Old Ben and Buckingham Palace； seen the crown jewels； watched the changing of the guard；
drunk tea； and eaten scones。 As far as she could remember； she？d spent most of the trip listening to
Madonna on her iPod。 But that was London as atourist。 Now that shelived here； things were totally
different。
Everyone said London was gray； overcast； foggy； and depressing； but it had been clear and sunny
all week。 The trees were in full bloom； there were lush gardens on every block； and every building
was ornate and beautiful。 Everyone also said that the English were standoffish； with bad teeth and
thick accents； and although their teeth and accentswere distractions； so far every person Blair had
spoken to had been unfailingly polite。
Of course they had been？she？d only talked to salespeople who worked on mission。
Blair checked her cell again： no messages。 She tossed the phone back into her bag。 She
understood that a gentleman had to pay extra attention to his guest？family was very important to
the English upper class？and Camilla was lovely； really。 She really was。 Even if she did look like a
blond cartoon freakworm。 And Blair understood； really she did。 But she was ready to spice things
up a little； and the more Lord Marcus made her wait； the more fidgety and eager she got。 Maybe
the whole thing was just a ploy to turn her on as much as possible？
Um； maybe。
Strolling down the street in the general direction of her hotel； Blair felt like a cross between Julia
Roberts inPretty Woman ？the scene where she goes shopping in a giant black wide…brimmed hat
and has all the Rodeo Drive salespeople waiting on her hand and foot？and Audrey Hepburn inMy
Fair Lady ； the beautiful Cockney waif who rises from obscurity on the streets of London to
bee the toast of the town。 Except Blair was neither a prostitute nor a waif from the gutter。
Details； details。
She glanced up and down the street； but every store window； every awning； looked familiar。 Had
she really made it toall the stores in the neighborhood？ Finding great clothes in London was easy；
and the exchange rate made it even better。 Blair noticed it the minute she arrived； she had to get
cash for a taxi and was surprised at how many bright； pretty pastel…colored bills she got in
exchange for her boring old U。S。 dollars。 The teller at the bank even gave her a handful of
change？including an oversize penny that was worth two cents； not just one； a funny
hexagon…shaped coin； and a bunch of thick； heavy coins that were worth a whole pound each。 If
the English used coins for the same thing Americans used bills for； clearly this was a place to find
great bargains。 Not that sheneeded to find bargains。
Blair was standing outside of what at first looked like just another West London brick mansion： a
tall； well…lit town house with big； clean windows and blooming flower boxes underneath them。 A
lifetime of shopping had given Blair a sixth sense； she justknew when something good was
lurking nearby。 Through the street…level windows she could see an ornate Chinese vase stuffed full
of white camellias on a pretty gilded table。 Blair couldn？t see any clothes but she was absolutely
convinced something incredible was inside。
After all； everyone has a special talent。
She rang the doorbell and the door buzzed back； so she pushed it open and stepped into the
marble foyer of the elegant house。 The open； airy parlor floor was filled with simple displays： an
incredible Kelly green crocodile bowling bag perched on top of a broken Corinthian column
bathed in the soft glow of a spotlight； a show…stopping pair of red velvet ballerina flats atop a satin
pillow。 They were so plush Blair couldn？t resist stroking them。 A tall Indian girl with long； thick
hair smiled at her from behind the antique art nouveau desk。 Blair felt a little self…conscious in her
Rock & Republic jeans； her gold silk Eberjey camisole and her skimpy sandals； but she wasn？t
about to walk out。
？I？m Lyla；？ the salesgirl chirped in a clipped English accent。 ？Do let me know if I can help you
find anything。？
Blair walked to the foot of the gracefully curving staircase。 Sensing something in the distance；
she ascended the marble steps grandly。 The steps wereexactly like the ones Eliza descends inMy
Fair Lady ； in the scene where she has her society debut。
See； life really does imitate art。
The second floor was nearly empty； except for a floor…to…ceiling three…way mirror against the far
wall。 Sun flooded in and Blair paused； pretending it was her own private dressing room。 In the
