She scowled at her reflection. “Drat. You’re supposed to make me look sweet and demure, not like a baby stork,” she murmured. “Miss?” Her footman, Jack, passed by, a concerned expression on his face. “Nothing, Jack. I was simply frustrated.” She wanted to be pretty for Phineas, actually, and she simply wasn’t. At best, Lelia knew she was handsome and, at worst, plain. Her one readily apparent female feature was her bust, and gracious, but it did get in the way. Sir Phineas Moore had seemed rather admiring of her attributes, which she found both surprising and confusing. She had been so careful to do her due diligence, to make certain her chosen marriage partner would require nothing in the marriage bed. “Why would anyone acquire such a reputation if it was not true?” she said, and was glad Jack was no longer there.
