by Anya Summers
When the manor home came into view, it seemed to rise out of the earth like a bastion against time itself. Elise couldn't stop an involuntary shudder from sweeping along her spine. One man owned all of this. It reminded her, somewhat, of the great horse farming estates back home in Kentucky that sprawled for miles on end. To call a place like this home meant money was no object, and the power that was inherent from owning an estate of this magnitude meant that one false move on her part could end her career faster than any smear campaign or review.
Elise popped another Tums.
She could do this, get back in the batter's box and hit a home run with the bride's dress. It would put her company back on the upswing and lessen the blows from the nasty review and smear campaign. She just had to continue sewing a fabulous dress for the bride one stitch at a time.
The cab pulled alongside the van in the circular stone drive. Elise took a few steadying breaths before she exited the vehicle, hiding her trembling hands. She was about to enter the lion's den and she couldn't show fear. She would walk into that manor and appear fearless if it killed her. Elise had learned, swimming in the shark-infested waters of the industry in Manhattan, to never let people think for even a minute that she couldn't totally take them down. Regardless that she was a more of a pacifist and her inner workings could be rightly compared to a marshmallow rather than a steel forge.
"Let's get you inside out of the chill first, and then the cabbie and I will get all of your things, Miss Beauregard."
She nodded at Jared, her throat tight as she tried not to hyperventilate. She could do this. Elise repeated the litany in her brain. Faking it that she was calm and collected had become so ingrained, no one even saw beneath the exterior, not even Kara. Elise liked it that way, even though it was exhausting to maintain such a charade.
Elise followed Jared into the impressive foyer. Warmth enveloped her frame as they left the freezing outdoor temperatures. She absorbed the grandeur, spotting a few pieces that she knew she'd have to inspect closer. This place was incredible. And she was only in the foyer. My goodness, to live in such a place. As they moved further into the manor, the foyer opened up into a great hall of sorts, with soaring ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and a grand marble staircase that made Elise, with her Southern roots, think of the staircase in Gone With The Wind.
A beautiful blonde wearing a maid's uniform stopped at the sight of her and, more importantly, so did Jared. The woman's ice blue eyes caressed the butler, undressing him with her gaze. Elise actually felt uncomfortable at the blatant desire marring the maid's face.
"Sherry, be a good lass and take Miss Beauregard to Zoey." The butler's reaction, while warm, showed no signs of accepting the maid's obvious and blatant overture.
At his response, Sherry's face fell briefly, a mere flicker of indignation crossing her gaze. She recovered rapidly though, shifting into a congenial mask of pleasant indifference as she addressed Elise. "Right away. Come with me, Miss."
"Not to worry about your things, Miss Beauregard, I will get them all inside straight away and delivered to your room." Jared bowed his head with a slight nod in her direction as he started to dismiss her.
"Thank you. Before you send them all to my room, you are going to need my input first. Most of them are for Zoey's dress, and I would hate to have to move them more than once. Can I meet you back down here after I speak with Miss Mills, and then we can decide which trunk goes where?"
"Certainly. As you wish." Jared nodded again and left her with the maid.
"If you would follow me," Sherry murmured, with an underlying annoyance lacing her voice. The poor thing. It was obvious she'd been intimate with the butler at one time and that he no longer fancied her.
Elise fell into step behind her, absorbing the elegance of the manor. Everything was pristine and lovingly cared for. Wood paneling glistened with polish, the marble floors shone without a speck of dust to mar the perfection—in many ways, Elise felt like she was in a museum because of the obvious care given to the place.
They took the stairs to the second floor and strode down a long hallway toward a room at the end. And what a fabulous room it was, too. It was a library with a small dining area off to one side. Seated on a sofa, near an impressive hearth where a fire happily danced, chasing away the chill November morning, were the bride and groom to be.
