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for a whole new wardrobe and to decide on her wedding dress.
    Madame Bellerose had been patient and kind and suggested a few slight adaptions that would make her gowns more practical. An extra tuck at the side and under the arm to give her more movement when being lifted , and a little padding on her stays to stop her crutches chafing. The woman had looked critically at her leg braces, muttering about the need to find something that would not mark the skin so. Sarah wished she would. Sometimes the leather straps left such deep welts that she had to remain abed and allow them to heal.
    Of course it had been flattering to have been treated like a proper lady, measured and given her choice of fabrics. She had looked though fashion plates, making suggestions as Madame Bellerose agreed or disagreed, explaining that one style would show off too much décolletage and the other not enough.
    “ Eet eez best that you leave somezing to your husband’s imagination, n’est pas?”
    She had blushed furiously and Madame Bellerose had chuckled heartily.
    Of course, she had been extremely annoyed at Nathaniel for not consulting her. And honestly, he had no manners and no sensitivity. Anyone would think her own clothes ugly and old-fashioned. They may have been a little plain and not quite the fashion of this particular season, but her gowns were serviceable, which was all she really required.
    And here he was again, organising their engagement dinner and not even consulting her. Did he think her feeble-minded as well as unable to walk? Well tonight she would show him, in her new dusky rose dress that Madame Bellerose had assured her would complement her bright red hair beautifully. She looked at the pearl hair pins she had laid out the night before. They had been her mama’s and she seldom had any occasion to wear them. But tonight she would ask Tilly to give her a sophisticated coiffure.
    She would show, His Grace, the Duke of Kirkbourne that she could be like any other young lady of the ton, and he could be proud of her.
    Oh hell, who am I kidding? I will still be ungainly Freckles, dragging my useless feet behind me while everyone looks on, pretending they are not watching, in the sure knowledge that Kirkbourne was tricked into marrying me.

Chapter Ten
    Nate arrived at Brackingham House and the door opened immediately.
    “ Lady…” But she was standing, mere feet from him, her pink tongue stuck out in concentration as she dragged an unwilling foot to lay flat against the floor.
    “ Damned thing. Some days it is better than others,” she growled.
    “ I shall carry you,” he pronounced, striding over and placing his hand on her back. He was not expecting her to elbow him in the stomach and hold up her crutch to ward him off. He jumped back, lifting his hands in surrender, crashing against a sideboard, and grateful not to have damaged any of the figurines on it.
    “ I can do it myself,” she said through gritted teeth, her eyes dark and sparking with anger. “If I want help, I shall ask for it.” She lowered her crutch and continued her slow progress to the door.
    Nate stood watching in stunned silence. He had glanced in the direction of the butler to see the elderly gentleman professionally stoic while his lips twitched in merriment. He took a deep breath and tried again.
    “I apologise. I should have asked.”
    “ Yes, you should. And while we are discussing what you should and should not do, you should not send modistes here without consulting me, and you should not arrange my damned engagement dinner without consulting me. I am not an imbecile, Nathaniel. My legs may not work but my mind is perfectly fine.”
    “ That you being hen-pecked already, Kirkbourne?” The voice from the stairs, her father’s, was loud and clear. He was looking dapper in a black evening coat and black breeches. He did not seem to be coughing either, which was a blessed relief. “Come, Sarah darling. Let Kirkbourne or one of the servants carry