A Design of Deceit (The Dickinson Sisters Mysteries Book 5)

by Blythe Baker

  She looked around, her nose wrinkled as if smelling something unpleasant, just as she had the last time she had entered the shop.

  Hornsby, her servant, trailed in behind her, looking as aloof as he always did.

  “My Lady,” I said, stooping into a curtsy. “What an honor it is to have you here.”

  2

  Lady Wilson stood near the entrance to our shop, staring around at all the displays. Her eyes lingered on a mannequin with a white silk scarf tied around the neck and a billowy blouse with pearl buttons.

  “This is quite tasteful,” she said, reaching out to touch the lapel of the blouse. She ran her thumb over the fabric. “It’s handsomely made.”

  She turned her gaze toward Lily and me.

  “I assume one of you is responsible for sewing this piece?” she asked.

  Lily looked to me at once.

  “It was me, my Lady,” I said, raising my hand slightly.

  As if for the first time, Lady Wilson looked me up and down, truly examining me. She squinted as she looked at my face, my arms, and my waist.

  “Your dress,” she said, pointing at me. “It’s very simple.”

  I held onto my breath. I do not know if I should accept that as a compliment or perhaps an insult…

  “Yet, I can appreciate the lines…” she said, regarding me with a tilt of her head. “It is becoming on your frame, as delicate as you are.”

  My cheeks flooded with color. “Thank you, Lady Wilson.”

  “Iris is quite skilled with the needle, Lady Wilson,” Lily said. “I assure you, any dress you could ever want, she would be able to make for you.”

  “Is that so?” Lady Wilson asked.

  I swallowed hard. “Yes, my Lady,” I said. “I believe I could.”

  “Is there anything in particular that my Lady is looking for?” Lily asked.

  “Yes, there is,” Lady Wilson said. “Hornsby?”

  Hornsby bowed his head and stepped out around his mistress. He reached into his breast pocket and procured a newspaper clipping. As I was standing closest, he proceeded to pass it to me.

  It was from one of the more recent papers, as I had seen it myself. An advertisement for a shop called Havert’s showed a pair of women in lovely dress with narrow skirts, tapered sleeves, and tight fabric through the arms.

  “This is lovely,” I said, momentarily forgetting who it was that I was speaking with. I turned the image, examining it from the side.

  “I agree,” Lady Wilson said. “Especially the one on the right, don’t you think?”

  It was gorgeous, indeed. Made of a pale red fabric with gold details around the waistline. “And the back of the skirts are pleated in an interesting way…” I said. “I particularly like the way the lines accentuate the waist, making it appear longer. That gives the allusion of height by making the slimmest part of the dress up here, just beneath the ribcage.”

  “Do you think you would be able to recreate it?” Lady Wilson asked.

  The look in her eyes showed that it was less of a request and more of a demand. She had come to scrutinize the work we had on display, in order to determine whether or not we would be capable of such a feat.

  I looked at Lily. Her expression would likely appear indifferent to Lady Wilson but I could just make out the hesitation in the height of her eyebrows, which were ever so slightly raised.

  I returned my gaze to Lady Wilson.

  I wanted nothing more than to please her. Nash loved his family and had told me on more than one occasion that his aunt was misunderstood and perhaps came across a bit distant to those who did not know her. He insisted that she was a wonderful woman with a good heart and great affection for her family.

  I wished to believe him but I found it difficult. My first impression of her had been a poor one, when she had run from our shop after a bat had escaped our damaged chimney and flown around, frightening her so badly that she let out a spew of insults as she fled.

  She did, however, surprise Lily a great deal recently, when she had been investigating the death of Mr. Shaw, Lord and Lady Wilson’s gamekeeper. Lady Wilson brought information to Lily and Constable Brown about the victim’s past that ultimately led to Lily figuring out what had happened to him.

  Perhaps it had been a glimpse into the woman’s true self, into the person she really was. It had given me hope, at the very least.

