4
Allie whipped her head up and showed off her wide eyes. “Really?”
Douglas inclined her head. “Truly. She was fond of such a plain but elegant style which suited her dark hair.”
Allie’s heart fell. “You must have cared for her a great deal to keep her clothes and care for her child.”
Her hostess nodded. “Very much so. Though our ages and social rank were vastly different, Mattie was a dear companion to me. She never ceased to brighten any room in which she occupied.” She dropped her eyes to the floor and a soft sigh escaped her lips. “She left this world far too soon, leaving that precious child behind.”
“I can’t take this,” Allie insisted as he held out the elegant dress. “It means too much to you.”
Douglas shook off her melancholy and straightened to her full imperial st
