Chapter 36: GABRIEL

“Let me grab a jacket. Be right back.” She started to fret that there was nothing to do justice to her gown like a typical female before I stopped her.

“No need. Here.” I walked to the coat closet where the rest of her outfit waited and removed the cape I’d left hanging there.

“Oh my, it’s beautiful.” I draped the ermine coat around her shoulders and stood back to look. The padded silk cape had been died to match her gown in daffodil yellow, while the white ermine border glistened beneath the light of the chandelier. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” She ran her hands over the fur in awe.

I took her hand and led her to the door, or I have a feeling she’d have stood there all night admiring herself. She hadn’t yet noticed the butterflies outlined with gold thread pattern that flitted along the back and sides of the cape, but I knew that would be a whole other conversation if she did, and I didn’t want my prey to retreat before the finale I had planned.

“It’s not too cold, is it?