Sins of Omission by Irina Shapiro Read Free Book Online Page A

Frances,” I gushed, eager to make her happy. 
    “I’ve never owned anything so fine.” 
    Hugo made sure that Frances had several gowns suitable for attending social functions, such as the one that was being held tonight at Luke Marsden’s residence.  Luke decided to commemorate Valentine’s Day with a musical soiree, promising a singer of unparalleled talent to entertain his guests.  Hugo considered refusing the invitation, but I implored him to go, if only for Frances’s sake.  The girl needed a reason to get dressed up and leave the house, and bringing her into Luke’s orbit could only be beneficial under the circumstances.  I’d had my reservations at first, but having had the opportunity to get to know Luke better over the past two months, had to admit that Hugo knew what he was about.  Luke seemed like a genuinely decent man, one who would make a good husband and father.  Hugo hadn’t told him much of what happened to Frances back in England, but just enough to make him understand that she was fragile and in need of tenderness and understanding.  I had a sneaking suspicion that Luke was the type of person who liked to mend broken things, and when the thing in question was a beautiful young girl who craved love and attention, it was a match made in Heaven.
    Frances blushed furiously as Archie poked his head into the room and froze at the sight of her, his mouth opening in appreciation.  Frances averted her eyes, but continued to gaze at Archie from beneath her lashes, making the young man momentarily forget what he’d come for. 
    “Eh, his lordship requires your presence, my lady,” he finally uttered before hastily leaving the room.  I turned to go, but not before I saw a secret smile that lit up Frances’s face.  She clapped her hands as she twirled once more before the cheval glass and gingerly touched a crescent-shaped patch on her cheekbone.  I had never thought patches to be anything other than silly, but I had to admit that the crescent made Frances look charmingly whimsical rather than foolish.
    Hugo was already dressed, but not preening quite as much as Frances.  He frowned at the mirror as he adjusted his new coat, which was splendid, and gently pulled on the lacy cuffs of his shirt, which intentionally protruded from the turned back sleeves. 
    “Will you help me?” he asked shyly. 
    “Have a seat.”  Hugo hated this part with a passion, but he couldn’t show his face in polite society without first being properly made up.  I dusted his face with rice powder until it resembled a pale moon, then touched a sachet filled with rouge to Hugo’s lips and cheeks, tinting them just enough to appear rosy.  A beauty patch completed the transformation.  I laughed as Hugo scowled at himself in the mirror while I adorned his head with his new periwig, which was longer and curlier than the one he’d had in England. 
    “I can’t bear to look at myself,” Hugo spat out and turned from the looking glass.  “I shudder to think what people of the future will make of these fashions.”
    “They will find them utterly ridiculous and effeminate, but you must look like a proper seventeenth-century fop if you expect to enter French society.  One more patch?” I asked innocently as he growled at me.  “You are very pretty, mon amour ,” I said sweetly and jumped out of the way as Hugo tried to catch me.  Jumping was a bit of an overstatement since I was so unwieldy I could barely shift my bulk, but I eventually let him catch me and give me a kiss.
    “I’ve never kissed a man wearing rouge before,” I mused as I wiped my lips.  “Have a good time, you two.  And keep an eye on Frances,” I admonished.  “Perhaps Luke’s intentions are not as honorable as you think.”
    “Luke Marsden will only lay a finger on Frances if he wishes to be gelded,” Hugo replied.  He was in a foul mood indeed, so perhaps an outing would do him good.  He’d been brooding since we moved into