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CHAPTER3
It fit beautifully.
Felicity did a turn in front of the mirror. The emerald-green silk bodice showed off the full curve of her breasts (her best feature, which always drew the eye away from her legs), dipped in at the waist and then flared to just below her knees in soft folds.
“Is it okay?” Alice sounded nervous from the other side of the curtain.
“It’s perfect.” Felicity tugged back the curtain and saw Alice’s face relax with relief. Belinda, the seamstress, dashed forward and did some re-arranging across the shoulders and around the skirt. She gave her verdict. “I’m really happy with how it’s turned out.”
“I was worried I might have got your measurements wrong,” Alice said. “It’s not like there’s much time left to put it right if I had. I’ll breathe easy now that all the bridesmaids’ dresses are sorted. I can’t wait to see you all looking beautiful on the day.”
“You’ll have someone far more important than us to look at on the day,” Felicity pointed out.
“I know, I can’t believe it. Could you pinch me?” Felicity did a little nip on Alice’s forearm.
“Now pinch me back that I’m actually here.” Felicity glanced out the window into the sunny street. “I can’t believe how blue the sky is.”
“It’s always like this in February.” Alice laughed as they left the shop and Felicity had to dive in her bag for her sunglasses.
“Do you need a break before we meet Polly and Judith?” Alice tucked her hand round Felicity’s arm. “We’ve got the final fight over shoes to contend with. Could be exhausting.”
Felicity cocked her head. “Fight?”
“Polly doesn’t like my choice. But I’ve been trying to steer a middle ground on heels for your sake.”
“Do they know, about…”
“No, I’ve just said you have a problem with an old injury. But I guess… I hadn’t asked you if you minded me telling them, and being a private person myself, I thought, you know, it’s up to you if you want to talk about it.”
“It’s not a secret.”
“I know, but it’s your story, not mine, and it’s personal, isn’t it? And it’s not like you ever make a thing about it.”
“I guess I try not to let it define me.” Felicity shrugged. “But you’re right, heels aren’t great, so thank you.” Scarlet obligingly jabbed her as she stepped off the kerb.Up yours, Scarlet.“And no, I don’t need a break. I’m dying to meet Polly and Judith.”
“Okay then, let’s go into battle.”
Thankfully it was only a short walk from Belinda’s Bridal to the department store, because the day was sweltering. Felicity lowered the rim of her hat against the heat.
“Ah, there they are.” Alice pointed to the entrance where a tall willowy blonde stood next to a beautiful and curvaceous woman who was gesticulating with her hands as she talked, black curls bouncing around her shoulders. She was wearing very high-heeled sparkly sandals.
Felicity killed a minor stab of envy.
“Time to be Polly-fied,” Alice said.
“That sounds terrifying!”
“It usually is.”
Two pairs of eyes, one set bright green, the other soft grey, perused her with curiosity and admiration.
“We finally meet.” Polly hugged her. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Hi Felicity,” said Judith, giving her a shy squeeze, then gazing admiringly at her cami. “Your top is so pretty. Do you mind if I feel the fabric? Oh, sateen cotton, right?”
“Love your hat too!” Polly cooed.
For the second time since arriving in Australia, Felicity felt like an English curio but despite that, she immediately liked Alice’s friends, almost felt she knew them after all the photo exchanges these last few months. They were obviously chalk and cheese though, which became apparent in the shoe department as Judith enthusiastically agreed to the shoes Alice pointed to while Polly made a face and flitted off like an exotic butterfly.
