is too formal? What are you going to wear for the dinner?”
He hadn’t thought about it really. “I guess a suit with a dress shirt? No tie. That would be too formal. So yes, the dress would be, too.” Such a shame. She needed to be seen in that dress. Seen and admired. Maybe he should host something grander than a dinner party.
Had there ever been a ball in Shadowvale?
She frowned at the closet. “That’s what I figured. It’s fine. There’s a lot in there, and I have a few other things that will probably work. Like I said, I just couldn’t resist trying this on. Especially because it still had the tags on it.” Her brows lifted conspiratorially. “Do you have any idea how much this dress cost? I probably shouldn’t have it on at all.”
“No idea. Vesta spent money like the kingdom had an unlimited supply.” Which was almost true. The kingdom was wealthy enough because of their mines, much like Shadowvale, but that didn’t require Vesta to spend it all. Ruling responsibly was apparently not her style. Shocking, that.
Theo’s voice was low and serious. “Nine thousand dollars. And that was twenty years ago.”
His brows lifted. “That is quite a sum. Chances are it was given to her, however. Lots of those clothes were.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “That’s how being royal works sometimes.”
“So those who need the least are given the most.” She rolled her eyes. “That’s just great.”
“Well, the dress is yours now.” He couldn’t imagine another woman in it. No other woman could do justice to it the way Theo did.
For a moment, she looked shocked. Then she spoke. “Thank you. But what on earth will I do with it? I don’t have any place to wear a dress like this.”
“Wear it for a stroll in the garden for all I care, but it’s yours. When you look like that in something, you should have it. And that’s that.” But already, a new idea was percolating in his head. If this dinner party went well, there was no reason not to attempt something bigger and grander.
He sat on the bench at the end of the bed. It was the same hideous white velvet as the headboard. “Now, if you’re not going to wear that to dinner, what do you think might work?”
Her brows lifted. “You want to see the dresses I’m considering?”
He sat back, resting his elbows on the bed. “If you want to show them to me, I’d be happy to have a look.”
Her smile broadened. “Okay. Give me a few minutes to change.”
She disappeared into the depths of the closet. A short time later, she reappeared in a heavily embellished green number.
He took a moment to choose his words carefully. “I like the color. And the dress fits you very nicely. But…” He waved his finger at the gold braiding that looked like some kind of wayward sea creature attempting to devour her neck. “That’s a lot.”
“Yeah, I know. It needs some decluttering. Most of them do.” She spread her arms. “Otherwise, it’s not too bad. Thankfully, most of the sizes are compatible.” She glanced down at the simple black pumps she had on. “And some of the shoes are too small, but I’ve found a few pairs that work.”
“You know,” he said, “you would look good in a flour sack.”
With a little laugh, she put her hands on her hips. “Maybe I should see if Mrs. Applestock has one.”
He grinned. “She might. But how about you try the next dress on instead?”
They spent another hour or so like that, and he would have been willing to stay longer, watching her parade out in Vesta’s abandoned things. The queen had never looked as good in them, and in the end, Robin gave all of it to Theo. Not just the things she’d tried on, but everything that Vesta had left behind.
He put her in charge of getting rid of it, too. Whatever she didn’t want, she was to let Mrs. Baton know it needed to be cleared out.
“I can do that,” she said. “But would you mind if I let her, Lolly, and Mrs. Applestock have a look through, too? There might be something in here they could use.”
“Lolly I could see, but Mrs. Applestock is a bit rounder and shorter, and Mrs. Baton is too tall and grumpy.”
Theo laughed. “Grumpiness doesn’t affect size.”
“No, but can you see her in any of those exuberant things?”
“Not even remotely, but much like I plan to do, she might