The Other Side - J. D. Robb [49]
The dress, however, was perfect, though the style might emphasize the few pounds she had gained with Cameron. Was it time to find a new dressmaker?
When Harry reached her, they kissed each other on the cheek as they usually did, and he whispered, “These shoes already hurt.”
She looked down. “They’re new. Why are you wearing every single new item in my wardrobe? Though in this case I appreciate you wearing the shoes. They are not yet conformed to my feet. How generous of you to break them in for me.”
Harry answered with a groan.
“But, darling,” she said, raising her voice a little. “Don’t you recall telling me the fastening on that necklace is weak? I’ve been meaning to take it to the jewelers for you. Why not step into the salon and have Freeba bring down the pearls instead. They will look magical with the pale pink of the gown. And she could bring the pearl combs, too.”
“But I like the diamonds,” Harry said, as one of the footman hurried upstairs to find Freeba, and Bettina all but dragged Harry into the salon. “I want to wear them more often.”
Bettina closed the door before the footman could do it for them and faced her husband with her hands on her hips. “They are not the right jewels for this evening, Harry.”
“That’s it! I’ve had enough of this!” He reached back and unfastened the perfectly sound clasp and dropped the necklace on the near table. “How the hell am I supposed to know what jewelry is right for what occasion?”
Harry hit his forehead with his hand. “God! I cannot believe I asked that question. Before the damn wish I could have cared less. When this is over, I may well have to search for my manliness. It is being compromised more each moment.”
As long as your search does not go beyond our bedroom. Bettina kept the thought to herself. If he had not considered it, she did not want to put such ideas into his head.
Instead she went back to the topic under discussion. “When you dress, listen to Freeba. She would never have let you wear the diamonds.”
“Like you listened to Roberts? That waistcoat is ugly, and makes my skin look sallow.”
“It does not! Roberts and I both agreed that it should be worn more often.”
“Believe me when I tell you that Roberts is not the fashion expert Freeba is. Roberts keeps me organized and is a genius with the shaving blade and that is the only reason I keep him. He thinks Brummell is a fool with his ideal of dressing simply and prefers to hold the Regent as a model.”
Oh dear, Roberts was wrong on both counts. Bettina wondered if there was time for her to change into another waistcoat.
Harry whirled around the room, pacing the floor as the earl did when he was annoyed. He paused in front of the full-length glass.
“Harry,” Bettina began, looking at her dress in the glass. “Do you think that gown makes me look fat?”
“No more than that waistcoat makes me look sallow.”
“For all that’s good, that is no answer at all.”
“Yes,” he said with a withering smile. “I have learned the art of an answer that is not one in Parliament.”
The reminder that tomorrow she would have to take his seat in the House of Lords made her feel sick.
Before she could say anything more, there was a knock and they were both surprised when Martha Stepp came in, carrying little Lord Cameron. “I do beg your pardon, my lord and my lady, but the babe sat up for the first time and, my lady, you told me today that you wanted me to show the earl any significant changes as soon as they happened.”
“You did that?” Bettina looked at Harry, her eyes filling with tears. How sweet of him to know how much she would miss her time with Cameron.
“Well, yes, he is your son, too, my lord.” Harry emphasized the last two words, and Bettina nodded.
Darling Cameron performed for them with