POV: Clara

The moment Fiona said, "Hey! Isn't this Imogen, the mistress?" I was rendered speechless. The word "mistress" hung suspended in the air, a toxic cloud. All eyes in the boutique turned to her, and Imogen's face was aflame with shame. She had been the "well-known lady" of Bristol, but now. Fiona was not done.

"It seems like your lover's making you official?" she sneered, eyes full of sarcasm. "These days, a mistress who should be hidden also has the nerve to wear a formal gown with ...