He allowed the aroma from the strong brew before him to settle his stomach and its warmth to flow upward into his sense before he lifted his eyes with painful effort to look at his wife. He had expected her to be indifferent to his presence at their morning table, like every morning previous to this one. He was shocked to find her glaring at him now, her jaw set, her muscles tense and tight, as if it were taking all her efforts not to give him the tongue lashing he deserved. The silver in her eyes was flashing angry molten steel due to the words she had stowed away in her mouth and he knew if he did not tread with caution she would cut him down with her words alone.
Adelaide was using every ounce of her control to keep her mouth shut. The words were there right on the tip of her sharp tongue ready to bust forth in a flurry of reprimand. Her concentration was intense and her frustration came out through her fingers into her utensils as they clanged and clattered on the fine china. Robert looked beyond pained as he sat down and Lissa poured him his standard cup of black coffee. Her heart weakened for a moment. He sat silent, no apology, no morning greeting, should she expect anything more from him? She glared at her husband, screaming at him in the silent prison of her head to say something, anything. He did nothing, but stare into the black void of the liquid in his cup.
Adelaide slashed at the slab of meat on her plate, envisioning his drunken face from the night before. How embarrassed she had been trying to converse with him on a proper level as he sat unsteady beside her, he was not able to gather his own footing to dance with her and she was not able to support his drunken frame, even if they had made it to the dance floor. Her frustration was only multiplied when she viewed Thomas with his arms about Elisabeth, not once but on three separate occasions. None of that compared to how mortified she was when she heard the first wave of whispering of those women, the women who pretended to accept her, reach her ears.
Her fork and knife dropped with a cracking of china. Robert moaned. It was true Adelaide enjoyed being the center of attention, but only when it was positive attention and what took place last evening in the swelling waves of societal gossip was in no way positive. While sitting with her intoxicated husband, she heard the tell tale murmurs of her marital relationship. The veil she had lowered with skill over her own eyes was now being yanked away. Their words were waking her up to the fact that she had hid nothing away with her appearances, laughter and continual engagements. Unfortunately, it was not only she and Robert that were being whispered about.
The more she listened, the more she focused, the more she took in. Their words were harsh for both good and bad. They were speaking with boredom when it came to her and Robert, like they had over discussed their situational relationship time and time again. Tonight was another example to add to the hearsay that was already afloat on the gossip winds, but Thomas and Elisabeth, that was all together new and worth a listen by anyone who wanted a juicy tit-bit to chew on. Three dances, a walk in the brisk night air, a flushed faced couple entering the inside, breathless, this was enough for the gossip wheel to turn and begin to collect speed and inaccuracies. On their way out Adelaide collect words such as; “fortune seeker” “low class” “blind” and “used.”
Her frustrated thoughts were interrupted by the scraping of wood on wood. Robert had finished his coffee. She watched in silence as he stood up, laying his linen napkin to the table without a word. He was going to leave her alone at the table. He was going to go wallow in his sorrow and hangover. She was blinded by her emotions. He walked to the doorway and reached for the handle, paused and turned back towards her.
“I never meant for you to be this unhappy, I only ever sought to please you and have you be proud to be called my wife.”
Adelaide sat there dumbfounded with her half eaten breakfast and his now empty cup, as he exited the room leaving the door open behind him.
* * *
Chapter 18
“Well there he is.” thought Thomas. It was always a relief for him to see Robert up and about the next morning after a hard night’s binge. He stood still on the steps watching as his friend gingerly made his way into the morning room for breakfast, or in his case a stiff cup of coffee. When Robert opened the door Thomas could see Adelaide already seated. They both remained in silence, while Lissa poured Robert’s morning beverage and he observed Robert’s pained face while Adelaide struck her plate and cup and the silverware with purpose.
“Talk to her.” he whispered begging under his breath. He was willing them together.
“What are you up to, standing so still on the stairs, Thomas?”
Thomas surprised, jumped and slipped down two steps before catching his hand on a rail to keep his lanky frame from falling any further. He glanced upward to find Elisabeth standing above him, her hands steepled over her mouth and a look of shock and amusement dancing in her dark eyes.
“Thomas, are you injured?” she tried to keep a smile from her lips and in that inquiring moment Thomas realized how attractive she truly was. He had seen her smile before, but mostly in the company of Adelaide. He never took notice of how her dark eyes glittered like the stars in the midnight skies when the corners of her mouth turned up and there was pure joy in her form. He had concentrated on Adelaide and Robert and missed these magical moments. Looking at her now, amused with his clumsy self, he realized that he had not given this woman enough credit. He was beginning to see the attraction a person, male or female could have for her.
“Thomas, are you in need of help or a doctor to be brought ‘round?” Her small hand reached out to assist him to his full height. Being two steps below her now, their faces were aligned.
“Thank you, Elisabeth. I am quite all right.”
“Are you hurt?” her eyes took on in a concerned expression.
“Only my pride.” He laughed and laid his hand to her chest. “I must look like a complete oaf to you.”
