Love Everlasting (Kingston Novel Book 3), page 5
With tears in her eyes, Tellie stood. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, even knowing the lady’s accusations were a lie.
“Get from my sight.”
With head bowed, Tellie quickly left the fitting room.
“Is that the braying of a donkey I hear?”
Tulia gave a loud gasp as those words, that voice, reached her.
“You were right, Toriana,” Kinsley replied when Tulia came storming out of the fitting room.
“And here I thought it was going to be a fine day.” Toriana gave a dramatic sigh even as she met Tulia’s gaze. “What an unpleasant surprise to find you here.”
“I share your sentiments,” Tulia gritted out. “Had I realized Madame Chelsea catered to you and your family, I would have found another modiste.”
“Don’t let us stop you from leaving,” Kinsley stated, waving her hand toward the entrance.
“No doubt you’ve come here in the hopes that Madame Chelsea can produce a gown for the two of you that might snag some poor, stupid, man to your side. The marriage mart can be most unkind.”
Kinsley turned to Toriana. “I guess she would know more about that than us. If I’m not mistaken she’s been on the shelf for some years now.”
“You’re not mistaken,” Toriana responded with a slight laugh. “In fact, she’s been on the mart about two years longer than either of us. Perhaps, at her age, her mind has become somewhat decayed.”
“Husband hunting, I suppose, can do that to you.” Kinsley nodded.
Tulia narrowed her eyes. “I’m not husband hunting!”
Alianore stepped into view behind her two younger sisters. “I guess we should have booked the salon for ourselves. It’s a dreadful bore to have to share it with loud and ungrateful patrons.”
Tulia’s gaze narrowed even more. “Back in Town already, Alianore?”
“That’s Viscountess of Surrey to you, my dear,” Alianore replied in fake sweetness.
“I see marriage hasn’t improved you any.”
Alianore laughed at the snide insult. “My husband has no complaints.”
Toriana turned to Kinsley. “Don’t you just love a good verbal battle? It sharpens the mind and tongue.”
Kinsley laughed. “Well, it works that way for us, but apparently it doesn’t have that effect on everyone,” she stated glancing in Lady Tulia’s direction.
“Yes, I quite agree,” Toriana murmured loudly. “It could be the lack of male attention.”
Lady Amilia reluctantly stepped into view. Though she might be angry with Tulia, she couldn’t allow her to stand alone, mostly against her arch nemesis. All in all, she really had no opinion on any of the Telford siblings. For the most part they ignored her and she returned the favor.
“My, aren’t the three of you in top form today,” Tulia gritted out. “I—”
“Thank you,” Toriana interrupted. “I really didn’t expect you to offer us such a compliment.”
“I wasn’t complimenting you!” Tulia snapped out.
“Sounded that way to me,” Toriana replied smiling. “Did it sound that way to you, sisters?”
Kinsley nodded. “That’s what I heard. I must say, it was quite good of her.”
“And most unexpected,” Alianore added.
“Keep being nice, Tulia and I just might consider you to be something other than a snob.” Toriana smiled.
“Better a snob than a twit!”
Amilia laid her hand on Tulia’s arm. “Let’s get our things. We can come back later when they have gone.”
“Has Lord Arden offered for you yet?” Toriana asked Amilia.
The other woman’s face pinked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I could have sworn he would have. He makes no secret that he has an interest in you.”
Amilia glanced from Toriana to Tulia, but held her silence.
“Why in the world would Amilia want a man like Lord Arden,” Tulia scoffed. “She, like me, is an heiress. We can choose any man of our liking.”
“I don’t believe there is anything wrong with Lord Arden,” Kinsley replied. “He might be a little naïve when it comes to choosing friends, but all in all, he’s a nice enough man.”
“I agree.” Alianore nodded. “And best of all, he’s no fortune hunter. I heard he’s quite wealthy.”
