The Duke And His Four Wards

Rosalyn Fletcher stood by the door of the fitting room, peeping through the door she had somehow cracked open without their notice. She watched with interest, as Helene fussed over the gown on her daughter’s body.

“It is too loose at the waist. And why is the bust up so high?” Helene asked, turning to look at the dressmaker, Mrs. Baker who observed the fitting on the young lady’s body. When she saw nothing wrong with it, she turned to the lady of the house and said,

“I think the dress looks fine. She will not be able to breathe if I tighten it at the waist. Do you not think it would be scandalous to have the bust any lower than it already is?”

Mrs. Baker was the most sought after dress maker in the whole of Venkins. Every noble lady just like Lillian, dreamed to own at least one dress made by her. Lillian turned to look at her mother, pouting her rosy lips slightly as if in protest.

Helene chuckled with an amiable smile.

“I do not think there is any harm with a little adjustment here and there. But if you say it looks fine, then I will not argue with you. After all, you are more experienced than I am when it comes to this”, Helene agreed, gesturing to the gown on Lillian’s body. Mrs. Baker returned her smile.

Helene had put in a lot of effort and money to get the woman, and she did not want to displease her.

Rosalyn drew her brows together. It seemed like they were preparing to attend an important ball. And yet again, she was not invited, not like she minded.

“But mother, I think the color looks a little bit off on me”, Lillian whined, holding up the skirt while looking down at it in satisfaction.

“Oh hush now, this color suits you perfectly. It will make you stand out”, Helene shut her daughter up. Lillian wanted to wear red to the ball, but her mother told her to wear peach, as most young ladies would be wearing flashy colors.

“Your mother is right, Miss Fletcher. You wear the dress well, it looks beautiful on you”, Mrs. Baker complimented with a smile, that had Lillian reconsidering her choices.

Rosalyn could not help but agree with them. Lillian was a stunner, and it was as though the dress was made just for her to wear. It seemed to her that the two were really hoping to find a good match at the ball they were attending.

Rosalyn barely flinched when she felt something wet and coarse lick her feet. She lifted her skirt a bit, looking down. A smile graced her lips, when she saw her cat, Neal. He looked up at her with large blue eyes and then mewed, which had Rosalyn’s eyes widening in panic.

She looked back through the crack of the open door, and just as the feared, her presence had been discovered.

“I thought I shut the door”, Rosalyn said in astonishment, her brows drawing together.

“How long have you been standing there, Rosalyn dear? Come inside”, Helene invited, with a motherly smile.

Rosalyn smiled awkwardly, before pushing the door wide open and then stepping inside. Just before she shut it, she glared at the dark furred cat, who scrambled away, as though he knew he had done something wrong.

“This is my elder daughter, Rosalyn”, Helene introduced, keeping the motherly smile on her face which Rosalyn hated so much because it was so fake.

“It is nice to meet you, Miss Fletcher”, Mrs. Baker said, not so subtly scrutinizing her. Rosalyn was not fazed by her reaction, as she was used to it. The differences in physical features were too obvious to ignore.

“Nice to meet you too. You must be Mrs. Baker, I have heard a lot about you”, Rosalyn said, mustering a polite smile.

“Good things I suppose”, she replied.

“Of course”, Rosalyn agreed.

“It is good that you came in sister. What do you think about my dress?” Lillian asked with a sweet smile, showing off the dress to her.

“It looks magnificent on you”, Rosalyn said, and her smile widened. Rosalyn meant what she said, as she was not one to give false compliments. Lillian was a stunner, she doubted she would look terrible even in rags. The young lady was not crowned the beauty of the neighborhood for nothing. Sought after by many unmarried gentlemen. Even the married ones could not keep their eyes away, sadly.

“Thank you so much”, Lillian said, earning a chuckle from Helene.

“Rosalyn’s opinion matters a lot to our dear Lilly”, Helene said, and the smile on Rosalyn’s face threatened to fall. It was a shame that her acting was not as polished as that of her stepmother and sister. Unlike them, she had not yet mastered the art of pretense.

“I must say, you are a lucky woman, Lady Fletcher. Despite that Rosalyn is adopted, the two of them still managed to share a deep sisterly bond”, Mrs. Baker said with a smile, and Helene laughed softly.

It was no secret among members of the society that the Fletchers had adopted a daughter, even though they already had one. If only they knew the truth, Rosalyn thought.

“Rosalyn is my only sibling and best friend”, Lillian said, tucking a dark strand behind her ears shyly.

Rosalyn thought that it was either Mrs. Baker was too blind to see through their pretense, or she was been awfully sarcastic.

“I would like to get back to what I was doing mother, please excuse me”, Rosalyn said, managing a smile.

“Of course”, Helene said, and Rosalyn nodded towards Mrs. Baker before she took her leave.

As she walked out, the smile on her face slipped off.

“Best friend my arse”, she muttered under her breath, as she walked towards her room.