Eloping with the Princess (Brotherhood of the Sword #3)(28)

The other girl never answered, or at least if she did, Isabel did not hear her as they’d moved to a different part of the shop. Even though Isabel couldn’t hear them any longer, her heart thundered with panic. So, those were the qualities expected of Jason’s wife. Connections, breeding, refined manners, and, of course, money. Not to mention impeccable taste in fashion. She supposed she had the breeding; after all, she was a princess. She had connections to no one of importance. Her boarding school manners were unlikely to be described as refined or genteel. As for money, she had absolutely none.

It wasn’t as though she hadn’t known she was outclassed. That was the one thing her schooling had prepared her for. But hearing it outlined so clearly was disheartening.

Before Isabel could step down from the pedestal, Jason’s mother was standing behind her. Isabel’s new mother-in-law, like her son, was perfectly presentable, with a lovely blue-and-gold striped dress that Isabel suspected was at the height of fashion. It wasn’t any wonder that Jason had brought her here to purchase new clothes. He must have thought her barely a step above a street urchin.

“Now then, where were we?” his mother asked.

Madame Angelique rounded the corner and rattled off a list of garments Isabel had been measured for.

“Excellent,” Genevieve said. “She’ll need more than one evening gown, but one, in particular, must be quite extraordinary. And must be made quickly.”

“Yes, of course, mademoiselle,” Madame Angelique said. “Do you have a color in mind?”

“I believe a shade of green would look quite lovely with her eyes.”

Madame Angelique sprang to action, leaving the dressing room.

“Lady Ellis, I thought that was you,” a beautiful girl said, coming into view in the mirror’s reflection. Another pretty girl was with her. These must have been the two who had been speaking about Jason. They were dressed in nearly identical gowns, one lavender and the other pink. Although one woman was fair-haired and the other dark, they both had flawless, milky complexions. Isabel wished she wasn’t standing upon a pedestal where they could all stare at her.

Genevieve smiled warmly at the girls. “Lady Candace, how lovely to see you. And you too, Lady Whitney.”

The girls focused on Isabel and waited for an introduction.

Genevieve leaned toward the women and lowered her voice. “If you ladies can keep a secret, I shall tell you one.”

They both nodded enthusiastically. “Of course, you can trust us,” Lady Candace said, placing her hand over her heart.

“This is Viscount Ellis’s new wife, Lady Ellis. They’ve just returned from their romantic elopement.”

Lady Candace’s face fell. She eyed Isabel with disdain, which made Isabel all too aware of the old woolen gown she wore, of its faded fabric, frayed hem, and outdated stylings.

“You must be quite special to have caught the viscount’s eye,” Lady Whitney said. “He has told many that he planned never to marry.”

“Indeed,” Lady Candace said.

Isabel’s mind went blank and she could not think of a suitable response. She had not realized that Jason had been so sought after. He’d made it clear to her that he had no girl waiting for him here in London, that he hadn’t planned on marrying at all.

“We shall, of course, have a ball to celebrate and make the formal announcement,” Lady Genevieve said.

“I do hope we’ll be invited,” Lady Whitney said.

“Certainly,” Genevieve said.

Madame Angelique returned at that moment. The petite Frenchwoman carried a bolt of shimmering pale green fabric. “I only recently got this in, directly from Paris. It is the finest of silks, and I was hoping to use it on something special.”

“Now if you’ll excuse us, ladies,” Genevieve said, “we must get back to purchasing Lady Ellis’s new wardrobe.”

Both girls nodded and walked off without another word.

If that was how most of the women in London looked, then it was no wonder that Jason had not found her attractive, with her ill-fitting clothes and unfashionable features. Perhaps that was why he had not been interested in consummating their marriage. Perhaps he needed her to be more attractive, in finer clothes.

He didn’t seem the sort to put such emphasis on aesthetics, yet he did take impeccable care of himself: not merely his appearance and clothing, but his physical self as well. He moved with the precision and strength of an athlete. She both recognized and admired that. And in doing so, she realized she missed her own physical exertion. At St. Bart’s, she used to scrub the floors and climb up ladders to make the windows sparkle. It wasn’t so much the tasks she enjoyed, but the movement of her muscles and the exhaustion it brought. It had been far too long. Perhaps after this shopping excursion, she could take a long walk.

The bell at the front door rang again, and Genevieve smiled. “Thank goodness they’re gone.”

Isabel returned the smile. “Why did you tell them our marriage was a secret?”

“Because I knew that that would be the quickest way to spread the news through London.” She gave Isabel a wink.

“Thank you for being so kind to me.”

“Of course, my dear. It is my hope that you will not see it as mere kindness, but affection for family,” Genevieve said.

Tears pricked at Isabel’s eyes.