Lilac Temptress (40 page)

“
But of course
I
did
, and it’s
quite a beautiful wardrobe at that. I made sure it would rival
Isadora’s,” Rosaline smirked.

“
You never doubted that I
would try to win him, did you?” Sierra was too astonished at
Rosaline’s accurate foresight to argue. She hadn’t even known she
would fight for Drake until dinner, until the moment her tug of war
began with Isadora—and when her body had sent her a subconscious
message to demonstrate what was in her heart. A part of Sierra
wanted to steal Drake away from Isadora just to punish her for
thinking she was somehow more worthy. But a bigger part wanted him
entirely for selfish reasons, and she wanted Drake to come to her
willingly.

“
I had my doubts,” Rosaline
said, gaining Sierra’s floating attention, “but I hoped and
prepared just in case. Now, let’s look and see—you have velvet
dresses, walking dresses, ball dresses imported from Paris,
traveling dresses in black silk, in pongee, in pique, and evening
robes in Swiss muslin.” Rosaline’s excitement left her without
pause for breath.

“
You also have robes in
linen for the garden and croquet, dresses for horse and yacht
races, dresses for breakfast, tea time and dinner, dresses for
receptions and parties, and I think there will be something perfect
for you to wear tomorrow afternoon.”

Sierra stood at the edge of her bed
taken aback at the extensiveness of the elaborate wardrobe laid
before her. “I am very impressed Rosaline. You will make me a
formidable rival,” Sierra said, wondering what was it exactly that
Rosaline had in mind for her. She doubted that she could ever wear
that many dresses in a year’s time. “Now, tell me about tomorrow
afternoon.”

Rosaline’s lips curled into a devious
smile.

* * *

Rosaline knocked politely on the door
of Drake’s study. It was mid-morning and she was not thrilled that
Drake had decided to skip breakfast.

“
Come in,” Drake called
out.

Rosaline sauntered into the room.
Drake sat on the sofa, appearing to be studying portfolios, set on
the table before him. “How do you feel after last night? Your chin
still looks raw,” she noticed.

“
Let’s not discuss last
night.”

“
As you wish,” she said
moving closer, and then she realized that his portfolios were not
business related.

Rosaline’s eyes questioned him as she
eased into a wing chair with padded cushions at the seat and
armrests, opposite of him.

“
Isadora handed these over
to me,” Drake explained hurriedly. “I wanted to leave these matters
to her, but she insisted on having my opinion.” Stress lines
creased his forehead. He was not looking forward to Isadora’s
reaction if his selections didn’t suit her taste, but he knew that
if he insisted that she make all the preparations herself, an
unpleasant quarrel might well ensue, and he would understand her
reaction, he thought. After all, he did agree to marry her, and if
he showed a lack of interest in their nuptials, she surely would
equate his behavior with a lack of faith in their future
together.

“
A waste of time since she
will do what she chooses nevertheless.” Rosaline smirked, snapping
Drake out of his worrisome thoughts.

“
Please be gentle Rosaline
and show a me little sympathy. Help me make a choice between which
centerpiece—crystal or floral?”

Rosaline grumbled and
rolled her eyes, ignoring Drake’s plea. “Did you know that her
people are out there? They arrived not long ago. A French
dressmaker is here with an entire selection of perfect wedding
gowns for Isadora to choose from. The
Grandmaster
drawing room is filled
with full skirts, accentuated by hoops and petticoats, bodices,
gloves, embroidered handkerchiefs and silk stockings.” Rosaline
watched Drake, who remained edgy while flipping the pages of the
catalog.

“
Isadora told
servants to let you know that you are not to enter that room. There
will also be decorators and coordinators arriving this afternoon.
Caterers will visit to discuss the menu. I warrant she will
have
her
wedding
entirely planned within a day. Are you listening to me, Drake?” she
griped when he continued to say nothing in response. “You’re
sitting there as if you are barely acknowledging me,” Rosaline
complained impatiently. She was not going to allow Drake to make
her concerns seem trivial.

Drake glanced across the table at his
sister. He had no intention of telling her that he didn’t care to
listen. “It is all too much. She wants me to tell her what I would
like,” Drake mumbled to himself. “But this is a woman’s
business.”

Rosaline knew just what to
say to get full her brother’s attention. “Did you know that
Charleston Brennan is due to arrive here tomorrow morning? Isadora
invited him.”
That sparked Drake’s
interest
, she thought, pleased with herself
while she watched Drake lift his alarm-stricken face.

“
The columnist for
the
Polite Society
paper?” Drake grimaced and pondered for a moment, tapping his
fingers on the catalogue. Charleston was everywhere it seemed,
covering major events. His columns were very witty and displayed
true reporting prowess, which made them, and him, very well
received. His talents had risen to legendary status. It was said
that the man could hear your thoughts and predict your actions, and
could get you to tell him everything he needed to know, which was
usually everything that you hadn’t wanted him to know. Charleston
reported on the private lives of the New Orleans elite class. And
Drake was satisfied that over the years, he had successfully
managed to avoid him at all costs. “How could she invite him
without consulting me first?” Drake barked, clearly
annoyed.

“
Isadora will see to it
that your wedding is the toast of the town for years to come. She
loves the publicity. Who other than Charleston? He is the most
favored columnist in the city, and will formally announce the
pending nuptials to all of New Orleans.”

Drake frowned in agitation. What was
Isadora thinking in letting Charleston Brennan interview
them?

“
And there are other
matters Drake, Isadora is being a very difficult woman. Your
servants are doing everything they possibly can to please her this
morning. Kyle refuses to leave the stable and enter the house in
order to avoid the commotion, and Sierra—” Rosaline noticed Drake’s
eyes perk up with curiosity.