There was that midnight glitter again. Her smile was infectious and Thomas smiled along with her. Her fingers remained in his hand as she started down the steps once more, heading to the morning meal. “Will you be joining us for breakfast?” she asked.
He maintained his grip, glancing up to the closed door. He knew the more time he gave to Robert and Adelaide, the more their circumstances had a chance to heal. “Elisabeth, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to explain to an oaf, such as myself, how it is that you manage to construct such beautiful garments. Like the ones you have adorned our Adelaide in these past few months?”
Elisabeth looked at him with honest confusion written across her features. “Pardon me, Thomas?”
He gently pulled upward on her hand, leading her back up the flight of stairs. “Show me your work space and what it is that you do.”
“Thomas, are you serious? I am certain you have no interest in the work of a seamstress.”
Had it been yesterday morning or any morning prior to this one, she may have been correct in her assumption, but now there was nothing more he wanted to do.
The odd couple walked around the sewing room in awkward silence. Thomas circled dress forms admiring the gowns that were draped over them. Each piece was a feminine art piece made to accentuate the female form. He was a man so he had an appreciation, but he had not expected to be in such awe, as he was now, viewing Elisabeth’s creations. He dropped his hand in embarrassment when he realized his admiration was taking the motion of stroking one of the garments that clung to a dress form bosom
“These gowns are specifically made for Adelaide. She and I are creating a new pallet, unlike those that are being featured in society as of right now. She is my inspiration.”
Thomas absorbed her every word, sweet and intelligent. She was indeed a talented woman.
“Now we don’t make all the garments here, these are only the new line. The regular collections and the daily sewing are done at the shop, the House of Camille. I have my two shop girls working hard as apprentices and of course I am there as often as I can be. I am very fortunate to be a
ble to have two places to work at, it has helped to establish the House of Camille and my finances are doing quite well.” she was not boasting and Thomas understood this as a business man himself. Her words had him intrigued.
“You started all this,” he indicated the fashions, “on your own?”
She smiled as she nodded in the affirmative. She was proud of her accomplishments. “My grandmother taught me everything I know. It was she who encouraged me to pursue my dreams to create beautiful garments.”
“She made the right choice in giving you that advice. Elisabeth these are garments and their detail designs are amazing.” Thomas was being honest, perhaps more honest than he had ever been with a woman. He saw the pink warm blush, like the color of a morning sunrise, brighten her cheeks.
“I named the shop after her, my grandmother. I hope one day to be enough of a success that she will be proud that I did.” Her fingers stroked the fabric on a beautiful dress and she held a faraway look in her dark eyes. It was evident she had been close to her grandmother.
“Elisabeth, I have no doubt that she is already proud of you.” Thomas moved to her and took her hand in his. “These creations are as beautiful as the one who designed them.”
Elisabeth’s breath was caught in her breast when Thomas’s lips pressed to her mouth. The kiss was unexpected and tasted of Earl Grey tea, but her body did not refuse it, in fact her muscles relaxed into the pressure of his mouth on hers and tingles, that once were only felt with the touch of Adelaide’s fingers now surged through every one of her nerve endings.
* * *
Chapter 19
Long rays of sunshine streamed through the open sewing room windows warming the bare skin of Elisabeth and Adelaide as they lay on the Oriental rug, side by side, each catching her own breath. Their fingers laced in and out of one another’s as each woman lay lost in her own thoughts. Their faces mirrored the thoughts that were wrestling inside them. The past twenty four hours had given them each a lot to think about and neither was certain if they should share those thoughts, or what the consequences might be if they did.
Elisabeth turned her face away from the warmth of the sun and gazed upon the mantel clock. Its ivory face protected by framed glass reflected back at her and the delicate ebony hands showed her she had less than an hour’s time to make her way back to the House of Camille and finish up the remainder of orders for the morning pickups and afternoon appointments. A soft tug on her tresses that lay loose around her brought her attention back to Adelaide’s heart shaped, porcelain face. Her lips turned up into an endearing smile.
“Are you all right, Elisa?”
“Why do you ask?” her dark eyes searched Adelaide’s silver pools.
“I mean to ask, are you happy?”
“Yes, Adel I am.” Elisabeth was being truthful, she was happy, although confused. “Are you?”
Adel hadn’t thought she would return the question and had not given her own answer any real thought up to this point in time. Yes, she was happy with Elisabeth and yes, she was happy with her station in life, but was she happy otherwise? She wanted to be. If she continued on this way, with Elisabeth, them residing together here with Robert, would she find full happiness? What was she searching for?
“Adel?”
Adelaide stroked the roundness of Elisabeth’s cheek. She followed her caressing fingers with her lips leaving soft tiny kisses along Elisabeth’s cheekbone and jaw line. “You make me happy.”
Elisabeth sat up and took Adelaide’s hand. “You make me happy too Adel and I care for you so very much.”
“And I you, Elisa, you are my dearest friend.” She sat up alongside the dark haired beauty. “I feel I need to apologize to you for last evening. I left you in a lurch, left you to the devices of Thomas and the gossipy words of those wicked women.”
Elisa let her finger’s squeeze around Adel’s. ‘There is no need for all of that. It is not necessary.”
