“I take it that’s a bribe, and not a reward for being an excellent tenant.”
Her tone was made even drier by the pins clenched between her teeth. Adeline grinned.
“My mother’s hosting a ball tonight, and I need to make a good impression.”
Imogen snorted delicately.
“You know, most dressmakers require atleasta few weeks notice. Janet here isn’t taking the Blessing for another two months.”
Janet smiled, her little round cheeks flushing as she waved at Adeline’s reflection in the big gilded mirror before her. Adeline winked and waved back, then shifted her gaze to catch Imogen’s eye in the mirror.
“And most landladies require rent, but as agreed, I’m more than happy to be paid in outrageous last minute requests.”
She batted her lashes, and Imogen scoffed through her mouthful of pins. Adeline wished she wouldn’t. She’d inhale those things if she wasn’t careful.
“We agreed you’d be paid indresses. And only because you’ve returned every single envelope I’ve ever slipped under your door.”
“Goddess above, let me have those.” She hurried over and held her hand out for the pins. “I’m terrified you’re going to impale your tongue–and how would you snark at me then?”
Imogen let the pins drop into her hand, then turned her bright brown eyes up to Adeline and pursed her lips in a way thatwouldhave looked quite stern if it weren’t for the soft dimpling of her cheeks.
“This counts forthreemonths of rent. Which means your credit for outrageous requests is suspended until Mid-Winter, understood?”
Adeline beamed, and flew at her friend until her flurry of kisses had Imogen batting her away, and little Janet in a puddle of giggles.
They both knew Imogen had an entire rail of pieces reserved just for Adeline, but she loved to be wooed. And talented as she was, Adeline had no qualms about doing just that.
???
Adeline was quite content to float aimlessly around upstairs while she waited. She pottered around making toast and lit some candles here and there, then settled down in the pile of cushions on the windowsill. The street below, colourful storefronts and snow-caked cobblestones, was glittering in a layer of frost beneath the dim light of the gathering dusk.
Imogen found her there some time later, curled up against the window in a silk robe, a book in one hand and a slice of toasted potato bread in the other.
“Good call,” Imogen said, by way of greeting. “You’ll definitely want to eatbeforeI get you into this dress.”
Adeline grimaced at the thought of having her ribs crushed all night, but she polished off the last bit of toast in one bite and eagerly clambered up to follow her friend into the bedroom. Imogen had hung the dress off the small fourposter, and Adeline felt both her eyes and mouth rounding as she took it in.
“Oh, Imogen.”
Imogen’s gift never failed to awe her; the dreamy creations she crafted from fabric and ice.This dress was no exception, with its shadowy blue skirts spilling from a dark velvet bodice, curling gently at the ground to give the impression of floating wisps of cloud. Tiny diamonds of ice dotted the fabric, Wielded by Imogen’s own hand so that every ripple of the fabric had them winking and shimmering like stars in a clear night sky.
“This is…”
“I know,” said Imogen. She cocked her head to one side, and a smile played at her lips as she admired her own handiwork. “Well, come on. On it goes, and you can tell me what a gifted, inimitable visionary I am.”
They worked together to get the bodice up past Adeline’s hips, and she had to brace herself against a bedpost while Imogen yanked at the laces to strap her in. When she was done, she took Adeline by the shoulders and guided her to the mirror.
“It’s gorgeous, Imogen.” Adeline said, and meant it, though she hesitated. “Is it a bitlow?”
“No.”
“But you can see my rib cage. Among other things.”
Imogen was non-plussed.
“Those other things are your tits, darling.”
Adeline tried to laugh, but the vice grip of the dress would only allow for a sort of wheeze. She grabbed the peaks of her bodice and tried to hoist the whole thing up; Imogen smacked her hands away.
