The Fraudulent Duchess | ONC 2022

Chapter Five | The Dowager Duchess

     I had been in service ever since I was a child, and as one could imagine, life had not always been easy. I used to be a scullery maid and was in charge of sneaking around the household unseen to light all the fires before the family woke up. Once almost every maid came down with the flu, and I had to make all the beds on my own, which was a tiresome task. And in another household, I had to fix a ballgown in ten minutes after a seam came apart right before the young lady had to leave for a party.
But none of those experiences was as difficult as learning how to be a proper lady of society. I never considered Lady Gwendoline to be a demanding mistress until she took charge of my training. We would begin our lessons first thing in the morning, and she only gave me breaks during lunchtime and supper. Until she decided that I had to learn how to dine properly, so she told Lord Winton to let me sit with them, and she would constantly point out how I was not holding my utensils correctly. I would end up going to bed more tired than after any day in service.

"Tonight's the big night!" Lady Gwendoline declared after a week of curtsying, dancing, piano playing and other tedious skills that ladies were required to learn.
After our final piano lesson, where Lady Gwendoline declared that I was "decent" we went into her bedroom so that she could pick out my outfit. The Duke of Bedford was due to pick me up in an hour to take me to his great-aunt's house for dinner.
"While you are out tonight, I shall go through all of my old dresses and set some aside that you can keep," Lady Gwendoline informed.
"Are you sure that you do not mind me wearing your clothing?" I asked, no longer hesitating at the end of the sentence. After being yelled at dozens of times, I was able to remember not to address people formally.
"Of course not. I am taller than you, and therefore these dresses no longer fit me. So you might as well make use of them. You may have to alter some of them; since I have not been presented yet these dresses are less revealing than what you are allowed to wear as a married woman."
"I do not wish to wear revealing outfits."
"And you do not have to. But at least a few of your dresses must look as if you purchased them for yourself, instead of borrowing dresses from a fifteen-year-old."
I nodded, knowing that there was no point in arguing with Lady Gwendoline.
"Perhaps I can convince Ernest to let you have our mother's dresses," she said, thinking aloud as she normally did. "I do not think that he threw any of them out, and they should be appropriate. Although I have not seen them, so they might be out of fashion."
"It does not seem right to wear the late Countess' dresses," I replied.
"Well, why shouldn't you? We still have them, and no one is using them."
"Maybe you will wish to wear them after your debut."
"I doubt it. Besides, when it is time for my Season, Ernest will insist that I have new dresses made. Though it is a terrible waste if you ask me. Anyway, I will go through the dresses tomorrow after my ride."
"All right, thank you," I nodded, accepting defeat.
After a few more minutes of searching, Lady Gwendoline finally found a dress she deemed appropriate for the dinner. It was a dark purple gown with a medium-height neckline, with short sleeves with lace adorned on the ends and the bottom of the flat skirt.
"Put this on while I find you some gloves," Lady Gwendoline ordered.
I did as I was told; it was easier to listen to others than to come up with my own plan of action. Especially since I had no idea what I was doing, and I was terrified about the dinner with the Dowager Duchess.
Once I had changed into the dress, put on the gloves and shoes, and then did my hair (with Lady Gwendoline's help), I stared at myself in the mirror. I hardly recognized myself. This was the nicest I had ever looked in my life that it did not even look like me.
"You look very nice, Susan," Lady Gwendoline nodded.
"Thank you," I replied shyly, not used to hearing people compliment me.
"I am proud of you. You learnt quickly, and I truly believe that you will be able to pull this off."
"Thank you. I could not have done this without you."
"Well, thank me after Cecil gets his money."
Her comment made me smile, which helped ease some of my anxiety. We heard the sound of hooves on the driveway, and Lady Gwendoline went to her window to see who it was.
"That's Cecil's carriage," she informed. "Are you ready?"
"I do not have much of a choice," I responded. "So I suppose that I am as ready as I can be."
"It will be fine. Let us go down."
I nodded and followed Lady Gwendoline out of the room.