middle of the space； suspended from a glass hanger； hung a long white dress。 It was made of silk；
cut along the bias； and seemed to breathe as if it had a life of its own。 It was 。。。beautiful。 Whoever
wore that dress would be the star of a never…ending love story with herself。 Blair reached out to
touch the dress； transfixed。 Could it be？ It was。
It was a wedding dress。
It washer wedding dress。
？Would you like to try it on？？
Blair whirled around to see Lyla from downstairs。 She hadn？t heard her ing。
？Yes； definitely；？ Blair half whispered。 ？I think I？m going to need it。？
For what； exactly？
The shop only acmodated one customer at a time； so there was no need for dressing rooms。
Lyla explained this； reaching up to remove the glass hanger from its tack on the wall； while Blair
all but leapt out of her clothes。 She grabbed the gown and slid into it headfirst。 The chiffon was as
soft and light as fresh whipped cream； and she shivered as it fell down the length of her body。
Avoiding the mirror until everything was perfect； Blair stood by the windows； looking down onto
the lush private garden behind the store。
？Here； let？s put this on as well。？ Lyla held up a delicate gold lariat necklace and slipped it around
Blair？s neck。 ？I think you？re ready to have a look now；？ she murmured； turning Blair so that she
faced the mirror。
Blair crossed the room carefully； holding the dress up so she didn？t trip on the delicate hem。
There was a small platform in front of the mirror and she stepped up onto it； avoiding her
reflection until she was perfectly situated。 She let go of the dress； shook her hair back from her
face； and then gazed at her reflection。
？Oooh！？ she gasped。
There it was： the future。 Blair had never seen a more perfect dress in her life。 It was so amazing；
its beauty rubbed off on her。 She wasn？t even wearing proper makeup； but her face had never
looked more flawless。 She was wearing the wrong bra but her breasts had never looked so full。
She felt like she？d stepped off the cover ofTown & Country ？s summer wedding issue。 That old
theory？that you justknow ； somehow； when you？ve found the right wedding dress？seemed to be
true。
They？d be married in St。 Patrick？s on Fifth Avenue and they？d rent all the rooms in the St。 Clair
for the guests to stay in and for the reception。 Her father would give her away with tears in his
blue eyes； whispering； ？I love you； Bear；？ as he handed her off to Marcus。 Marcus would hold her
hand throughout the ceremony in that intimate way of his； reminding her that they weren？t just
passionately in love； they were best friends。
？It？s really quite something； isn？t it？？ Lyla crossed her arms in front of her。 She was standing
behind Blair； smiling approvingly。 Blair met her gaze in the mirror。
？It？s just perfect；？ she breathed； her eyes transfixed on the endless train of pure white silk。
？Have you set a date？？
Um； how about a proposal first？ And what about； you know； college？
？I？ll take it；？ Blair declared。
？Of course；？ Lyla agreed。 ？You won？t be sorry。 He？s going to love it。？
Blair nodded back hypnotically； still staring at her own reflection。
？And what about the necklace？？ Lyla queried。
Why not？Blair thought。
Oh； yes； why not？
there？s something about danny
The single plaint Dan had about his job at the Strand was that the bookstore lacked one
essential； modern amenity： air…conditioning。 This morning he was stationed in the pletely
airless basement； manning the information desk and keeping an eye on special orders； like the
request for a skin diseases photo calendar。 After a couple of torturous hours； he was definitely
ready for some fresh air。
If that？s what you call a smoke。
As soon as his replacement？a scowling； silent guy named Brent who？d worked at the store for
about twenty years？ arrived to take his place； Dan jogged up the narrow staircase and outside。 A
concrete ledge ran alongside the square beige building and he perched on it； enjoying the shade as
he lit up。
The sidewalk was crowded with passersby browsing the Strand？s large outdoor carts； which were
full of super…discounted books no one wanted； likeCollectible Coins from Contemporary Canada
andTiger：The True Story of the Dog Who Loved a Cat 。 Dan closed his eyes and tuned out the
chatter of the bargain hunters。 He took a deep drag on his cigarette and thought about Herman
Hesse？sSiddhartha 。？Love stirred in the hearts of the young daughters of the Brahmins when
Siddhartha passed through the city stree