By Suzanne Weyn CHAPTER FIFTEEN A Strange Presence Outside the Window When they arrived at the townhouse, George and James tried to persuade her to go with them to a party, but Bertie declined. Instead she went directly to the sewing room and ripped off one of the crates of fabric stacked in the corner. The packing material was just the same as it had been in the other crate. She could use t to make designs now that she’d seen how Ray had done it. She didn’t need him. Flipping through the pattern books, she searched for dresses that would be suitable for Catherine and Alice. At least here she could fit them on her dressmaker’s dummies, which would save time in alterations. Plus, she had the sewing machine, which would be invaluable to her. Lighting the gas lamps in the room, she got to work. In the morning she was still at her task. Bertie didn’t relish the idea of going back to her apartment for fear that Ray would pop out at her when she least expected it, as was his habit.
