Her finest seamstress had designed a pattern on his jacket. It started up at his neckline and travelled down his front on each side of the buttons. From afar, it looked like a beautiful swirly pattern of bright colors. Jade and orange weaved through rounded, flowing lines of purple. But if one looked closely, the shape of a dragon being hunted by a knight revealed itself. The image of the knight began at his neckline on the back of the jacket and swirled amongst a grove of trees.

“For France, darling. If we appear thus, we set ourselves as the supreme leaders in fashion. And besides the prince himself, everyone will turn to us.” All true, naturally, but an equally important great disguise and sleight of hand were at play as well.

“And you feel that men of substance, men I would care to influence, will have any respect for me at all? I am wearing purple breeches. Could I not simply wear my usual tan or black?”

Scarlet shook her head. “Matteo, trust me. You look wonderful and will be the envy of the ton, and most especially, Prince George. He will turn to you for your brilliant fashion advice, mark my words.” When Matteo began to protest, she continued. “And that will carry over into other, more important subjects.” She placed a hand on his arm. “I know you do not feel like yourself. But look at it as a costume of sorts. That is the only way I can stomach it.” She waved a hand over her own clothing with a flourish.

She’d forgone any side bums and instead built up an immense rump at the back of the dress as she had for the wedding ceremony, but this rump was so large she didn’t know how she would ever sit down. The fabric of her dress fell in layered folds down to the ground. Her sleeves draped from her shoulders in ever-wider lace. When it reached her hands, it sat precisely at her wrist on the tops of her hands but fell in great abundance on the underside of her wrists, down to her knees.

Matteo grinned and kissed her hand. “I quite like the dress, actually. This jade color matches my jacket and lightens your eyes. I am a bit mesmerized by them, flashing back at me the way they are. And I am astounded—yes, that is the word—utterly astounded by your hair and adornments.”

He couldn’t stop himself. She could see he tried, but a laugh escaped before he turned and cleared his throat.