  Now here she stood, in our shop, almost as if willing to give us a second chance. In truth, that was what it was. A second chance. She did not have to come back at all, yet here she was, choosing to do just that.

  At the same time, I realized there was a great deal riding on this.

  She is not just a customer. She is related to the man that I –

  I took in a shaky breath and smiled at Lady Wilson. “I certainly can recreate it,” I said. “And I shall make it even better than the image you see here.”

  Lady Wilson’s face split into a smile. At least, I perceived it to be a smile, as it was an ever so slight upturn of her lips, an expression I had never before seen on her.

  “Very good,” she said. “When can we begin?”

  “Right now, Lady Wilson, if you so desire,” Lily said.

  “Well, I do not see why not,” Lady Wilson said. “What will it require?”

  “We shall take your measurements for the dress today and help you choose the fabric that you would like it to be made from,” I said. “Is that agreeable to you, my Lady?”

  She nodded. “Quite,” she said.

  “Very good,” Lily said. “Now, just one moment, my Lady, while we prepare the fitting area for you.”

  Lily gave me a pointed look, as I made my way over to her.

  “Is everything all right?” I asked under my breath when I reached her.

  She mouthed shh at me, but nodded. “Are you certain you want to do this?” she asked as she helped me to move the bench we had yet to move from a previous customer’s fitting the day before.

  “Of course,” I said.

  “You do not have to,” Lily murmured. “Though, I suppose now you do because you have already agreed to it.”

  “Do you not think I should?” I asked.

  I chanced a look at Lady Wilson, who was speaking in a low voice to Hornsby. My face flushed and heart began to race. What if she was telling him how disappointed she was already?

  My hand slipped and I nearly dropped the bench.

  “Careful, now,” Lily said, in her usual volume.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, attempting to tighten my grip, though it was difficult with sweating palms.

  We set the bench down in its usual home against the back wall. “I hope you realize that you will be under a great deal more pressure with this order than with any order you have had in the past,” she said. “That does not mean I think you incapable. I think you are quite capable and I believe you will impress her greatly. However, we do not know what sort of client she will be. She could be difficult to work with.”

  My heartbeat continued to increase. Had I agreed too readily? Was I so eager to please her that I had not thought it through properly?

  “That being said…” Lily said, glancing over her shoulder at the woman. “It is clear that she wishes to make some sort of recompense, otherwise she would not have returned here.”

  Hope shot through the doubt welling up within me. “I thought the very same,” I said. “This could be a good thing. If she has her doubts about me at all, then I hope this will help her to see my value.”

  Lily reached over and laid a firm hand on my arm, an annoyed expression appearing on her face.

  “You are of great value, Iris. Lady Wilson does not get to determine that for you. Not even Nash can determine that for you, regardless of how you feel for him. Do I make myself clear?” she asked.

  I stared at her. “Thank you, Lily. Yes, I understand.”

  “Good,” she said. “I did not appreciate how she treated us before but I shall not stand back and allow our profession
al reputations to be sullied. We must give a good impression of our work.”

  She straightened and turned back to Lady Wilson. “Right this way, my Lady,” she said with a smile.

  Lady Wilson started toward us, Hornsby right behind her.

  Lily gestured for her to stand upon the dais in front of the trio of mirrors situated in the corner of the room. Lady Wilson did so without complaint. Hornsby stood off to the side, his back straight, his eyes fixed on his Lady.

  Lily pulled the measuring tapes from their hook along the wall, handing me one of the pair with a practiced motion.

  Together, she and I stretched our measuring tapes down the length of Lady Wilson’s arms, from the top of her shoulders to the back of her wrists.

  Lily called out her numbers, and I mine, and we both made our way to the table where we kept our book of measurements, taking turns to scrawl the numbers down.

  Returning to Lady Wilson, I stretched out my arm once more. “Now, my Lady, if you would be so kind as to raise your arm so that I may measure your inseam?”

  When she did not respond, I looked up at her.