Toriana looked at Amilia. “Don’t tell me you’re going to ignore a perfectly good man, a man who seems quite infatuated with you, just because Tulia doesn’t give her approval. If that’s the case, you’ll never marry…she’ll make sure of that.”
“Speaking of which,” Kinsley spoke up. “I thought Lord Hopkins would offer for you, Tulia.”
Tulia gave a brittle, false, laugh. “I think not. Hopkins is a second son.”
“And rich,” Toriana added.
Tulia lifted her chin as her gaze glittered. “We are neither naïve nor stupid…like some. Let’s go, Amilia.”
Toriana laughed at her attempt to be cutting. “You don’t have to leave on our account. We’ll do the leaving.”
“I thought we were going to get new riding habits?” Kinsley murmured.
“We’ll come back later,” Toriana responded.
“Tell me, Toriana, if Lord Hopkins and Lord Arden are such prime catches, why aren’t you and Kinsley showing more interest in them?”
Toriana laughed at Lady Tulia’s question. “Why in the world would Kinsley and I want men who are in love with the two of you?”
“Love!” Tulia gave a wave of her hand as if to wipe out the word that hissed from her lips. “There are more important things in life than such a mundane feeling or excuse.”
Alianore shook her head. “I feel rather sorry for you.”
“I don’t need your pity!”
Tulia’s shout had Madame Chelsea hurrying out from the back rooms. “Ladies, please be calm. I will make sure all of you are assisted without haste.”
Tulia turned toward the older woman. “Assisted? I will inform you now that as long as you employ those two halfwit sisters, I will take my business elsewhere.”
Madame Chelsea’s cheeks turned red. “Did Tellie or Mattie do something to displease you, Lady Henden?”
“Their existence displeases me,” Tulia hissed out, even as she cast her glare at the Telford sisters.
“I’m so sorry,” Madame Chelsea murmured.
This time it was the older woman who received Tulia’s heated glare. “Keep your sympathy. What I insist on is their firing.”
“I didn’t realize you owned this shop,” Alianore stated before Madame Chelsea could respond.
Tulia narrowed her eyes. “I might before this day is over.”
“My shop is not for sale,” Madame Chelsea quickly put in.
“Without customers you would have no shop.”
Madame Chelsea quickly nodded. “I will see that Tellie and Mattie are replaced at once.”
Tulia smiled as the older woman turned on heel and headed to the back rooms.
“You must be quite proud of yourself,” Toriana stated as her own anger came to surface. “To have both women dismissed simply because you can. Do you ever stop to consider someone else’s lot in life?”
“I care not a smidgen for their lot…as I care nothing for yours.”
Alianore touched Toriana’s arm. “Let’s leave. We can come back at another time.”
Toriana slowly nodded. “Yes, let’s go…as soon as I collect Tellie and Mattie.”
“Why are we collecting them?” Kinsley whispered.
“Alianore can employ them at Surrey. Just think, she’ll have London’s two best seamstress living right there, creating all the beautiful clothing just for her…and us, of course.”
“What a wonderful idea!” Alianore replied as a smile filled her face. “And it will give you both an excellent excuse to come visit often.”
Tulia’s eyes narrowed. “There are better seamstresses to be found here in London than those two twits.”
“We shall see.” Toriana replied sweetly. “I thank you for making my mission today much easier than I had hoped.”
Kinsley met her younger sister’s gaze. “I thought you said you didn’t have an agenda?”
“I said I didn’t have a hidden agenda. Once we arrived here I was going to be most forthright in offering Tellie and Mattie employment elsewhere.”
Kinsley and Alianore both laughed.
“Alianore, would you be so kind to see if Gustus and Cyril will help the women collect their belongings?”
Alianore nodded. “I’m sure Vance will be more than happy to supervise…as a precaution, in case anyone thinks to give them a difficult time.”
Tulia met Toriana’s gaze. “One day you will push me too far.”
“I can only hope there is a cliff nearby when I do,” Toriana replied, before turning away.
