Read Online Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3) by M. K. Eidem - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: M. K. Eidem
Ads: Link
it.”
“Oh please,” Kia waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t care how old you are. You don’t look a day over forty cycles and when you were forty, you so would have worn this.”
“I would have but…”
“But what?”
“I’m going with my son, Kia, not Stephan.”
“So what? You are making your return, Jacinda, and I’m going to make sure you do it in style. Especially since that twit Adelaide will be there. What I wouldn’t give to see her reaction when you walk in wearing this.”
“I second that.” Palma walked up to her sister, wrapping her arm around her waist.
“Palma…” Jacinda gave her sister a put-out look.
“At least try it on, Jacinda,” Palma encouraged seeing the desire in her eyes. “You know you want to. If you don’t like it, then we’ll look for something else.”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt.”
“Wonderful. Come. I’ll help you into it. Zee! Thoma! Bring refreshments for the ladies and then my alteration box.”
“Yes, Madame Juruas!” Both assistants who had silently entered the room immediately left to follow her orders.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jacinda slowly turned so she could see the back of the dress in the mirror. She hadn’t realized when Kia had held it up that the beading of the scooped neckline hadn’t just circled around the back. Oh no, that would have been too easy for one of Kia’s creations. Instead, the ‘necklace’ had fallen halfway down her back with strings of beads radiating out from it. They attached to the sides of the dress making it conform to her body before it formed a jeweled belt at the small of her back.
“Here put these on.”
Jacinda gripped Kia’s shoulder as Kia lifted one of her feet to slide a strappy black four-inch heel that fit her perfectly.
“How did you know?”
“I still have your information on file, Jacinda.” Kia looked up at her for a moment. “Did you really think I wouldn’t? You were one of our first customers. You didn’t have to come to us, Jacinda. Neither of us is directly related to you. There was no reason for you to give us your support.”
“Of course there was. Yes, you were just starting out, Kia, and while you and Pazel were both young, your talent was undeniable. It’s not like I didn’t benefit from it.”
“You gave us more than that.” Slipping the other shoe on, Kia rose. “I know how you promoted us. How you encouraged others. Your standing in the House of Protection got so many women through the door.”
“But it was your talent that kept them, Kia. You owe me nothing.”
“We owe you everything.” The vehemence in Kia’s voice shocked Jacinda. “And now you will let me repay you. Come let’s see what the others think.” And Jacinda allowed herself to be led from the dressing room.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“Oh, my ancestors!” Palma’s cup and saucer rattled as she set it down on the small table in front of her. “Jacinda….”
“What?” Jacinda froze at her sister’s words. “Do I look that bad?” She knew her sister would always tell her the unvarnished truth.
“NO!” Palma exclaimed her eyes running over her sister. “Jacinda, you look fabulous. Turn.”
Jacinda took several steps as she turned, her golden-toned leg appearing through the high slit of the skirt while the single panel attached to the jeweled ‘belt’ at her lower back flowed gracefully behind her. She smiled as she heard Palma and Javiera’s gasps when the daring back was revealed.
“Oh, Jacinda, you so have to get this gown,” Javiera whispered.
“And the shoes. My ancestors, Jacinda, you have to get those shoes!”
“You don’t think they make me too tall?” She stuck her leg out looking at the slender heel. “I don’t want to overshadow Danton.”
“You can never be too tall, Jacinda,” Javiera told her absently her eyes still traveling over the gown.
“Yes, you can, especially when you’re dancing.”
“Seriously, Jacinda?” Palma gave her
“Oh please,” Kia waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t care how old you are. You don’t look a day over forty cycles and when you were forty, you so would have worn this.”
“I would have but…”
“But what?”
“I’m going with my son, Kia, not Stephan.”
“So what? You are making your return, Jacinda, and I’m going to make sure you do it in style. Especially since that twit Adelaide will be there. What I wouldn’t give to see her reaction when you walk in wearing this.”
“I second that.” Palma walked up to her sister, wrapping her arm around her waist.
“Palma…” Jacinda gave her sister a put-out look.
“At least try it on, Jacinda,” Palma encouraged seeing the desire in her eyes. “You know you want to. If you don’t like it, then we’ll look for something else.”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt.”
“Wonderful. Come. I’ll help you into it. Zee! Thoma! Bring refreshments for the ladies and then my alteration box.”
“Yes, Madame Juruas!” Both assistants who had silently entered the room immediately left to follow her orders.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jacinda slowly turned so she could see the back of the dress in the mirror. She hadn’t realized when Kia had held it up that the beading of the scooped neckline hadn’t just circled around the back. Oh no, that would have been too easy for one of Kia’s creations. Instead, the ‘necklace’ had fallen halfway down her back with strings of beads radiating out from it. They attached to the sides of the dress making it conform to her body before it formed a jeweled belt at the small of her back.
“Here put these on.”
Jacinda gripped Kia’s shoulder as Kia lifted one of her feet to slide a strappy black four-inch heel that fit her perfectly.
“How did you know?”
“I still have your information on file, Jacinda.” Kia looked up at her for a moment. “Did you really think I wouldn’t? You were one of our first customers. You didn’t have to come to us, Jacinda. Neither of us is directly related to you. There was no reason for you to give us your support.”
“Of course there was. Yes, you were just starting out, Kia, and while you and Pazel were both young, your talent was undeniable. It’s not like I didn’t benefit from it.”
“You gave us more than that.” Slipping the other shoe on, Kia rose. “I know how you promoted us. How you encouraged others. Your standing in the House of Protection got so many women through the door.”
“But it was your talent that kept them, Kia. You owe me nothing.”
“We owe you everything.” The vehemence in Kia’s voice shocked Jacinda. “And now you will let me repay you. Come let’s see what the others think.” And Jacinda allowed herself to be led from the dressing room.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“Oh, my ancestors!” Palma’s cup and saucer rattled as she set it down on the small table in front of her. “Jacinda….”
“What?” Jacinda froze at her sister’s words. “Do I look that bad?” She knew her sister would always tell her the unvarnished truth.
“NO!” Palma exclaimed her eyes running over her sister. “Jacinda, you look fabulous. Turn.”
Jacinda took several steps as she turned, her golden-toned leg appearing through the high slit of the skirt while the single panel attached to the jeweled ‘belt’ at her lower back flowed gracefully behind her. She smiled as she heard Palma and Javiera’s gasps when the daring back was revealed.
“Oh, Jacinda, you so have to get this gown,” Javiera whispered.
“And the shoes. My ancestors, Jacinda, you have to get those shoes!”
“You don’t think they make me too tall?” She stuck her leg out looking at the slender heel. “I don’t want to overshadow Danton.”
“You can never be too tall, Jacinda,” Javiera told her absently her eyes still traveling over the gown.
“Yes, you can, especially when you’re dancing.”
“Seriously, Jacinda?” Palma gave her
Similar Books
