The bridal suite was dead quiet the following afternoon. Clara had sent the bridesmaids away an hour ago, claiming she needed a moment of absolute peace before the chaos of the wedding weekend truly began. The heavy, extravagant white wedding dress was hanging on the back of the closet door, a pristine monument to the lie she was about to live for the rest of her life.
She stepped into the dress, pulling the heavy silk up over her hips. She needed to do a final fitting to make sure the structured corset back was sitting correctly before the seamstress arrived in the morning. She reached behind her, trying to pull the thick, ribbon-like laces tight, but her arms ached, and she couldn't get the leverage she needed. The bodice was loose, the back gaping open.
The door to the suite clicked o
