Um, you might want to double-check whose father they were talking about. The princess' father died (I think they told us in ch1), so I think it's about Winter's father. It's possible, because in lots of cultures you call your spouse's parents "father" and "mother" or some sort of variant of these.
Ah yes, classic "ignore the mental and emotional abuse because you can't see physical evidence", how lovely. I'm so frustrated by Winter, because if only he would just shut up for a moment and listen and not be busy buried in his own little word... things might've turned out differently.
As for the dresses, I have my suspicion that the duchess has intercepted the dresses and using them, and that's why they've never reached our MC.