The Forgotten Duchess

Chapter Thirty-Four | Wish

"YOU SEEM DISTRACTED."

Vivienne looked up absentmindedly from the bonnet she had been staring at. "Pardon?"

Fiona gave her a look of concern. "Ever since we entered the shop, it seems like your mind is elsewhere. If you didn't want to come, I would have understood. Shopping for a wedding cannot be as fun as it is for the bride."

Vivienne shook her head furiously and took Fiona's hands within hers. "I'm glad to be here for you Fiona," she said softly before giving her friend a weak smile, "I just didn't sleep that well last night."

Fiona's eyes peered into her for a prolonged minute, before her friend nodded, accepting the excuse. Vivienne almost sighed in relief. She hadn't exactly lied to her friend, more like told the partial truth. While Vivienne had not slept well, it was because her thoughts were plagued with James and the kiss they shared.

Oh, the kiss, it was seared into her memory, never to be forgotten. She might have even said it was better than any gothic romance she had read. While she had been terrified that Preston may tell the other servants, when Millie had come to dress her, nothing had been out of the ordinary. It seemed like the butler had kept his mouth shut, making it one less thing for Vivienne to worry about.

However, her greatest source of frustration and confusion was James himself. She did not know how to act around him now. Would they pretend that the kiss never happened? She didn't expect much from him, and she wasn't foolish enough to believe that he would offer his hand in marriage to her. He had been more than generous to her the last few months, but would he ask that she leave his residence now?

"Enough," Fiona tugged on Vivienne's sleeves.

She looked at her friend in confusion, "What is the matter?"

Fiona pointed to Vivienne's chest in anger. "It's you, all I've seen you do since I fetched you this morning is mope around. It's like you're a thundercloud pissing and spreading your misery onto everyone."

"Fiona!" Vivienne admonished, appalled at the language her friend was using in a shop filled with matrons.

"Tell me what is going on or so help me God, I will send you straight back into the carriage and never speak to you again."

Vivienne looked around nervously, afraid that they would be overheard. One of the seamstresses came forward, "Is there anything I may assist you with, my ladies?"

"Is there a private room we could chat in for a while?" Fiona asked with a bright smile.

The seamstress looked taken back but she nodded, "follow me."

The two of them did so, leaving her lady's maid at the front of the shop. Fiona pulled the curtain of the changing room. "Speak."

"We kissed," Vivienne blurted, unable to keep the words from coming out.

Fiona's blue eyes widened as she raised her voice. "Kissed who?"

Vivienne gripped Fiona's hand and hushed her. She knew that their voices could travel beyond the curtain. Although it was very unlikely that the seamstress would be eavesdropping on the other side, she wanted to be careful.

"I—I mean James...the duke and I kissed last night."

Fiona collapsed onto the small chaise, worrying Vivienne. Her friend was silent for a few moments before she glanced back at her incredulously, "Are we talking about James, as in the Duke of Lennox?" she hissed.

Vivienne nodded, blushing as she remembered the night they had shared. "Say something," she pleaded to her friend.

Fiona clutched her chest, shaking her head, "Sorry, I was just trying to comprehend what you told me," she gave her a small smile, "I can see why you've been distracted today."