The Sinclair Series Book #2: Mrs Sinclair

Chapter 3: Perfect Mrs Sinclair

"Miss Ballard I know zero about weddings. I'm not even married."

"Have you lived in France for long?"

"Yes."

"If this was your wedding, when would you have it? Which season is best?"

"Summer."

In summer I'll be showing. Theo said he wants to marry me before the baby shows. He says it's proper that way. "Spring." I countered. "I want to get this done before my second trimester." I wrote down possible dates for a spring wedding. My attention shifted outside. "Venue."

I moved to the windows and pushed them open. I gazed around and spotted a man working on the rose bushes below. "Pardon moi?" I called down to him. He looked up. "Please come."

I closed the window. Jake is staring at me strangely. "You are not his usual kind."

"How would you know his usual kind?"

"Because I have worked for him for a long time. You are not his usual kind."

I'm tempted to ask about his usual kind but judging from Margaux Deveraux, I would say wickedly beautiful.

"Aha! So you do have history. That is why you got the job. In what capacity?"

"Long story for another day. His usual kind is vain, possibly shallow, dangerously beautiful."

He has answered my thought.

"Am I not beautiful?"

"Not dangerously. I meant in a slutty way. Pardon my french." We both laughed. "Hauntingly... I would say you are hauntingly beautiful yet you seem kind."

"Miss Ballard, you have a guest." One of the bodyguards assigned to me informed me. The gardener came in with his hat in his hands. He bowed his head.

"Bonjour madame."

"Bonjour. I have a question. When is this estate at the peak of it's beauty?"

"All year madame!" He answered proudly. "Monsieur expects nothing less than perfection."

His biggest flaw is this. He expects perfection and even the twigs and the flowers are not exempt. Nick never expected me to be perfect. But he too had his flaws.

"Thank you. But when is it perfect?"

"This is it's most favourable season."

"Thank you."

"Oui madame." He bowed his head and left us.

I made brief notes before relaying my thoughts to Jake. Speaking out loud makes it sensible. "The venue will be the estate. Has it been done before? Have any weddings been held here?"

He grimaced for a moment. He's not sure. "I don't know. There are not that many Mrs Sinclairs to make reference to."

"Regardless, we will show off this estate by having the wedding here. I'm thinking of keeping it exclusive, just a handful of guests but knowing Theo he will want to make this a big affair."

"Where in this estate will you have it? You are spoilt for choice."

I'm trying to channel my mother. I am putting my simplicity in the back seat and see things through her eyes. What would she want?

"I'm thinking of a fairytale. I'm thinking a golden carriage drawn by white horses and footmen wearing red coats." I moved to the window. "The path takes us to the side of the chateau, through the manicured garden. I will get off at the narrow arched hedges where I will walk alone, all the way to the peacock garden. That is where we will have the wedding. In fact, let's go there."

He gathered all the books and followed me.

We took the path I plan to take and it all makes sense. It's overwhelming if I'm to say that I will be getting married here. When the peacock garden came to view, we stopped just under an arched entrance made of stone. "This where I'll stop for a moment to allow paparazzi and photographers to take pictures before I proceed."

"And the peacocks?"

"I want white peacocks. Am I being ambitious?"

"Are you kidding me? You're going to be Mrs Sinclair. If you want Marseille painted red it may as well happen."

"I wouldn't recommend." A woman spoke up from behind us. We turned to look at her. "Peacocks are aggressive. They attack."

"Then no peacocks." I smiled at her. "My name is Keira. This is Jake. May we help you?"

"So polite." She shook my hand. "Diana Crose. Carry on. I'm only observing."

"What are you observing?"

"Everything. Carry on."

I nodded as much as I find this "observing" to be strange.

"I know we will have exclusive guests. I'm thinking this separation that the arched hedges provide is perfect. We will have majority of the guests here on both sides of this walkway and a smaller exclusive number beyond the hedges."

We made our way forward. The woman is following us. Jake is taking notes.

The peacock garden is separated into two. The first separation is right after the narrow arched hedges. It has two grounds that can sit about two hundred. The second separation is still on level ground and can sit half the number.  It has a gold domed gazebo at the front. Beyond it, a beautiful lake with swans.

"And there is where I will marry Theo. What do you think?"

Jake looked around. "I think it sounds like a fairytale. They should make one about you."

"Thank you. Though it would be a tragic one." I whispered as the excitement of the wedding left my system. "The reception will be indoors. I believe there's a ball room in the Chateau. It can spill outward to the fountain garden. Regarding the date and venue I believe we are done. What is next?"

He showed me the endless list. "I'm feeling tired. I'll continue on my own." I took the books. I gave the woman a polite smile and left them behind. My bodyguards followed me back to the Chateau.

Theo's POV
"She has decided to have the wedding here at the estate." Jake informed me. "A gold carriage. White horses. Footmen wearing red. The venue is the peacock garden and the reception will be in the ballroom. She's thinking red roses only. She's thinking gold accents. That's what I have so far monsieur."

"Is she happy about the wedding?"

"I think she has the usual stress-"

"It's a yes or no answer Jake." I glared at him.

"Yes she is." He answered.

Jake is my spy. He will befriend her and keep tabs on her and tell me about her every move.

"That's all. Tell Miss Crosse I'll see her now."

She came in immediately after. "Theo Sinclair. Long time no see!" She exclaimed.

I embraced her briefly. Diana Crosse is known as the Queen maker. She has finishing schools. I went to one of her finishing schools when my governess decided I'm too crude to be a Sinclair. I was much younger. I got her to assess if Keira needs any adjustments.

"What is the verdict on my future bride?"

"She is well put together. Honestly, it takes me seconds to spot things I can correct but with her, absolutely nothing. I find it... intriguing. It's uncommon to see it in commoners. Where did you get her?"

I ripped her away from Nick's arms. The daughter if a navy man and a philanthropist is well put together.

"In a storm of her own making."

Diana smiled fleetingly. "However, I would like a closer examination. I know you want perfection."

"I want nothing less. I want her to be the envy of every woman alive. Make her more refined that royalty."

"It will be my mission."