Minerva went to the stairs to see a large rectangular bundle hovering above the middle step. The package was too large for Beth to carry. It all but tipped her over, and obscured her sight. Minerva rushed down and helped her bring it up to her chamber.

Beth poked at the unbleached muslin and ribbon tie. “A gift?”

“I expect it is my new ensembles. They finished them very quickly.”

Minerva plucked at the ribbon and it fell to the sides. She unfolded the muslin. Her woolen ensembles were not inside. The luscious dinner dress, the one she had not bought, glimmered up at her.

Beth’s sharp intake of breath filled the chamber. “You said day ensembles. Not this.”

“A mistake has been made. The woman must have not heard me correctly.”

She lifted the dress. The simple raw silk far surpassed the more elaborate fabrics available. A subtle sheen rippled over it when she moved it in the light.

“What is this here?” Beth reached for the package and moved another piece of the muslin wrapper.

Minerva had been so distracted by admiring the dinner dress that she had not noticed something else had come with it. Beth lifted the garment high. An undressing gown unfolded and its hem dropped down. She had admired this at Madame Tissot’s too, and only declined it after much thought.

Beth peered around the white lace, suspiciously.

“I will send it back with the dress,” Minerva said.

Beth laid the undressing gown on the bed. “It is very pretty. The one you have has been mended five times over.”

“It is lovely, isn’t it?”

Beth ran her palm over the very fine lawn fabric. “Maybe it wasn’t a mistake. Perhaps that dressmaker just wanted you to have it.”

“Dressmakers do not make gifts of such as this, to patrons such as me. Pack it up and I’ll ask Jeremy to—”

“Could be that Mr. Radnor wanted you to have it, as compensation for all the help you have given him.”

If she had given him much help at all, she might convince herself of that. Still . . . She joined Beth in gazing at the garment. “If he did, it would be inappropriate for me to keep it.”

“Very inappropriate.” Beth fingered some lace, rubbing it. “I never thought to call such a thing delicious, but the word fits.”

Minerva marveled at the tiny pearl beads on the neckline of the dress. “Sad to return them, but I must.”

Beth gave a subtle shrug. “That all depends, doesn’t it? You listened to my long scold about having no more to do with him, and seemed to agree. But you didn’t actually do so, nor have you avoided him like you should.”