Amilia looked from her best friend to that of the youngest Telford. In away, rather grudgingly, she almost admired Toriana. More than once she wished she had the nerve to stand up to Tulia.
“I shall gather our things,” she murmured.
“We’ll stay…seeing as how they are leaving,” Tulia replied. She turned and headed back inside the dressing room she was using.
Amilia quickly moved from Tulia’s path before being pushed aside.
“You really should give Lord Arden more thought,” Kinsley murmured to Amilia. “He would make you a wonderful husband. No matter what Tulia might think…love is more important than money.”
Amilia glanced in Kinsley’s direction. Not wanting to be caught associating with the enemy, she gave a slight nod of her head before entering the room where Tulia waited.
Toriana was quite pleased with the way things had worked out. Tellie and Mattie didn’t hesitate in accepting Alianore’s offer for employment. She was also pleased by Gustus and Cyril’s reaction to the Brown sisters…but then the two young women showed equal interest in both men.
Yes, it was all working out as she had planned.
Before heading back to her parent’s townhouse, Vance had his coachman, Cheevers, take them to their townhouse so Tellie and Mattie could get settled.
Gustus and Cyril both offered to stay behind and help the sisters, but one look from Vance had them taking up their positions on the carriage.
As Vance climbed into the carriage and took his seat next to Alianore, Toriana didn’t miss the knowing expression he sent her way. She ignored it and instead settled back against the cushioned seat and waited.
“I would have to say that today’s shopping trip is the most unusual one I believe I have ever witnessed.”
Toriana smiled at the brother-in-law. “Unusual?” she asked as her smile widened. “I thought it was most invigorating.”
“When did shopping for a riding habit turn into a shopping trip for seamstresses?”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Kinsley quickly stated. “Just think of the convenience of having your very own set of seamstresses at Surry.”
“And don’t forget the money and time it will save,” Alianore added with a nod.
Vance raised a brow as his golden eyes turned toward his wife. “I’m glad the situation pleases you, my dear. I just would have liked to have known the real reason for this shopping trip instead of some trumped up story.”
“Alianore and Kinsley had no idea why I wanted to go shopping,” Toriana told him. “It was my idea.”
“I had no doubt in that area.”
This time Toriana’s laughter filled the inside of the carriage. “Playing the ogre won’t work on me. I assure you; Uncle Gabriel failed in his attempts over the years.”
“Probably because your brain is damaged,” Vance muttered.
Once again, Toriana laughed. “Perhaps, but I believe it has more to do with I know how much both of you love me.”
Alianore patted her husband’s arm in a soothing manner. “Being a brother is still new to you. I’m sure in no time you will adjust.”
Laying his hand over Alianore’s, Vance shook his head. “I seriously doubt it.”
“Toriana was on a mission of saving.”
Vance turned his head in Kinsley’s direction. “Saving?”
“For the past year or so it’s been whispered about at how wretched Madame Chelsea treats the women she employs,” Kinsley explained. “Out of the six women who work for her, Tellie and Mattie are the youngest. I believe Madame Chelsea is rather offended by not only their youth but their comeliness as well.”
“I don’t understand. If she is so offended, why employ them?”
“Because Tellie and Mattie are very good at what they do,” Toriana answered. “Their mother had been a seamstress and she taught her daughters the trade. Life in London isn’t easy, but without the benefit of some kind of trade, she feared her daughters would end up making a living as so many of the lower class women do…in a brothel…or worse.”
“There are worse things than a brothel?” Kinsley asked and then blushed.
“There are,” Vance replied. “Things that none of you need, or should, know about.”
“You know, it’s not a bad thing for a woman to be knowledgeable about some things in life,” Toriana stated. “In fact, I would say the lack of knowledge could be far worse.”
“She has a point,” Alianore stated with a nod. “That’s one of the reasons Uncle Gabriel decided to teach us how to punch.”
“We’ll not speak of that,” Vance growled out. “The bruises are still evident on you and Kinsley’s hands.”