“No there is necessity, it is important for me to say this; if I had stood my ground and not let him push me towards Robert in hopes that he might change…”
“Adel,” Elisabeth looked directly at her friend, “he kissed me.”
Those silver pools went wide. “What? Who kissed you?”
“Thomas kissed me.”
“When? Last night?”
Elisabeth bit her lip and shook her head. “No, this morning. Here, in this room.”
Adelaide gazed about the room as if she could still see them standing there in a long embrace. She did not say a single word for a solitary minute. “Did he,” she paused and swallowed, “were you…”
Elisabeth could see the confusion and concern on her friend’s face. She shook her head as she spoke, “Adel, I did not stop him. I think I wanted him to, but it was only a kiss nothing more.”
They both sat silent, holding hand, for another moment in time.
“Are you upset with me?” Elisabeth asked.
Adelaide shook her head. She was not upset, she understood. Deep down, she understood Elisabeth’s desire. It was one she had once known for Robert. “This morning I was considering leaving Robert.”
It was Elisabeth’s turn to be stunned.
“But I realized I can’t.” she interjected before Elisabeth could counter with her own concerns. “He said that he only wants me happy.” Tears came to Adelaide’s eyes and Elisabeth wiped them away with the pad of her thumb. “I realized this morning that he has given up his own happiness, for me. How could be so awful and walk away from someone who cares that much?” The question was not aimed towards anyone but Adelaide herself.
Elisabeth smiled a weak smile. “You care for him.”
Adelaide lifted Elisabeth’s hand to her lips, kissing her warm skin. “I care for you, I married Robert.”
Elisa gave that statement deep thought. “Adel what will you do?”
Adel smirked and shrugged. “My fear is that there is much to climb over and dig through before I know what to do. I am not certain I can manage.”
“Adelaide, I will be with you in any way you need me to be.” Elisabeth let her salt moistened thumb slide over Adelaide’s lips before she kissed away the tears. They held one another until the clock chimed and both rose to dress and continue on their own personal schedules for the remainder of the afternoon.
* * *
Chapter 20
“Lady Broughton, I think this dress suits you splendidly. Leona, don’t you agree?” Elisabeth was fussing with the high necked bodice of a very modest, dowdy woman’s gown. The woman turned and twisted, pulling on the sleeves and second guessing her own reflection as Elisabeth bit her lip, all too familiar with the lady and her indecisive nature. “I think your husband will find you lovely in it, the color is perfect for your skin tone. Leona, it is quite right, isn’t it?” She looked to the shop girl who was tongue tied at the moment and offering no help to finalize this last appointment of a very long hard day. The woman starred at the shop girl and Elisabeth had to step on Leona’s toes to get her to open her mouth and begin to utter some sort of sound and sentence structure.
“Owwwwwohhhhh, yes Lady very becoming, it suits you.” Leona’s eyes watered and her face went pale.
Elisabeth mouthed a silent apology and gave her a look of remorse. “Why don’t I have Leona assist you out of this and we can have it wrapped so that you may take it right along with you today?”
The thought of walking out with her new fashion, wrapped in her hands, was enough to bring a smile to the Lady Broughton’s thin lipped mouth, even though it did not seem to reach her eyes. Elisabeth excused herself, leaving her client in the quiet, but skilled and capable hands of Leona. As she exited the dressing room, to the tinkling bells of the door, she saw Robert’s familiar stature and dark appearance filling up her shop doorway entry. Her mouth dropped open and then swiftly closed into a wide smile of happiness and surprise. She looked past his form searching for Adelaide.
“She is not with me.” Robert stated, in a subdu
ed, flat tone.
“Oh I see. Did she send you for something?” Elisabeth was taken aback by his sole presence standing in her reception room. She was accustomed to being alone with Adelaide, or with both Adelaide and Robert, but never with only Robert alone
“No, she is unaware that I am even her with you, and I would like to maintain that secrecy if we may?” Robert was subdued, and sober. This fact took Elisabeth by surprise.
She took note of his protected disposition. As uncomfortable as she was, standing here conversing alone with the man whose wife she cared deeply for; and to whom she shared intimate moments nearly nightly with, she was aware of how difficult it was for him to be there with her as well. “Would you like to join me in the back work room for a bit of tea? I haven’t had a moment off my feet for hours.”
Robert nodded and followed her as she led the way, past a curious Leona and an oblivious Lady Broughton.
“Leona, please see to Lady Broughton’s final billing and then you are free to leave for the evening. I will close the shop and allow the Earl to escort me back to the chateau. Thank you for your services today and I will see you in the morning.”
“Yes Ma’am.” smiled a meek Leona and she led the last client of the day out from the dressing room to the front of the shop to do as she had been instructed.
Elisabeth indicated a comfortable chair for Robert to sit in, while she busied herself with a kettle of water and two tea cups. “What is it that I can assist you with Robert?” She glanced out from the room into the empty areas to be certain all the doors were open and she had a clear view of the front room, as would anyone else. Although Leona knew the Earl and she knew that Elisabeth was residing at his home, she wanted to maintain proper appearances’.
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