Chapter 27 #2
“This way.” Julianna stepped forward, and Margaret fell back to walk alongside Emma.
The footman, who had been waiting outside the shop, trailed them.
If he thought anything about their abrupt departure from the shop, or if he’d overheard any of the conversation between Fiona and Margaret, he did not show it in his very blank expression.
“I cannot apologize enough, Kalina. I had no idea… if I had realized…”
“Do not worry. I do not hold you accountable for her actions,” Kalina said smoothly, smiling at Julianna. She could tell her sister-in-law had been sincerely distressed by Mrs. Galbraith’s words at the moment, as she was apologizing now. “You would have had no reason to know she felt such a way.”
Because, of course, the woman would hardly have behaved in such a manner to Julianna herself.
Despite Julianna’s claim that the sisters did not visit the village often, numerous passersby saw her and dropped a quick curtsy, along with a speculative look at Kalina.
The people out and about were mostly born and bred English, but she slowly relaxed as she realized she was hardly the only person with darker skin in the village.
Several of the shopkeepers appeared to also be some of the ‘foreigners’ Mrs. Galbraith was so unhappy about.
Kalina glanced at Julianna, but she seemed to find it unremarkable that so many knew her on sight. Perhaps she used to visit the village more.
“Here we are,” Julianna said, gesturing to the door of another shop. She looked at it dubiously. “I must admit, I have not been here before. Mrs. Galbraith’s mother was my mother’s seamstress.”
“I am sure we can find something,” Kalina reassured her. If she had to, she would send Julianna and Emma to Mrs. Galbraith’s on their own, though she hoped it did not come to that.
She was reassured on multiple levels the moment they stepped into the shop. It was clean and orderly, with high-quality fabric displayed in a multitude of colors. A mother and her daughter with dark brown skin were on the far side of the shop, heads bent over a bolt that they were discussing.
“Hello, hello!” A friendly round woman with grey hair, apple cheeks, and bright eyes came over to greet them immediately. “Welcome. Oh my, Lady Julianna!” She immediately dipped into a curtsy.
“I am sorry, I do not know your name,” Julianna said, though she seemed unsurprised at being recognized despite that.
“Of course not, my lady. I am Mrs. Collins. My parents moved away when I was younger, but I still remember what your mother looked like, and you are the spitting image.” Mrs. Collins tilted her head, smiling fondly at what was clearly a good memory.
She had also cleared up the mystery of how so many in the village recognized Julianna, especially if Julianna was wearing one of her mother’s dresses, as Kalina suspected. It would enhance the resemblance.
“Thank you.” Julianna smiled at Mrs. Collins. “This is my new sister-in-law, the Duchess of Hereford.”
“Oh! Your Grace!” Mrs. Collins immediately sank into a deep curtsy. “I wish you very happy indeed. My apologies, I had not heard that his grace had married.”
“It is rather recent.” The side of Kalina’s mouth twitched as she echoed Julianna’s previous answer. Emma lifted her hand to her mouth, covering her smile. “The duke and I appreciate your well wishes.”
“Of course! What can I do for you today, Your Grace? My ladies?” Mrs. Collins beamed at the giggling Fiona as she straightened. Everything about her demeanor was the complete opposite of Mrs. Galbraith’s, and Kalina relaxed further.
“Do you have any ready-made dresses?” Kalina asked. One ready-made dress for each of the sisters, then they could order two more, but she very much wanted them to be able to each walk out with a new gown.
“Oh, yes, right back here.” Mrs. Collins waved her hand, turning her head as the woman on the other side of the shop called out to her. “Go ahead and take a look, and I will join you in a moment.”
The fact that Mrs. Collins went to attend to her other customer, who surely could not have been anywhere near in rank to Kalina, made her feel even better about the woman. Smiling, she went with Hereford’s sisters to look at the ready-made dresses.
Several hours later, they exited the store, all wearing new small clothes, gloves, and dresses.
Mrs. Collins had packed up the old ones and promised to deliver them to the Hall along with the finished dresses that had been ordered.
Beaming widely, she thanked them for coming and, again, gave Kalina her best wishes on her new marriage.
Stepping out into the street, Kalina smiled wide as she watched Fiona spin in a happy circle, quietly chanting “new dress” over and over again.
Though more reserved, both Julianna and Emma were beaming as well, continuously glancing at their reflections in the shop glass as they went from Mrs. Collins’ shop to the milliners’, then on to the cobblers.
All of them had their measurements taken, except Fiona, as she was still growing, and she received a new pair of shoes with some space to grow into.
Whispers about the duke’s marriage had spread quickly, and several of the town worthies came to introduce themselves, including the mayor’s wife, who apologized for her husband’s absence.
Kalina was not certain if someone had said something about her exit from Mrs. Galbraith’s shop, but there were no more incidents.
She was warmly welcomed by everyone who approached her.
They had luncheon at the local inn, which served a variety of meat pies and a delicious potato and leek soup with a thick, crusty bread.
The innkeeper, Mr. Ward, had quickly shown them to a private room where they could eat without interruption, for which Kalina was grateful.
Though she’d expected some stir about her arrival, she had not realized how deep the curiosity would run.
Not just about her either, but about Hereford’s sisters.
She was beginning to realize how much they’d kept to themselves over the years, likely both because they had not been able to afford to do otherwise and also to keep up appearances.
Of course, it would have been impossible to completely hide that the dukedom was struggling, but she wondered if anyone had realized how badly or if the family had only convinced themselves they were fooling their neighbors.
As they finished their meal, Fiona leaned back in her chair and looked around.
“Now what?” she asked, a little trepidatiously but also a bit hopefully.
They could return to the Hall, but Hereford had said they had the carriage for the entire day, that the earl did not need it.
And Kalina had some of her own money in her reticule.
Certainly more than enough to get a treat for all of them.
She was not ready for the day to be over yet.
She was enjoying herself, the sisters were warming up to her, and she had no desire to return to Hereford’s coldness sooner than she had to.
“Is there somewhere nearby that sells sweets?” she asked Julianna, whose eyes lit up.
“There is indeed.”
As far as her first day as the Duchess of Hereford went, Kalina felt it was a resounding success.
The only thing she was uncertain of was whether her husband would agree.