Read Online Some Enchanted Dream: A Time Travel Adventure (Seasons of Enchantment Book 2) by Lily Silver - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Silver
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man invaded their home and accused him of being the traitor to their cause, all because his wife kept him home on the day the British Soldiers decided to raid the United Irishmen's meeting place. She saved Adrian's life, but sullied his reputation in the process. Could he ever truly forgive her for that?
" Ma petite ? You look so sad. What is it?" Gisele noted, stopping beside Tara and touching her arm.
Tara forced a smile. "I was just pining for my lovely gowns, lost on the docks at Dublin."
"All is not lost. We are here to find you new gowns, ma cherie ." Gisele locked her arm in Tara's and led her into a shop with a rainbow of silk fabrics hanging in the window.
They browsed at the department store on Rue St. Denis. Gisele took Tara to a favorite cafe and bought her a glass of lemonade and a pastry. They watched the carriages pass and discussed the finer points of bustles and corsets. Tara argued against corsets, to Gisele's horror. To her new friend, a corset was like a shield of virtue, no woman should venture out-of-doors without being tightly laced up.
As the afternoon shadows lengthened, Tara and Gisele made their way back to Montmartre. Tara hadn't bought anything aside from a new purse to carry her things in, but she had enjoyed the girl time with the vivacious Gisele, and had a better grasp of fashion in this time period. She had a list of items she would purchase, if Adrian were agreeable to the expense.
"Do you work tonight?" she asked her companion as they headed up the steep hill to their lodgings. "If not, you might join us for dinner."
"I have an assignation. Wish me well. If the gentleman is agreeable, I may be able to leave the dance club and be his petite amore ."
"You mean his mistress," Tara said before she realized she'd spoken aloud. "Gisele, is that a wise move?"
Gisele sighed and looked down at her shoes. She gave a little shrug. "I would be taken care of by one man. He will provide me with a small house, and a servant, perhaps two. He will give me money for gowns, it is not a bad life. Preferable to being on display for all the men at the club."
"But, do you even like this man? Gisele, you don't have to sell yourself---" Tara winced at her poor choice of words. "I mean, you are a smart woman. You shouldn't have to give yourself to a man to earn a living. There should be other opportunities open to you."
"And what would those be?" Gisele's tone became ice. "Working at the textile mill. Non, I will not make myself old before my time working in those dreadful places, toiling from sun up to sun down with very little to show for it but stooped shoulders and calloused hands!"
"I only meant," Tara took a deep breath before continuing. "I was prying, I'm sorry. I couldn't bear it if you were harmed by a man without scruples. Take your time, don't rush off with a man you barely know. It could be worse for you once he has you away from your friends."
"I have no friends." Gisele's confession was like a knife to Tara's heart. "Only other dancers, and the clever ones do as I am trying to do, find a rich patron to take them away from the dance hall life before they are too old to even dance for the men's delight. Being a mistress is not so bad. A man will pension you out if he tires of you, or find you a new protector. I know other girls who have done well."
"Gisele, listen to me." Tara placed her hand on the slender shoulder. "You do have friends. I am your friend. My husband is, too. We would help you, if it comes to that. Just remember, you don't have to settle for something distasteful just to survive."
Gisele's lips twitched. She glanced about the neighborhood where they were walking. The narrow, dirty streets, the garbage in the alleyways, as if to make a point. "You have a good heart, my American friend. I thank you. But now I must go prepare for my interview with Mr. Dupres. He is old, and likely will not trouble me much with his passions. He wants a companion to take to the opera and to
" Ma petite ? You look so sad. What is it?" Gisele noted, stopping beside Tara and touching her arm.
Tara forced a smile. "I was just pining for my lovely gowns, lost on the docks at Dublin."
"All is not lost. We are here to find you new gowns, ma cherie ." Gisele locked her arm in Tara's and led her into a shop with a rainbow of silk fabrics hanging in the window.
They browsed at the department store on Rue St. Denis. Gisele took Tara to a favorite cafe and bought her a glass of lemonade and a pastry. They watched the carriages pass and discussed the finer points of bustles and corsets. Tara argued against corsets, to Gisele's horror. To her new friend, a corset was like a shield of virtue, no woman should venture out-of-doors without being tightly laced up.
As the afternoon shadows lengthened, Tara and Gisele made their way back to Montmartre. Tara hadn't bought anything aside from a new purse to carry her things in, but she had enjoyed the girl time with the vivacious Gisele, and had a better grasp of fashion in this time period. She had a list of items she would purchase, if Adrian were agreeable to the expense.
"Do you work tonight?" she asked her companion as they headed up the steep hill to their lodgings. "If not, you might join us for dinner."
"I have an assignation. Wish me well. If the gentleman is agreeable, I may be able to leave the dance club and be his petite amore ."
"You mean his mistress," Tara said before she realized she'd spoken aloud. "Gisele, is that a wise move?"
Gisele sighed and looked down at her shoes. She gave a little shrug. "I would be taken care of by one man. He will provide me with a small house, and a servant, perhaps two. He will give me money for gowns, it is not a bad life. Preferable to being on display for all the men at the club."
"But, do you even like this man? Gisele, you don't have to sell yourself---" Tara winced at her poor choice of words. "I mean, you are a smart woman. You shouldn't have to give yourself to a man to earn a living. There should be other opportunities open to you."
"And what would those be?" Gisele's tone became ice. "Working at the textile mill. Non, I will not make myself old before my time working in those dreadful places, toiling from sun up to sun down with very little to show for it but stooped shoulders and calloused hands!"
"I only meant," Tara took a deep breath before continuing. "I was prying, I'm sorry. I couldn't bear it if you were harmed by a man without scruples. Take your time, don't rush off with a man you barely know. It could be worse for you once he has you away from your friends."
"I have no friends." Gisele's confession was like a knife to Tara's heart. "Only other dancers, and the clever ones do as I am trying to do, find a rich patron to take them away from the dance hall life before they are too old to even dance for the men's delight. Being a mistress is not so bad. A man will pension you out if he tires of you, or find you a new protector. I know other girls who have done well."
"Gisele, listen to me." Tara placed her hand on the slender shoulder. "You do have friends. I am your friend. My husband is, too. We would help you, if it comes to that. Just remember, you don't have to settle for something distasteful just to survive."
Gisele's lips twitched. She glanced about the neighborhood where they were walking. The narrow, dirty streets, the garbage in the alleyways, as if to make a point. "You have a good heart, my American friend. I thank you. But now I must go prepare for my interview with Mr. Dupres. He is old, and likely will not trouble me much with his passions. He wants a companion to take to the opera and to
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