Read Online Living London by Kristin Vayden - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristin Vayden
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"Er, yes, you've always had a… thing."
"Was he courting me?" I asked, hopeful.
"No. He's not what society would expect you to align yourself with. They would expect someone like Lord Heath. Someone famous, wealthy, and eternally titled. After all, you are the last available Westin."
"Did I want that? The fame, wealth, and eternal title?" I asked, scared to know the answer.
"No." She looked into my eyes and gave me a huge dose of home. "You want love."
Chapter Seven
The next day, I thought over Amelia's words. I did want love, and Nanna had said I would find love here. How I wished for that book, so I could re-read her letter, memorize it even more. A tear slid down my cheek, and I saw Libby hand me a handkerchief.
"Here, miss, don't cry. It'll be a beautiful day today, you'll see." Poor Libby had been fixing my hair, preparing me for the day, when I'd broken down for no apparent reason. She was so kind. It made me cry even more.
"I know just the thing. You should go shopping today," she announced, and she was right. That did sound like fun. My tears slowed, and I offered her a tentative smile.
"Shopping always did lift your spirits, miss," she said as she shoved the final pins into place. "You'll need a walking dress and boots."
"Not slippers?"
"No, you won't want slippers in the streets. You'll also need a pelisse. Ah, here we go."
She pulled out a sky blue dress with the lightest layer peeking from beneath. The empire waist would be set off with an adorable short jacket in stark white. Here we go again, I thought as Libby went behind me to tighten my stays. Apparently breathing is overrated in Regency London.
"Release your breath, miss." Libby requested. I wanted to do the opposite and take a larger breath to save some room. Wanting to trick her, I expelled my breath quickly and tried to gasp a larger amount of air, but she was quicker. I lost.
"Hrump." Not only did I have no extra room, but I doubted I'd be able to walk at all without oxygen. "Libby, please, not that tight. I can't breathe," I managed with the last of my air.
"Very well, miss. But I'll only loosen it a bit."
I breathed in the blessed life-giving air and braced myself as she did a final tighten. Once dressed, I headed for the door only to be stopped by Libby, who announced I was not ready, again. "Your hat, miss!" She held up a strange contraption that would scare children and small dogs.
Hat? No, that was a bird that lost a fight with a straw pile. "I'm to wear that?" I asked dubiously. The monstrosity was wide-brimmed to shade my face from the sun and prohibit any peripheral vision. Feathers crowned the top and a large ribbon hung loose to be tied around my neck. I would look like Little Bo Peep, with feathers.
"Of course, it's the newest fashion."
"Libby, do I have to? Do I have any other ones to wear?"
"Of course you must, but if you would rather wear a different one, here are your choices."
She opened up a few boxes filled with hats of every kind. Top hats, jaunty riding hats, feathered mini hats, large-brimmed straw hats, and some creations I didn't want to wear, ever, on my head. After considering my choices, I chose a small crepe hat with matching veil. I'd always loved veils. The netting covered my eyes and was fantastically fashionable, or at least I hoped. I went to the mirror and set it on my head, then tilted it so it sat at an angle. Satisfied, I picked up a few pins.
"Oh, miss, let me. Are you sure you wish to wear this hat rather than your bonnet? Your skin will freckle."
The idle threat didn't change my decision. I hadn't freckled in the sun before; I doubted my skin would begin now. "Yes, I'm sure, Libby. Thank you." She secured the pins and I adjusted the veil. The day was looking brighter all the time.
****
Shopping had been fun. Aside from the smell of unclean bodies and other scents I didn't want to remember, the shops had been lovely, and I'd spent quite a bit of what Libby called "pin money" on
"Er, yes, you've always had a… thing."
"Was he courting me?" I asked, hopeful.
"No. He's not what society would expect you to align yourself with. They would expect someone like Lord Heath. Someone famous, wealthy, and eternally titled. After all, you are the last available Westin."
"Did I want that? The fame, wealth, and eternal title?" I asked, scared to know the answer.
"No." She looked into my eyes and gave me a huge dose of home. "You want love."
Chapter Seven
The next day, I thought over Amelia's words. I did want love, and Nanna had said I would find love here. How I wished for that book, so I could re-read her letter, memorize it even more. A tear slid down my cheek, and I saw Libby hand me a handkerchief.
"Here, miss, don't cry. It'll be a beautiful day today, you'll see." Poor Libby had been fixing my hair, preparing me for the day, when I'd broken down for no apparent reason. She was so kind. It made me cry even more.
"I know just the thing. You should go shopping today," she announced, and she was right. That did sound like fun. My tears slowed, and I offered her a tentative smile.
"Shopping always did lift your spirits, miss," she said as she shoved the final pins into place. "You'll need a walking dress and boots."
"Not slippers?"
"No, you won't want slippers in the streets. You'll also need a pelisse. Ah, here we go."
She pulled out a sky blue dress with the lightest layer peeking from beneath. The empire waist would be set off with an adorable short jacket in stark white. Here we go again, I thought as Libby went behind me to tighten my stays. Apparently breathing is overrated in Regency London.
"Release your breath, miss." Libby requested. I wanted to do the opposite and take a larger breath to save some room. Wanting to trick her, I expelled my breath quickly and tried to gasp a larger amount of air, but she was quicker. I lost.
"Hrump." Not only did I have no extra room, but I doubted I'd be able to walk at all without oxygen. "Libby, please, not that tight. I can't breathe," I managed with the last of my air.
"Very well, miss. But I'll only loosen it a bit."
I breathed in the blessed life-giving air and braced myself as she did a final tighten. Once dressed, I headed for the door only to be stopped by Libby, who announced I was not ready, again. "Your hat, miss!" She held up a strange contraption that would scare children and small dogs.
Hat? No, that was a bird that lost a fight with a straw pile. "I'm to wear that?" I asked dubiously. The monstrosity was wide-brimmed to shade my face from the sun and prohibit any peripheral vision. Feathers crowned the top and a large ribbon hung loose to be tied around my neck. I would look like Little Bo Peep, with feathers.
"Of course, it's the newest fashion."
"Libby, do I have to? Do I have any other ones to wear?"
"Of course you must, but if you would rather wear a different one, here are your choices."
She opened up a few boxes filled with hats of every kind. Top hats, jaunty riding hats, feathered mini hats, large-brimmed straw hats, and some creations I didn't want to wear, ever, on my head. After considering my choices, I chose a small crepe hat with matching veil. I'd always loved veils. The netting covered my eyes and was fantastically fashionable, or at least I hoped. I went to the mirror and set it on my head, then tilted it so it sat at an angle. Satisfied, I picked up a few pins.
"Oh, miss, let me. Are you sure you wish to wear this hat rather than your bonnet? Your skin will freckle."
The idle threat didn't change my decision. I hadn't freckled in the sun before; I doubted my skin would begin now. "Yes, I'm sure, Libby. Thank you." She secured the pins and I adjusted the veil. The day was looking brighter all the time.
****
Shopping had been fun. Aside from the smell of unclean bodies and other scents I didn't want to remember, the shops had been lovely, and I'd spent quite a bit of what Libby called "pin money" on
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