Jericho had ended up following in his dad’s footsteps into detective work, but he’d never follow in his dad’s footsteps and get married and put a wife in peril. He knew where to draw the line—had already drawn the line—and he had no intention of crossing it. Not now or any time in the future.

Chapter
5

“How do I look?” The slant of the ceiling of the dormer room prevented Ivy from straightening all the way. But she managed to twirl around anyway and give Astrid full view of her appearance.

Perched on the edge of the bed they shared, Astrid cocked her head, studying Ivy with narrowed eyes. “If I tell you the truth, do you promise not to be sore at me?”

Ivy paused and swished the green skirt with white pinstripes, relishing the silkiness against her bare legs. She knew she needed to wear the petticoat that had come with the outfit, but the fancy skirt was progress enough without having all the other stuff underneath.

“Of course I won’t be sore.” Ivy smoothed a hand over the matching bodice and the tiny velvet-covered buttons that ran up the front, for once wishing their room had a mirror.

Astrid stood and folded her hands. “The bodice is much too tight.”

Ivy glanced down at her chest. The buttons did strain a little, but who would notice? Especially with the lacy collar and identical lace at the cuffs of each sleeve.

“You should take out the seams as Linnea suggested.”

“It’ll be fine.” Ivy swiped up a straw hat with a ribbon of the same pinstripe material and dainty flower on the side. “What do you think?”

“Wear it like this.” Astrid tilted it so far, Ivy was afraid it would slip off.

Earlier in the spring, Linnea had given Ivy a trunk full of gowns she no longer wore. They were all much fancier than anything Ivy had ever owned, but for a wealthy eastern lady like Linnea, the clothing had become outdated. Since Linnea’s mother sent her new garments from time to time, Linnea had no need to hang on to everything.

At first Ivy had been skeptical of accepting the gift, but with Greta and Astrid encouraging her to, she’d decided it wouldn’t hurt anything to wear a nicer outfit now and again.

She took off the hat and smoothed back her hair, which Astrid had already styled for her in a braid wrapped into a knot. “I look like a heifer playing dress-up.”

“You look just fine.” Astrid fluffed out her own skirt, a fashionable gown she’d sewn herself. Her light brown hair was perfectly coiled in a chignon. With her pale skin and dainty features, she was every inch a lady. And she acted like one too. The fun, precocious Astrid who’d loved adventures was long gone.