Declan McDougal was a total hunk in that mouth-watering, he-can't-be-real, 'are you sure he's not photoshopped' type of way. The woman nestled next to him, holding a mug of ivory china in her hands to ward off the chill in the air, must be Zoey. They complemented each other perfectly, which was something you didn't always see when it came to a bride and groom. Where his form was all hard planes and angles, hers was softer, more rounded, and seem to fit him to a tee.
At her entrance, they both stood up, and Zoey approached her.
"Elise, it is so good to finally meet you in person," Zoey exclaimed, surprising Elise when she pulled her in for an embrace. Then she pulled back just as swiftly. "Sorry, I just feel like we already know each other, we've talked so much."
"Likewise," Elise replied. Some of the nerves galloping in her chest subsided a teensy bit at the warm welcome. It really would be okay. She'd ace this wedding dress with flying colors and be back in the game in no time.
"And this is my fiancé, Declan." Zoey gestured to the big hunk of a man, whom anyone could see was thoroughly and completely enamored with his fiancée.
It made her heart squeeze with envy. Elise had never had anyone love her that much. When it came to dating, she was defective, and when men discovered that deficiency, they tended to skedaddle for greener pastures. Jesus, she needed to get a grip. She'd been in Manhattan for a decade now but no matter how much she tried, her roots never went away. You could take the girl off the farm but never truly take the farm out of the girl.
She held out her hand, praising herself internally when it didn't tremble. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. Can I just say, your home is absolutely lovely."
Declan's large hand closed around hers in a firm handshake. "Likewise, Miss Beauregard. And thank you, I hope you will enjoy your stay with us. Have a seat, can we offer you coffee, tea, anything?"
Elise sat on the opposite loveseat. "Tea would be lovely, thank you."
Zoey played hostess, handing her a delicate ivory mug filled with tea.
"How was your trip?" Declan asked.
"It was fine. Little bits of turbulence, but that's rather common at this time of year." Elise accepted the cup, grateful to have something to do with her hands.
"I'm sure you must be exhausted," Zoey murmured.
"Actually, I slept fine on the plane. I have no problems sleeping while traveling. Granted, I'll probably sleep like the dead tonight." What she left out was that she rarely slept more than four hours a night anymore, anyway. Not with the increasing levels of stress in her life, and she shied away from taking sleeping pills. Elise had entered new realms of exhaustion to the point where she couldn't remember a time when she hadn't been deep-in-the-bone weary.
"You're so lucky, I need to be horizontal and in a bed in order to sleep. What do you need from us to get set up? I know you mentioned in your last email, dedicating a space where you could work and do fittings. Does the type of space matter?"
"Actually, if you have a room that has a lot of natural light, that would be best. And if we could make it so that no one enters the room once everything is set up, we won't have to worry about anything that could potentially harm the materials. The last thing we would want is someone to inadvertently spill something on your gown."
"I think the small study at the other end of the hall would do. We can show you the space and then you can decide if it will suit," Declan said.
"That would be great. Then I will have to show your butler what needs to be moved there. I brought quite a few packages with all my supplies. If you could give me the afternoon to get everything set up, we could potentially do the first of your fittings to
day."
"Today? Really?" Zoey exclaimed, with a bit of dreaminess masking her voice. "You already have my dress made?"
"Yes and no; I have a design shell that is malleable. Meaning, I need to see that I have your measurements correct, and that you like the fit and style the way we discussed. I'm not saying that your measurements are wrong, but even a dimension that is an inch off can change the fit of a gown drastically. Then, once we've done this first fitting, I will adjust the size, fit and design as needed. We'll do a couple fittings over the next week until you are fully satisfied that it's the gown you want. Once we have a final style approval, that's when I will start adding the extra beading and finishing touches to it. All in all, before I leave Scotland, you will have your dress."
"Wow. This is so exciting. I never thought in a million years I'd have a custom wedding gown. I'm so glad Kara recommended you to me."
Declan's phone rang and he stared at the smartphone with a slight grimace. "Do you mind if I take this and leave you two?"
Zoey squeezed his hand. "Go, I'll be fine."