Toriana almost smiled over Vance’s protective snarl. “The point I was making, was that being ignorant has consequences.”
“There is a difference between ignorance and not knowing,” Vance replied.
For the barest moment, Toriana wanted to ask him exactly what the difference was, but by the way he was stressing each word she knew he wouldn’t appreciate it. Instead she decided to let the matter go.
“Care to tell me what Gustus and Cyril have to do with this?”
Alianore glanced between her husband and her sister. “Why would you think they have anything to do with this?”
For a reply Vance continued to stare at Toriana.
“I did have a conversation with Gustus about the way Madame Chelsea treated Tellie and Mattie, but other than that, they had no hand in my mission today.”
“Rather convenient, wouldn’t you say?”
“I’m not following,” Kinsley stated as she, too, looked from Vance to Toriana.
“Matchmaking…meddling…interfering in a man’s life.”
Toriana couldn’t help but laugh as each word Vance spit out as if it were some vile thing.
“I see nothing funny, elf.”
“I suppose it’s the way you said those descriptive words,” she stated impishly. “Spoken like a true bachelor…or retired one.”
“I noticed that as well,” Alianore replied with a scowl.
Vance pulled Alianore to his side. “Let’s drag me through the mud later. Right now I would rather have an explanation.”
“As to my amusement, I guess you need to be sitting where I am,” Toriana told him. “You, a newly married man, would deny the same wedding bliss for those who work for you.”
“I never thought of it that way,” Kinsley whispered. “Tellie and Mattie would make wonderful wives for Gustus and Cyril.”
“I just love romance,” Alianore sighed.
“I want all of you to stay out of the lives of the men who work for me.”
Toriana raised a brow. “Of course, dear brother. Shall we talk about something else?”
“Anything would be preferable to you ladies meddling in the affairs of my men.”
Kinsley almost felt sorry for Vance, for she knew what was coming…one of their favorite topics.
“Did you read the latest on The Graveyard Bandit?” Toriana stated with an impish smile. “The man is so daring that he comes across as being brave.”
Vance’s eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t take bravery to steal from the dead.”
“I just read about The Marquess of Morton’s grave being the latest to be robbed.”
“Change the subject,” Vance ordered in a growling timber.
Kinsley ignored him. “The Bandit is most daring. From what I read, Lord Morton had only been buried for twenty-four hours.”
“We will not speak of this,” Vance stated as his voice grew louder.
Toriana met his angry gaze. “You did say any topic,” she reminded him.
“Not this one.”
“Fine.” Toriana gave a slight shrug of her shoulder. “You do realize that if we don’t speak of it in front of you we will most certainly speak of it when you’re not around.”
“Alianore will refrain from doing so.”
Alianore turned toward her husband. “I will?”
“You will,” Vance replied with a scowl.
“You are precious,” Alianore replied just before she burst out laughing. “Speaking on the subject is entertaining…and harmless.”
“Entertaining and harmless is what led you to visiting a graveyard in the middle of the night,” he hissed out. “I will not stand to have you going off again on such a reckless mission.”
Just before Vance admitted his love for Alianore, the three Telford sisters, along with Aurora Cavendish, decided to take a midnight stroll to the nearest church cemetery to see if they came across The Graveyard Bandit.
It was a stupid idea. They all realized it. They never even got a glimpse of the Bandit. It was something none of them ever wanted to do again…and something Vance wasn’t about to let them forget.
Alianore placed her hand on his and smiled. “My love, I told you that I would never take such a risk again.”
“None of us will,” Toriana told him. “Just because we were reckless once doesn’t mean we will make the same the mistake twice.”
“I say, where are father and Logan going off to tomorrow?” Kinsley suddenly asked, hoping to change the subject.
“I believe they are going to Rhyshire estate to check on the repairs that are being done,” Toriana answered, offering her sister a smile of gratitude. “Logan has spoken a few times about taking up residence there.”
Alianore shook her head. “Mother is going to hate that.”
