Page 18 of Miss Pauline’s Perfect Present (Double-Dilemma #3)

T he telltale bells told Cooper that Pauline’s customer had gone.

Ah well. He thought he saw the hint of a smile in Pauline’s eyes in that brief moment when she realized the work had been completed in her absence.

Was the smile for him? What did it matter though?

Even if the customer paid her handsomely, his help with the task wouldn’t be enough to earn her respect, not now that he could no longer truly call himself a journeyman tailor.

He would put a brave face on it. He needn’t spoil her Christmas, which should be full of joy, with Lady Bridlington’s baby and all.

But when Pauline entered the room, it wasn’t as the brisk, businesslike modiste who was ready to conquer the world of the ton, and who had overseen a commission that should have been impossible .

She was a small, fragile girl bending under a weight of responsibility.

Cooper understood then how she must have to bear the burden of everyone who worked for her, especially those who had put themselves to great effort to help her in these past few days.

What had happened in the other room? Did the mysterious customer refused to pay her? It had to be something.

Not caring whether he was being forward or what she would think of him, Cooper walked right up to her and said, “Miss Dawkins, why don’t you sit yerself down and have a rest. You look done up.

” He took her elbow, intending to lead her to a chair at one of the worktables.

But she turned such a pained look on him that without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her head to his chest, nestling it beneath his chin.

“That’s no way to look on Christmas morning,” he murmured into her hair.

What was he doing! He was about to apologize and let her go when she started to shake and gripped the lapels of his coat, pressing herself even more closely to him.

When she sniffed, he realized she was weeping.

Why? “’Ere now! What’s all this?” He took hold of her shoulders and held her a little away so he could lift her chin with his finger and gaze into her sorrowful eyes.

“Y-you must hate me. She must hate me! Poor Madame.”

Tears streamed down her face and she hiccuped with uncontrolled sobs.

He understood. It had been quite a time, between the anxiety over the sewing and her concern for the countess.

It was a lot for one small person to bear.

But what did she mean “poor madame?” Cooper looked up toward Mr. Gordon, who raised one eyebrow and quietly slipped out of the room.

They were alone. Something he’d been yearning for ever since she strode into Meyer’s two days ago, perhaps for even longer.

He wrapped his arms around Pauline again and held her in a gentle embrace, aware of the delicate strength of this small but mighty modiste.

He could enclose her easily in the circle of his arms and was happy to let her rest there against his heart to cry out whatever it was that troubled her.

After a little while, when her tears seemed to be spent, he murmured, “I could never hate you. You must know that. But that don’t matter. I’m not worth anything, now Meyer’s turned me off.”

She jerked her head up at that and said, “A-and th-that’s all my fault too!” her face crumbling into misery again. “You’d still have your p-position, and be comfortable, but I got you working trying to fill this crazy, pointless order and it ruined everything for you.”

“No! No!” he said, squeezing her more tightly, “I wanted to help you. It’s the best thing I ever done. Just to be near you. You don’t understand.” He made her look up at him again, cupped her face in his hands and said, “You see, I love you.”

Her sobs stopped almost at once. She caught her breath and opened her eyes wide. “What did you say?”

Was she angry? Upset? Oh well, he’d said it now.

“It’s no use. I can’t pretend. I fell for you when I first seen you, back in October.

And I opened my big mouth and said something stupid.

And now I don’t even have a position, so it’s hopeless.

” Now what? Was she smiling? How could she be smiling when she was still crying?

“Oh, Mr. Cooper! I think, I mean, it’s the same for me. I mean?—”

Before she could say another word, Benjamin Cooper, accomplished tailor, made it impossible for her to speak through the simple action of kissing her, at first tenderly, then, as her lips responded to his and parted, more deeply and passionately than he’d ever kissed anyone before.

In a very short time after that, things were in a fair way to being settled between Pauline and Ben Cooper. At least, they ought to have been, since they continued to cling each other and murmur gentle words, their eyes glowing with tenderness.

How was it possible, Pauline thought, to go from abject despair to utter elation in the blink of an eye?

Benjamin Cooper loved her. And she loved him.

All it had taken was thirty-six hours of grueling work to bring it about.

That, and his careless words, and her irritation …

would they always rub against each other, she wondered?

And then, the idea of rubbing against him in another way forced a vivid blush into her cheeks.

Much as she hated the idea of breaking the comforting contact between them, Pauline put her palms on Ben’s chest and gently pushed him away. “You must go and keep Christmas with your family, Ben,” she said.

“I have no family here in London. I grew up on a farm in Sussex,” he said, between planting kisses on her forehead and just above her ears.

“But you have to get some rest!” She protested a bit feebly at first, then with more insistence pushing him away, always with a smile on her face. “As do I. Then we’ll talk tomorrow. I have so much to do, and I must see Augusta in the morning.”

The door to the stairs opened and Aloysius entered. “Come, Cooper, we’ll walk out with you.”

Pauline tore her eyes away from Ben to look in the direction of the haberdasher, who already wore his greatcoat and carried Ben’s over one arm.

A little to her surprise, Mr. Kenton had his arm linked into Gordon’s other one.

The presser gazed up at Aloysius with such affection that Pauline let out a tiny gasp.

Of course! That’s why he had been so willing to come and help them!

She exchanged a knowing glance with Aloysius.

“Will you all come back tomorrow?” Pauline asked. “I owe you some wages for your superb work.”

“Did the customer pay you well?” Aloysius asked.

“Not yet. And perhaps never,” Pauline said, causing all three jaws to drop at once.

She wanted to laugh. “Ben, you and Mr. Kenton might not know her, but I’m certain Mr. Gordon does.

” She addressed Aloysius. “My customer was none other than Eunice Norton.” The three of them still appeared mystified.

“You all probably know her better as Madame Noelle.”

“What!” Aloysius exclaimed. “What in all that’s holy!”

“I was shocked as well. But I’m too tired to explain it now. Everything will be clear tomorrow, after I’ve seen Lady Bridlington. I hope you’ll all be willing to meet me here at eleven in the morning?”

Aloysius nodded and he and Kenton passed Pauline and Ben, who still held hands as if they couldn’t bear not to be touching each other.

“Philip and I will wait for you in the next room,” Aloysius said and closed the door behind them.

“Are you sure?” Ben asked when they were alone again.

“Positive. I’m sure, and I’m exhausted. Go now. We’ll see each other in the morning.”

Quite reluctantly, Ben Cooper said goodbye to Pauline—but not without enfolding her in his arms and kissing her once more.

“Foolish fellow!” Pauline said playfully. “Until tomorrow.”