Declan nodded and left the library just as the sexy butler strolled in.
"Jared, what I can do for you?" Zoey asked with a warm gaze.
The heated look the butler sent Zoey made Elise want to fan herself. Kara had mentioned, when she'd explained the BDSM lifestyle she was merrily enjoying with Zeke and Chase, that Miss Zoey Mills not only had the billionaire mogul practically eating out of her hand, but that the butler sometimes joined them as well. Elise had to work to keep her face from flaming red. Kara had taken her to the Dungeon Fantasy Club in Manhattan, with Zeke and Chase there, of course, and she had to admit the lifestyle intrigued her. It had been interesting. Not the melt-your-panties-off experience that Kara had described but, then again, she had not one but two stud-muffins whose only job, it seemed, was to paste a dopey, satisfied grin on her best friend's face.
"I wanted to inquire if we had a location for all of Miss Beauregard's supplies. We've finished moving them into the manor," Jared said.
"Gosh, did you bring that much?" Zoey said.
Elise shrugged. "I had to make sure I have extra bolts of fabric on hand, just in case."
Zoey took that information in stride. "If you're not too tired, Elise, what do you say we scout the study Declan mentioned, and see if that will suit?"
Elise set her cup on the tray on the coffee table. "Absolutely. Let's take a look and then I can get set up."
She followed Zoey and Jared from the library to the opposite end of the hall. Judging by the length of the hall, the manor was just massive. Skitters of fear danced along her spine. Money gave people power over others. It was why the Manhattan socialite's smear campaign had been so effective. She had money, gobs of it, and wielded it like a sword. Shaking herself, attempting to calm her nerves, Elise popped another Tums in her mouth as Zoey opened a door. Just because she'd had one bad experience, it didn't mean the McDougal wedding would be. Kara had gushed over this couple, and she wasn't one given to theatrics.
Elise trailed after Zoey and Jared into a sweet room. It reminded her of a feminine version of a study. The furniture was all soft lines and pale woods. Then there was this luxurious, 'your feet sink right in its so comfortable' rug in a pale mauve floral design. And the large bay of crystal clear windows spanning two sides of the corner room would make this the perfect workspace.
"So, what do you think?" Zoey turned and asked.
"I think it will work perfectly for my needs."
"Great. Jared, if you could start having her things brought here, I'm going to show Elise her bedroom."
Zoey shifted her attention to Elise. "To make your life a bit easier, I'll put you in the Queen Margaret room a few doors down."
"That works for me. Thank you. Jared, I can be down to help separate my luggage from the rest of the trunks in a few minutes."
The three of them spent the next two hours arranging the little office to suit Elise's needs. She had Jared bring in some full-length mirrors he'd confiscated from a few of the bedrooms and arranged them against one of the walls, along with a small square dais for fittings. Elise would likely rearrange a few things as she went along for better workflow. She'd leave the bolts of fabric in their respective trunks for now, pushed up against the other wall. They moved the desk away from the wall so she could set up her sewing machine and sewing supplies. Elise was a bit of a nutcase when it came to organization. She wasn't one of those creative types who could never find anything. She had a system, an organized one, where everything had a place. A bit anal retentive on her part, but what was a girl to do. It worked for her—which, in the end, was what mattered.
Her luggage had been placed in her room; which was bigger than her apartment and elegant in an old world style with dark woods, heavy brocades, and jewel tones which Elise absolutely adored. It made her feel a bit like a medieval princess. She'd explore it a bit more later; as it was, she had a fitting to get started.
It was just the girls now, as Jared had left, mumbling about needing a Belhaven after lugging all of her things up. Elise unearthed the dress from the respective trunk and Zoey gasped behind her. That was exactly the type of response Elise had hoped for, and it chipped away at some of her terror.
"Is that my dress?" Zoey exclaimed, a little awestruck as Elise turned, holding the gown. Even though it was just the shell of the dress, it was already shaping up to be one of the most gorgeous creations Elise had designed thus far in her career.
