His Lady's Crescendo

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

As the first light of dawn filtered in through the delicate lace curtains adorning the bedroom windows, Isabelle stirred from her slumber, her senses gradually awakening.

Her bedroom itself exuded an air of opulence with plush velvet framing the tall windows and intricately carved mahogany furniture gleaming softly in the early morning light.

The faint scent of flowers lingered in the air, a reminder of the bouquet she had asked Anne to keep in her room.

Anne stood patiently by her bedside, a warm smile playing at the corners of her lips as she awaited her lady's awakening. Anne was a constant presence in Isabelle's life, her steady hands and gentle demeanor a perfect match for Isabelle's spontaneity.

With a soft yawn, Isabelle stretched languidly beneath the covers, her movements graceful and unhurried. She blinked drowsily, her gaze wandering to the window where the first blush of dawn painted the sky in shades of rose and gold.

As she emerged from the cocoon of her bedchamber, Anne moved forward to assist her with her morning ablutions. With practiced efficiency, she drew back the heavy velvet curtains, allowing the soft light of dawn to spill into the room in a cascade of golden hues. Isabelle stood before the ornate dressing table, her reflection framed by the gilded mirror that adorned the wall.

With delicate fingers, Anne brushed out her now long, chestnut locks, the rhythmic motion soothing in its familiarity. She selected a gown from the wardrobe, a vision of silk and lace that shimmered in the morning light. Isabelle slipped into the gown with ease, the fabric draping elegantly over her slender frame.

As Anne fastened the intricate buttons of the gown, Isabelle's thoughts turned to the day ahead. Thankfully, her piano lessons were moved until next week. She loved the piano but couldn't handle Mr. Antoine's lectures today. 

Her mind drifted to the family dinner that was tonight; they rarely had dinner together, except once a month when they all gathered and pretended to like each other. She adored her brothers, but Adrian was always traveling or at school, and Sebastian was busy managing the household. Even though they lived in the same house, she rarely saw him.

Avoiding Eloise was more challenging; she seemed to be present at every party, soiree, luncheon, and gathering. They rarely conversed, except when the marchioness made Eloise her chaperone at gatherings.

Her mother was mostly distant so they rarely spent time together by themselves, but Isabelle enjoyed having dinner with her father; who always made time for her in his busy schedule.

Today, she had to attend a fitting for new dresses for the season. Many invitations had been sent to her already and her mother had already decided which events she could attend. Now all she needed was new dresses to attend them all. She also had secret errands to run, activities she could only do during this time when her mother was busy, and she could hide behind the ruse of running errands or going shopping.

The house buzzed with activity; servants cleaned up from the previous night's party while another group prepared for tonight's dinner. Isabelle strolled to the entrance, aiming to avoid encountering any family members and their inquiries. The last thing she wanted was to bump into her mother, who might disrupt her plans by sending someone other than Anne to accompany her to the seamstress.

As she approached the hall, she heard her mother's voice, sounding tense unlike her usual calm demeanor, as she spoke to the family butler. "Isabelle, where are you headed?" her mother inquired, noticing Isabelle in the hallway.

"Just to the modiste, Mother, you know about this already," Isabelle replied calmly.

"Make sure you're presentable for tonight; I invited guests," her mother instructed, without elaborating further.

"Guests? But you never do that" Isabelle exclaimed, surprised by the revelation.

"Yes, Isabelle I did today. Be polite and obedient," her mother added impatiently.

"Of course, Mother. I better leave now," Isabelle said, sensing her mother's preoccupation with other matters.

"Run along," her mother dismissed her, returning to her conversation with the butler.

The carriage ride to Belle Étoile Boutique was peaceful and quiet; Isabelle observed Anne dozing off in the corner. It wasn't her first time visiting the boutique, owned by a famous French modiste in Eldoria.

Mademoiselle Claudette had been making Isabelle's gowns since she turned eighteen for her debutante, two years ago. It was also the year she had made her mother very angry and ended up being grounded for two years.

Despite the punishment, Isabelle cherished that time; she spent it playing her piano, having tea time and long conversations with Charlotte, and going out to restaurants with her dad when he wasn't too busy. She was grateful for those moments and wished she could have them back, but now it was time for the hidden Montrose daughter to come out again.

The appointment with Mademoiselle Claudette didn't take as long as Isabelle had expected; the dresses were beautifully made. Two years ago, she would have been excited to have mature and elegant dresses made for her, but now all she could think about was how her mother was going to ensure she was engaged or wedded by the end of the season. All the signs pointed to this inevitable outcome.

Once she was done, Isabelle acted out the same scene she always did when planning to escape. The carriage took them to a restaurant in town, where she rented a private space to eat. There, she changed into more common clothes.

"Be careful, my lady, or we might get in trouble," Anne cautioned, concern etched on her face.

"It's alright, Anne, I will be safe," Isabelle reassured her, changing her heels for boots.

"Come on, don't worry. I'll be back before you know it. Order anything you want," Isabelle said, trying to ease Anne's worried expression.

"I won't be able to enjoy anything properly if you're not here," Anne admitted.

"We've done this before; it will be alright," Isabelle said confidently, handing Anne some gold coins.

"I'll be back by 3:30, I promise," she assured Anne before heading out.

"I'll do that, my lady. Please be safe," Anne said softly, expressing concern every time Isabelle went out on her own.

Despite not wanting to worry Anne, Isabelle cherished her time alone, pretending to be a normal girl rather than the daughter of a Marquis.

The air outside felt wonderful as she adjusted her cloak to avoid drawing attention to herself. She navigated the alleys with ease until she reached the familiar tavern she always visited.

As Isabelle entered the dimly lit tavern, she was greeted by the familiar sight of Ben, the owner, who stood behind the bar with a worn but welcoming smile.

"Ay, it's been a while since I last saw you here." Ben remarked, his voice gruff but friendly.

Isabelle couldn't help but tease him a bit. "Not long enough, but did you become more handsome?" she quipped, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Ben chuckled, shaking his head at her playful banter. "It won't work this time. I've got a new pianist," he replied, nodding toward the stage where a young man sat nervously at the piano. "He's not good, but he's not bad either."

Isabelle flashed Ben her most persuasive smile. "Come on, Ben, I'll do it for free," she pleaded, her tone coaxing.

After a moment of consideration, Ben relented. "Fine, I'll let you do one song, and one song alone," he agreed, though not without adding a condition. "And one drink on the house as payment," he added with a grin.

Isabelle's face lit up with gratitude. "Oh, thank you, Ben!" she exclaimed, her excitement palpable. Despite his reputation for being stingy, Ben had always been supportive of her musical talents, providing her with a stage where she could play freely and express herself without constraint.