intimidating among a crowd. On their own, they seem insurmountable.
Miss Teit comes out of the hallway to the kitchens, buttoning up her spencer jacket. She smiles at Catherine, her brown eyes
bright, round cheeks dimpling in amusement at Catherine’s obvious distress.
“We are going to have a marvelous time,” Miss Teit says confidently, stepping up to Catherine and slowly prying the gloves
out of her hands. She hands them to Catherine one at a time to slip on. “They’re just girls.”
“They’re terrifying,” Catherine whispers, glancing around the foyer as she adjusts the gloves. “And they’ve ten years together. I’m fresh meat.”
“You are more than up to the challenge of a little shopping, I promise you.”
Before she can spiral any further, there’s a knock on the door.
Miss Henrietta Raught stands on the stoop, wearing a rose-colored pelisse, with a matching bonnet. She smiles brightly at
them, her round face so open and inviting that Catherine feels her shoulders come down just a hair.
“Thank you so much for picking us up,” Catherine says.
“Of course!” Miss Raught says happily. “Good to meet you as well, Miss—”
“Teit,” Miss Teit says. “I’ll sit up top with the driver and stay well out of your way.”
“Oh, you needn’t—” Miss Raught begins, but Miss Teit has already closed the door behind them and started down the steps.
“She’s quick,” Miss Raught says.
“My mother’s on a tear about decorating the sitting room. This will be much more fun for both of us.”
Miss Raught giggles and gestures for Catherine to precede her.
The waiting carriage is enormous and gilded. It must belong to the Tisends. She can just see Miss Linet and Lady Rosalie inside
the open carriage door as she approaches. Miss Linet is waiting patiently, staring out the opposite window to the street.
But Lady Rosalie is looking right at Catherine.
In her burgundy jacket and short-rimmed bonnet, she’s striking.
The look she’s giving Catherine just adds to the overall effect against her dark hair and eyes.
Without doing more than sitting there with a droll expression, she’s imperious and intimidating.
It’s enough to make Catherine hesitate there on the pavement.
Is she ready to be in such close proximity with Lady Rosalie all day? Is she really up to the task of extracting information
from her without letting on that she’s trying to undermine her?
“Oh my word, would you just get in already?” Lady Rosalie exclaims.
Catherine jumps and hurries to clamber into the carriage, cheeks hot.
“You look lovely today, Lady Rosalie. Thank you for inviting me,” Catherine says as she sits down beside Miss Linet.
Lady Rosalie’s eyes widen just a fraction. “As do you,” she replies.
Miss Raught climbs in and settles beside Lady Rosalie, smiling at all of them. “I’m so excited. I love shopping,” she tells
Catherine.
Lady Rosalie snaps the door shut and bangs on the ceiling.
“I do too,” Catherine tells Miss Raught.
There’s a pause as the carriage rumbles forward, bumping on the cobblestoned street. The silence feels stifling in the small
space.
“I look lovely too, you know,” Miss Linet says abruptly.
Lady Rosalie snorts, and Miss Raught giggles.
“The green suits you very nicely,” Catherine agrees, smiling at Miss Linet. Her green pelisse and bonnet are very fetching.
“We’ll be sure to keep you well complimented throughout the day, Amalie, don’t you worry,” Lady Rosalie says, rolling her
eyes as Miss Linet sticks out her tongue. “We’re stopping at the haberdashery first, if you agree, Miss Pine.”
“Oh, of course,” Catherine says quickly. Who is she to dictate where they go? “I’ve been meaning to get a green ribbon for my favorite bonnet.”
Lady Rosalie’s brow wrinkles. “We’ll be getting you a new bonnet, Miss Pine.”
“That’s . . . very kind. But I don’t need—”
“Just say yes; it’s easier,” Miss Linet says in an overloud whisper.
“Rosalie loves to shop, and she has the best taste. Let her get you whatever she wants,” Miss Raught adds.
Catherine watches Lady Rosalie’s lips quirk upward. All right. So she’s being shopped for today.
Discomfort pricks at her neck, but Catherine merely nods and sits back in her seat.
She and Mother have visited most of the shops on the broad, gray-stoned Milsom Street, but they certainly haven’t purchased
at all of them. She’s brought some of her pin money with her, but a new bonnet and perhaps one pair of gloves would run through
it quickly.
It seems Lady Rosalie’s purse has no such limitations.