“
Sierra is below, with
Jeanette in the kitchen, helping her prepare our midday meal.
Jeanette tried to discourage her, but Sierra insisted, and could
not be defeated. And oh, how Jeanette just simply adores her, and
welcomes her—she lessens the laborious and wearisome kitchen work,
following Jeanette’s instructions to the letter.”

“
Sierra toils in the
kitchen with Jeanette?” Drake’s chin lifted a notch as he met
Rosaline’s eyes, obviously impressed with what he was hearing.
Quite often Drake had sent servants to aid Jeanette in the kitchen,
but she rarely took on their help, saying that the help he sent was
nothing more than in her way, and could not prepare meals for the
master of the house as well as she could. After all, cooking was
her favorite pastime, but she only used her skillful cooking talent
to nourish a select few, and when she was finished in the kitchen,
other servants could enter to cook for the rest of the
house.

“
Sierra churns butter,
peels fruits and mixes spices while Jeanette uses the scullery
stove to prepare our noontime meal,” Rosaline emphasized Sierra’s
laborious work.

Drake laughed at his little sister
allowing himself a moment of reprieve. Clearly she was up to
something—making sure to highlight Isadora’s shortcomings, all the
while praising Sierra’s good deeds.

“
Sierra’s a guest who is
not interested in handouts. Perhaps you should follow her example
and join her in the kitchen,” Drake suggested slyly.

“
Oh dear brother, you must
be jesting with me. I escaped them before either of them found a
way to put me to work,” Rosaline puffed, and then seriously lowered
her brows before continuing.

“
Drake, I hope that after
you are married you will still find some leisure time to share with
me.”

Drake did not like what Rosaline was
implying. “There will always be time for you, Rosaline. Nothing
will ever change that,” he said pointedly.

“
But
she
will change that,
Drake!” Rosaline disagreed scowling. “Isadora will change things
between you and me. However, I have no choice but to accept this,”
she sighed with a heavy heart. “I just want to make the best of the
remaining time we have together before your wedding day. I—” she
hesitated.

“
What is it, Rosaline?”
Drake prodded. He understood his sister’s feelings, though he
thought that her concerns lacked any real foundation. She was a
huge part of his life. Isadora would never come between him and
her. He was certain of that.

“
I want us to go on a day
trip together, cruise the Mississippi for a day, and have lunch on
the Darling Belle. It will be dandy. Perhaps, we should even bring
along Sierra and Kyle, so that they too can see the sights—but you
have to agree to come along.”

“
And is my fiancée invited
as well?” Drake titled his head skeptically. He knew his little
sister hadn’t the slightest inclination to invite
Isadora.

“
She will probably be too
busy with all of her preparations... Drake, please
come.”

“
Rosaline, if this will
make you happy—” he sighed knowing that if he said no, he might
never hear the end of it.

“
Oh thank you, Drake!”
Rosaline jumped up, rushed around the table and swooped onto Drake,
giving him a giant hug, knocking him backward on the sofa, her eyes
alight with joy. “I will go and let everyone know immediately.” She
leapt up, arranging her frills and ruffles, allowing Drake time to
regain his composure. “And now that the matter is settled, I think
that you should stop hiding here in this room. It is noonday and
Kyle, Sierra and I have decided to picnic in the gardens,” Rosaline
informed Drake. “It is beautiful outside today, or have you been
locked up in this room too long to notice?”

“
I have things to do,
Rosaline—business to take care of,” Drake replied sensibly. He was
not ready to face Sierra after last night’s hellish ordeal. Every
time he laid his eyes on her, he knew that he deserved whatever due
she had to give him, and yet, there was a limit to the amount of
cruelty he would take.

“
Surely, you can take
time for lunch and a break from
this
?” Rosaline reached for the cover
of the wedding portfolio and promptly closed it. “These people of
Isadora’s will be tending to her all day. There will be plenty of
time for you to make your decisions later.”

Drake shifted uncomfortably
in his seat.
What the
hell
, he thought. He still wanted make
peace with Sierra. “I suppose you are right. I
am
famished.”

“
Great. Meet us at the
statue, near the azaleas,” Rosaline called over her shoulder as she
pranced away, exiting the study.

* * *

When Drake passed Isadora comfortably
seated in the sitting room, she hardly noticed him. She was
engrossed with planners and coordinators, giving orders, doing all
that Rosaline had told him. He took a mental note to correct her
undesirable behavior concerning the ill treatment of his staff as
he strolled outside into the openness of the garden landscape. He
walked between tall hedges, two rows of beautiful formal design
with generous curves and twists forming a flowery labyrinth. Native
trees cast shade where needed.

He found Sierra sitting alone at the
picnic site on a colorful quilt, near the small garden pond. A
statue of an angel with his arms wrapped around his earthly
enchantress stood in the center of a basin of water.

Drake thought Sierra a lovely vision,
with her rose-colored skirt flowing widely about her. He decided to
avert his eyes before he forgot his manners. It was easy to get
lost in her. Mounds of porcelain dishes, which smelled of savory
aromas, caused Drake’s stomach to growl loudly.

Sierra smiled up at him uncomfortably
as he drew closer, hoping that he didn’t hold a grudge against her
for last night. She didn’t know what to do or say, but speaking
rather than quietly looking blameworthy was the better option.
“There are beef puddings, casseroles, game pies, hams, potatoes and
Brussels sprouts. For dessert there is spotted dick pudding, plum
pudding, mince pies and more.” She pointed out the array of dishes
while speaking.

Drake knelt down across from her.
“Clearly, you didn’t bring all this out alone,” he asked, amazed at
the small feast spread before him.

“
No. Thomas
helped.”

“
Oh, did he?” Drake raised
his thick eyebrows, feeling slightly jealous that she would call on
Thomas instead of him, though he knew his feelings were absolutely
ridiculous.