The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

An hour later, Beatrice arrived at the estate to fit Eloise and Jane for their dresses.

Beatrice stuck pins into Eloise’s dress to hold the material, which was too loose, while Jane tried on a dress with the help of a maid.

"You worked fast," Eloise said, admiring the changes.

"I have only one chance to impress you and Lord Hawthorne. I didn’t want to make any mistakes," Beatrice answered.

"You already impressed us, and I decided to employ you for my dresses. You don’t need to worry about making mistakes. I would never turn you away for making a mistake," Eloise assured Beatrice.

"You have a kind heart, Lady Hawthorne. I also like to do well, so I hate to make mistakes. I always want any lady wearing my dresses to feel confident and not find any flaws in them. You are my chance to showcase my skills to the town. I want it to be perfect," Beatrice explained.

"Have you ever dressed a lady of my status?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"No. All the ladies in town go to whoever is popular. It is hard for small dressmakers like me to find customers like you. I do have regulars, and while I love them, I would like to display my dresses at a grand ball. It is quite ambitious," Beatrice said, knowing her goal was too high.

"It is not too ambitious. I will be wearing your dress to the palace for my introduction to the royals. You have achieved your dreams. I received an invitation to meet with a prominent lady, so I will need another dress," Eloise said, thinking of Rosalie’s invite. "It is not soon, but I should prepare."

Beatrice contained her excitement. "I have brought plenty of other dresses. I am confident there will be one to suit the gathering. Will it be a sit-down with one lady or with others?"

"Her childhood friend will be present, and it is a gathering at her home. I do not want a dress that is too flashy or bold for this occasion. It must be comfortable," said Eloise.

"I have a dress in mind. Do you want any other changes to this dress?" Beatrice asked, standing up to examine Eloise’s full appearance.

"No. You did well with my request," Eloise said, staring at her reflection in the mirror. "Jane! Are you well?"

Jane stepped out to show Eloise her dress. She kept her head down, trying to hide her excitement. "I cannot reach the button, but so far, it is lovely."

Eloise turned around to see Jane’s appearance. "It is lovely on you. The light pink suits you. Do you want to come forward to look in the mirror?"

Jane shyly moved forward and lifted her head to see. "It is prettier than I thought. Oh!" She clamped her hand over her mouth.

Eloise laughed at Jane’s reaction. "It is fine to say you love the dress, Jane. It would be good for Beatrice to hear. There are other dresses for you to try on, so I hope you aren’t tired yet. Damien informed me that you are to pick what you want."

"Why is my brother being so nice to me?" Jane asked, finding it odd. She had been misbehaving, so why was she being rewarded?

"It is a question you must direct to your brother. Can I get out of the dress now, Beatrice?" Eloise asked, eager to try on another.

"You may. Your maid is waiting for you," Beatrice said, stepping aside for Eloise to leave. "I will adjust Miss Jane’s dress in the meantime."

Eloise walked off towards where Jane came from to get changed.

"I have never seen you before. Did my brother find you?" Jane asked, questioning Beatrice now that they were alone.

"No, one of Lord Hawthorne’s guards suggested my shop. Can I check your dress to see where it needs to be mended?" Beatrice asked, showing Jane the pins. She felt more nervous around Jane than around Eloise.

"You may," Jane allowed and approached Beatrice. "It is a pretty dress, and the one Eloise wore is beautiful. I did not know there was such a skilled dressmaker in town."

"My shop is quite small, so you might not have noticed it. I am honoured to make dresses for the Hawthornes," Beatrice said and started to move to fix Jane’s dress. "If you wish, I can create a small dress to match the one Lady Hawthorne will wear to the ball. One more appropriate for your age, but still beautiful."

"Eloise is not my mother. Only mothers match with their daughters, and I would hate for someone to wear a dress similar to my own. I wouldn’t want to steal the town’s attention from Eloise’s dress. You must promise to never make that dress for another lady," Jane said, offering her hand for Beatrice to shake.

Beatrice smiled, realising she was nervous for nothing. She shook Jane’s hand and said, "I promise. It was meant to be one of a kind, so no other lady will have the dress. Well, unless another dressmaker tries to replicate it. I assure you it will not be done by me."

"Then, you should make the dress so beautiful that no other dressmaker, no matter how talented, can come close to repeating its beauty. It would be foolish for anyone to wear that same dress after Eloise, but some ladies do not think," Jane said, certain someone would try to take the attention.

"Then, I will do my best to make the dress one of a kind, as well as your dresses and Lady Hawthorne’s other dresses," Beatrice promised.

"No, my dresses are good as they are. It is not yet my season, so there is no need for me to worry about my dresses. Your focus should be on Lady Hawthorne, and since she sometimes appears to be a bit lost when it comes to dresses, help her," Jane urged Beatrice.

"You are quite knowledgeable, Miss Jane. Lady Hawthorne might enjoy hearing it from you. I know that I am overstepping, but you should share this with Lady Hawthorne. She isn’t your mother, but she is like a sister," said Beatrice.

"You are right that you are overstepping," Jane said, not wanting to speak of this matter with a lady she didn’t know. "This is my first time meeting you, and some guests like to share news about the Hawthorne family. I advise you to be wise. My brother won’t like it if you gossip."

"Considering that I am afraid of Lord Hawthorne, I will not speak of what I hear today. Besides, I like to keep my head down and work. I was going to ask that you help me decide on a dress for Lady Hawthorne to wear to a gathering, but I suppose that would be overstepping," Beatrice said, trying to win over Jane.

Jane cleared her throat. "It wouldn’t. You can show me."