AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Felicity's grin is feral."Exactly."
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I say. The dress is quite expensive, made in Paris to fit Felicity.
"Won't your mother be cross?" Ann asks. "She'll be far too involved with her guests to notice what we're wearing. She'll only be concerned with what she's wearing, and whether it makes her look young."
It seems a bad idea, but Ann's already touching the silk again as if it were a treasured kitten, and I'm not going to be the one to spoil it for her.
Felicity jumps up. "I shall call Franny. For all her tiresomeness, she is a most excellent seamstress."
Franny is summoned. When Felicity explains what she wants done, the girl's eyes go wide with disbelief.
"Should I ask Mrs. Worthington first, miss?"
"No, Franny. It is to be a surprise for my mother. She will be so very happy to see Miss Bradshaw well turned out."
"Very well, miss."
Franny measures Ann."It will be difficult, miss. I cannot say if there will be enough fabric."
Ann blushes. "Oh, please don't bother. I'll wear what I wore to the opera."
"Franny," Felicity says, making her name into a sweet lullaby, "you are such a skilled seamstress. I am sure that if anyone can do it, you can."
"But once I alter it, miss, I can't change it back again," Franny says.
"Leave that to me," Felicity says, pushing her out the door with the dress in her arms.
"Now, let's see to giving you a waist," Felicity barks.
Ann braces herself against the wall with both arms. She starts to turn back to say something to me, but Felicity pushes her head forward again.
"You're not going to pinch me too terribly, are you?" "Yes," I say matter-of-factly."Now hold still." I give a sharp tug on her corset laces, cinching in Ann's waist as much as I possibly can.
"H-h-heavens," she gasps.
"Again," Felicity says.
I pull hard, and Ann straightens, panting for breath, tears pricking at her eyes.
"Too tight," she croaks.
"Do you want to wear the dress?" Felicity taunts.
"Yes ... but I don't want to die."
"All right, no use having you faint on us." I loosen the laces a bit and color floods Ann's face.
"Here, sit," I say, guiding her to the chaise. She has no choice but to sit straight as a church steeple. She breathes as heavily as a worked horse.
"It isn't quite so bad once you're accustomed to it," Ann whispers, giving a weak smile.
Felicity throws herself on the chaise again."Liar."
"What did you make of Nell Hawkins's performance? It was pure gibberish to me," Ann says, struggling for breath. "Tom looked very handsome, I think. He's so kind."
"I've not been able to make sense of it myself," I answer. "Offer hope to the Untouchables; do not let the song die. Be careful with beauty; beauty must pass."
"Do not leave the path. What did that mean?" Ann wonders aloud.