  Following her gaze, I saw that she seemed to be fixated on the mirrors in front of her. As I watched her, I realized it was not the mirrors, but in fact, her reflection.

  Her expression had changed, as well. No longer was she wearing a glare, nor were her brows furrowed any longer. Instead, I saw a bleakness in her gaze that made her face somewhat gaunt, her cheeks pale. She suddenly appeared a great deal older than she truly was.

  “Lady Wilson?” I asked. “Are you all right?”

  The woman shook her head, turning to stare at me with the same pale grey eyes that her nephew had. “I…” she said, and laid a hand over her heart. “Yes, I am fine. What did you need?”

  “To lift your arm, ma’am,” I said. “So I may measure your inseam.”

  “Of course,” she said, and did as I asked.

  Lily and I continued to take her measurements, writing them down as we went. Unsure of whether or not she would wish to speak, we waited for her to choose to do so, and ended up working in silence. She did not even speak to Hornsby, which, for some reason, struck me as rather strange.

  Nevertheless, I pushed on. Determined to make a good impression of both myself and my sister, I took every measurement twice and focused on making her the most exquisite dress I could possibly make.

  When I stooped down to take the measurement from her hip to her ankle, Lady Wilson swayed sharply.

  “My Lady!” Hornsby cried.

  I looked up just in time to see Lily reach out and grab onto Lady Wilson, steadying her.

  “My Lady,” Hornsby said, coming to stand before her. “Are you unwell? What happened?”

  Lady Wilson clutched her forehead, her eyes searching the floor. “I – I do not know,” she said. “I simply became quite faint.”

  “Here, please, come sit,” I said, taking her arm and gently guiding her over to one of the cushioned chairs where Lily and I would sometimes sit and rest between customers. “Perhaps all you need is a small rest. You have been standing for some time.”

  “Not nearly long enough to feel as I did,” Lady Wilson said, her brow furrowing. She did, however, sit down in the seat.

  Hornsby said, “My Lady, you seem to be perspiring profusely. Shall I fetch the doctor?”

  Lady Wilson glared up at her butler. “No, that is preposterous, Hornsby. I am perfectly fine. All I need is to sit for a moment. I shall be right as rain.”

  “Allow me to fetch you something cool to drink,” Lily said. “It won’t take me but a moment.”

  Lady Wilson opened her mouth, but hesitated. “Very well,” she said after a moment of contemplation. “A drink will not hurt, I suppose.”

  Lily nodded, and hurried toward the stairs leading up to our living quarters above the shop.

  Lady Wilson’s breathing became labored and most of the color drained from her face.

  “Is there anything I can do for you, my Lady?” I asked. “Are you cold? Or if you are too warm, I can open these windows – ”

  “No,” she said as I rose to my feet, reaching out toward the nearest window. “No,” she said once again, shaking her head.

  “My Lady, Lord Wilson should know of this at once,” Hornsby said. “He was already concerned at your leaving the house this morning, as it was.”

  My brow furrowed. Was she unwell this morning, as well?

  Lady Wilson shook her head. “I was perfectly fine then, too. Perhaps a bit tired. I did not sleep well last night.”

  “That seems to have been your complaint for some days now, my Lady,” Hornsby said. “That, and you spoke of your stomach being upset – ”

  “Hornsby, I shall ask you not to speak of my personal matters while we are in public,” Lady Wilson said curtly, folding her hands in her lap.

  I did my best to avert my gaze. It was best for me to keep my distance, not to interfere…

  Curiosity, however, brimmed within me. All I wished to know was why? What was happening? Why had she chosen to come out if she had felt so poorly this morning?

  “Frankly, I am tired of all these…these troubles that refuse to depart from my household,” Lady Wilson said.

  My heart began to beat faster. What did she mean by that?

  She turned her grey eyes to me.

  “Everything has been terribly strange as of late,” she said, dabbing at her forehead with her handkerchief. “First, there was the matter with Mr. Shaw’s death, and now – ”

  “Lady Wilson, perhaps it would be best if we left,” Hornsby said, holding his hand out to me. “It would be no trouble to return at a later date to finish the fitting, would it, Miss Dickinson?”