"Yep. Why don't you head behind the privacy screen over there and try it on? Let me know when you need help and I'll fasten the buttons along the back for you."
Zoey's excitement as she stopped arranging the room and made a beeline for the privacy screen made Elise smile. This was one of the reasons why she did this work. Not for the bridezillas, who drove her nuts, but for the sheer joy she witnessed on a client's face. It soothed her soul, since it was a look that would never be reflected on her own face. Men don't buy damaged goods, and that was what she was.
It took Zoey a few minutes before she called for aid in doing up the back of the dress. Elise steered her out from behind the screen and over onto the raised dais. Many women were a little unsteady when they put such a large gown on, but Zoey seemed to navigate the process better than most. The gown itself was a strapless, ivory tulle overlay, fitted throughout the bust, and then flowing down in clean, elegant lines to a chapel length train.
Elise stood back from her work, admiring the lines of the dress. Zoey had a great figure. Not every woman could pull off a strapless gown, but she had just the shoulders to do it.
"I feel like a princess," Zoey murmured as she twirled and preened a bit at her reflection.
"And you look like one, too. Now, remember this is just the shell, and to get a feel for whether you like the style or want me to start from scratch. I haven't added any of the crystal and metallic beading or metallic embroidery that we discussed."
Elise studied the lines, checking the fit. "You know, after seeing it on you, I want to suggest we add an accent at the waist here to really emphasize your great figure with a line of pearls, rhinestones and crystals. What do you think?"
"That sounds wonderful. I'm going to trust your instincts on this. It already looks better than I could have ever dreamed. I think we are on the right track with this," Zoey gushed profusely. If only all of Elise's clients were this easy to please.
"Okay, great. If you will stand still, I'm going to pin some sections to make it fit you better and to work on the hemline. For our next fitting, if you have the shoes you plan to wear with your gown, I want you to bring them so that we can make it more accurate. For now, I'm just going to pin the hemline and we'll go from there."
Elise worked her way from the bust, over the waist and on down to the hem, making slight adjustments as she went. While she did so, thoughts of the taboo club in the manor swam in her mind. She was utterly fascinated by the BDSM lifestyle. Kara wouldn't have taken her to the cl
ub in Manhattan if she'd thought it was something Elise wouldn't care for. Would she be able to indulge her curiosity while she was here?
"So Kara told me that there is a club in the manor." Elise tried to appear nonchalant but she was insatiably curious about the club and the lifestyle.
"She really shouldn't have told you. That's against the rules." Zoey didn't seem mad but her features had become shuttered a bit.
Snap. She'd broached the topic too soon.
In an effort to save face and recover ground, Elise added, "Kara mentioned that I could talk to you and only you about it. Kara and the guys took me to the Manhattan club a few times."
"Did she really? She didn't tell me that. What did you think?" Zoey asked, studying her, still with a closed look on her face. Elise realized the censure must come with the territory. Hell, Kara hadn't mentioned her relationship status to some of their other friends in New York when they'd met for Sunday brunch the other day.
"It's interesting. I never even considered that there were other ways people relished having sex. Do you like being a submissive?" Oh sweet baby Jesus, someone gag her. Someone really should put a muzzle on her. When her nerves started to show she had a tendency to babble, and after her faux pas she seemed to be on a downward spiral.
Zoey cleared her throat.
"Sorry." Elise felt the blush spreading as she applied another pin along the hem. "I know we don't know each other well. I'm just curious. I found the club rather intriguing."
"So you are wanting to learn more about the lifestyle then, and see if it's right for you?" Zoey asked.
"Yes, something like that. I don't really know if it's for me or not, but I'd like the opportunity to explore it a bit if that's possible."
"Let me speak with Declan. I'm sure I can get you a provisional membership while you are here. We do have some fairly strict guidelines that must be adhered to, and there's a non-disclosure agreement you would need to sign."
"I signed one in Manhattan when I attended with Kara. I don't mind doing so again. I understand the need to for secrecy."