Revenge of the Duchess

Chapter 14

One particular dress caught her eye. It was one of the more simple ivory dresses, off the shoulder with extensive beading on the bodice. Soft pearls and diamonds glittered but there were none of the fancy bows or layers of tulle that some of the other dresses had.

"I'll take this one," Annabeth announced firmly. 

It would be tiring to try on all the dresses in the room, and she had other far more important errands to run today.

Soon, she found herself clad in the wedding dress.

"Oh, my." Madam Drew sounded surprised. "The dress suits you quite well."

Annabeth twirled in the dress, and the skirt spun around her. Light hit the diamonds and pearls, casting a multitude of twinkling. The dress emphasized her tall and lean figure. It was a little loose in the chest department, but adjustments could be made.

"I'll take this one. Just this one only." Annabeth was adamant.

Madam Drew frowned. "I've made this many dresses and for you to try on only one-"

"I'll pay you double, and you can become my exclusive designer."

"Deal." Madam Drew said quickly.

Being known as the exclusive designer of the future Duchess would provide more fame and money to her store. People always wanted what they could not have, so being exclusive would raise her value even more.

Annabeth noted that Madam Drew's expression had turned unreadable. 

"What is it?" She asked. Was this woman still angry at her for not trying on all her designs?

Madam Drew cocked her head to one side. "Well, to say that this dress is entirely my design would be incorrect. I admit to being prideful, but I am not dishonest." Madam Drew pinned an area of the dress where it was too loose. "Your husband gave a basic description of what he pictured, along with a pretty horrendous drawing of what appears to be a wedding dress. I just made that vision come alive, though you should tell your fiance to never draw again."

Annabeth looked down at the dress she was wearing again. "Percy designed this?"

"You mean you didn't know?" Madam Drew sounded surprised again.

"No, not at all." 

Percy hadn't given her any impression that he had personally designed a dress for her. Annabeth couldn't help it, but a warm feeling spread throughout her body.

"Hmm, is that so?" Madam Drew had not expected the relationship between the Duke and the future Duchess to be so good.

After all, they were living in a society where marriages were bartered over often like objects. Madam Drew thought the rumors that the Duke and the future  Duchess had a rather amiable relationship to be false as most rumors were. But if the Duke and Lady Annabeth had a good relationship, then it would mean more money for the lady to spend on her clothes. A tumultuous marriage often resulted in the husband cutting off the wife's purse strings. Madam Drew smiled. It was a good idea to accept the job of being the wedding dress designer for the future Duchess even if she was being forced to.

Annabeth left Madam Drew's shop only to find her two least favorite people across the street. It seemed like her cousin no longer wore a hooded cloak to mask her identity whenever she went out with Count Castellan. Now Kelli appeared to have just come out of a jewelry store with plenty of purchases in the hands of the White Knights behind her. Annabeth pitied the White Knights who had trained for years to become a member of a prestigious Knight Order, only to be used as butlers. Well, it was also partly their fault for choosing the wrong Knight Order to join, Annabeth thought pettily.