  Lady Wilson ignored him, her gaze fixed on me. “They all tell me that I am simply imagining it. My husband, especially. He says that my lack of sleep and the fear I went through over Mr. Shaw’s death are causing me to suspect everyone and everything of treachery.” Her forehead wrinkled. “I am not imagining it. Something isn’t right. I cannot say what, exactly, but I fear that something terrible is about to happen.” Her eyes grew wide. “ – And I fear it is about to happen to me, Miss Dickinson.”

  My heart felt as if it had been plunged into a river in the dead of winter. Shock coursed through me, filling my veins, causing the breath to catch in my chest, making it difficult to breathe –

  “Here we are, Lady Wilson.”

  Lily had returned with a glass of water, which very nearly splashed over the side as she knelt down in front of Lady Wilson.

  Lady Wilson blinked, turning her attention to Lily. “Thank you,” she said, and took the glass.

  As she sipped, I watched her. Did she…confide in me?

  I looked around and caught Lily’s eye. She must have seen the confused expression upon my face, for her eyes narrowed in question.

  “I feel I must apologize to you,” Lady Wilson said, lowering the glass, and handing it, almost full, back to Lily. “For interfering with your work.”

  “That is quite all right, Lady Wilson,” I said. “I only hope that you are well.”

  “I am fine,” she said, suddenly insistent. “Now, if you would please finish the measurements so that I may be on my way?”

  Her temper seemed even for the rest of her visit. Lily and I hurried to finish the measurements, though we were still careful to make sure they were correct. My heart sat uncomfortably within my chest. With every move Lady Wilson made, I stopped at once and stared at her, frightened she might fall. Or worse.

  We managed to get through the rest of the measurements, however, and guided her toward the front door.

  “I am perfectly all right,” she said. “I suppose I am a bit tired. A solid night’s sleep would probably be good for me. Do not worry so for me, Hornsby.”

  She turned to me and gave a small nod.

  “Thank you, Miss…Iris, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” I said, curtsying once more. “Of course. It was my
pleasure.”

  “And thank you as well, Miss Lily. I appreciate your diligence and hospitality.”

  “You are quite welcome, Lady Wilson,” Lily said amicably. “It was a pleasure to serve you.”

  “When should I return for the dress?” she asked.

  “Well…” I said. “It should take me a few days to gather the materials and begin to work on it. I shall need some gold thread, which I may have to order – ” I paused, not wishing to waste any of her time. “I imagine it will be ready for a fitting in three days. And then perhaps its final fitting in a week.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “Is that too long?” I asked.

  “Not at all,” she said, her eyebrows near his hairline. “I am simply surprised at your speed and skill. Impressed, even. I shall be interested to see how it all turns out.”

  She started through the door that Hornsby had opened for her.

  “I look forward to seeing your progress on Wednesday.”

  “We are excited as well, my Lady,” I said.

  Hornsby disappeared through the doorway after Lady Wilson, and pulled the door shut behind them.

  I let out a heavy, long breath.

  “Well…” Lily said, her head swiveling toward me. “That was interesting, wasn’t it?”

  3

  “Interesting, yes,” I said, my eyes glued to the door that Lady Wilson and Hornsby had just departed through. “Though I think perhaps the word strange may be more apt.”

  “Strange?” Lily asked, turning to retrieve the measuring tapes from the table beside the measurement book where we had left them. “I suppose. I never thought she would return to our shop, but – ”

  “That…is not what I meant, precisely,” I said.

  “Her fainting spell?” Lily asked. “Yes, that was bizarre. I do hope she is well. And I do hope that she does not blame it on us, or our shop again.”

  I shook my head, following her to the back of the shop. “No,” I said. “When you were upstairs, it was as if she forgot that I was who I was. She spoke to me as if I was – ” I didn’t know how to say it. “Almost as if I were a – a friend? A confidant, perhaps.”