Their first stop at the haberdashery is a whirlwind. Lady Rosalie, Miss Raught, and Miss Linet position Catherine in front
of a mirror and take turns roaming around the pink-walled shop, grabbing any hat they deem remotely interesting. Catherine
doesn’t so much try them on as the girls try them on her. Lady Rosalie stands by, approving or disapproving each choice.
Miss Raught slips a wide-brimmed straw hat onto Catherine’s head that droops over her eyes. Miss Linet brings her a tiny narrow
bonnet that pinches her temples. She insists it makes Catherine’s head look dainty.
The overlarge brown bonnet Miss Raught brings her next hides her face entirely and fully blocks out any peripheral vision.
“I feel like a horse with blinders,” Catherine mumbles, wondering if they’re intentionally trying to get her something ugly
and embarrassing.
Lady Rosalie lets out a quiet chuckle. Catherine swings her head to be able to see her, which make Lady Rosalie laugh more.
The way Lady Rosalie smiles at her and helps her remove the bonnet makes Catherine’s skin tingle.
Her fingers graze the underside of Catherine’s chin as she undoes the laces holding the hideous thing to her head and Catherine
shivers.
Lady Rosalie’s eyes spark momentarily. But then Miss Raught appears with a little lace cap and Lady Rosalie turns away, placing
the brown monstrosity to the side.
Miss Linet returns as well with an even bigger bonnet, but they all stop moving as Catherine situates the lace bonnet on her
head.
“Now, that has promise,” Lady Rosalie declares.
It does sit well against her brown hair, and Catherine likes how delicate it looks.
“I haven’t a dress to go with this,” Catherine admits.
“Nonsense,” Lady Rosalie says dismissively. “You’ll take that.”
“But—” Catherine starts.
Miss Raught touches her shoulder. “Give in, I swear it’s easier.”
Catherine meets her eyes in the mirror while Lady Rosalie glances at Miss Linet. Miss Raught smiles at Catherine and Catherine
tentatively smiles back.
“Okay,” she says, carefully lifting the bonnet from her head. “Aren’t you going to try something?”
“There is a pink bonnet I’ve been eyeing for a few weeks,” Miss Raught says, pointing across the store.
Catherine turns and spots the most hideous dark pink bonnet rimmed in pointy little rosettes, which would make her head look
like a pink soup spoon.
“Uck, no, you’ll look like a flattened tulip,” Lady Rosalie says brusquely.
Catherine can’t help but huff a little laugh. Lady Rosalie’s eyes find hers and she smirks. It makes Catherine’s chest clench
in a strangely pleasant way.
“I think something in blue or green would suit you better,” Catherine tells Miss Raught.
Miss Raught sighs loudly. “I suppose.”
“I found you three, come on,” Miss Linet says, rolling her green eyes at Catherine and Lady Rosalie before pulling Miss Raught
across the room.
“Let’s buy this, and then we’ll find you matching gloves and have a dress fashioned to go with,” Lady Rosalie says, taking
Catherine’s arm.
Catherine fights another shiver. “You really don’t need to—” Lady Rosalie silences her with a look. “I mean, thank you, Lady
Rosalie. That’s very kind of you.”
“That’s better,” Lady Rosalie says, making Catherine laugh.
When they exit the shop, Miss Teit catches Catherine’s eye as she passes over the box with her new bonnet. Catherine shrugs
subtly. It seems to be going well, at any rate. Though it’s hard to tell, really.
At the cobbler, Lady Rosalie sits them all down and then walks the display with the proprietor, Mr. Deetson, directing him
to pull shoe after shoe for them to try.
“Is she always like this?” Catherine asks, glancing between Miss Raught and Miss Linet on either side of her.
“Yes,” Miss Linet says.
“No,” Miss Raught says at the same time.
They glance at each other. “She does this every time,” Miss Linet insists.
“Yes, but she doesn’t have so much fun when it’s just us,” Miss Raught says simply.
Miss Linet frowns and Catherine squirms in her seat. “The three of you seem wonderful friends. I’m sure Lady Rosalie enjoys
your outings immensely every time.”
Miss Linet smiles at her, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“She’s making jokes with you, though,” Miss Raught says.
“Henrietta,” Miss Linet says firmly.
“You’re funny, is all I mean,” Miss Raught tells Catherine. “And you have very dainty feet.”
Miss Linet and Miss Raught look down at Catherine’s feet and Catherine tries to stop the flare of heat in her cheeks. It does
feel a little good to think Lady Rosalie finds her funny. And not only funny, but funnier than her oldest friends.
Lady Rosalie returns with the obsequious cobbler, his arms laden with shoes, and begins directing him to lay them out in front