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Belle blinked, looking away from Lily to the dress Julia handed her. It was a similar style to the one the girls wore. “It’s really pretty,” Belle said honestly.
Julia grinned widely, her legs swinging underneath her. “Mother is going to love hearing that.”
“Did she make these?”
“Every single of one of them. Impressive, don’t you think?”
Belle could hardly put any words how fascinated she was that the pile of clothes on her bed had all been made by Mrs. Stanton’s hands. It was one thing to have her dresses sent to Auldwood Manor, but it was another thing entirely to see the result of such efficient hands up close.
“Would you like to wear that today?” Lily asked her. “Or is there another color you have in mind? Perhaps another style? These are all yours so you’re free to choose.”
“All of them? She made these all so quickly?”
“Oh heavens, no,” Lily said, laughing. “These are a few I could spare. We look to be about the same build.”
That much she could see. Not only did they seem close in age, but Belle was sure Lily would look splendid in the gowns she’d left back home.
It isn’t my home anymore. Do I even have one?
“Hannah?” Julia said, cutting into her thoughts. She was holding up a pale-blue dress. “What about this one?”’
“I…I’m fine with anything right now. If I’m here for long, I’m sure I’ll get a chance to wear them all.”
“That is, if Mother doesn’t make you a dozen more before you leave,” Lily said. “When will that be, by the way?”
“What do you mean?”
“When will you be leaving?” Belle looked at Julia, who was already on the other side of the room with a bunch of ribbons in her hands, putting each one to her hair. “Father said you might be here for a few weeks. Is that true?”
“Well, he is the physician. It would be foolish to not do as he suggests.”
“And then where will you go?”
Belle thought about it. She made a show of shifting in discomfort to give herself more time to think of an answer. “I’m not sure,” she said after a while. She’d been teetering back and forth on telling the truth and fibbing—saying she was going to Scotland, or that she’d find family here in London and settle down.
“Sounds to me like deciding to run away from your employer was a spur-of-the-moment decision,” Lily said, her tone thoughtful.
Belle nodded, glad she was mostly taking it in stride. “It was. And now I have a few more weeks to think about it.”
“That’s one way of staying positive, I suppose. Now, let’s get you changed.”
It took both Lily and Julia’s help to get her to her feet, Julia keeping her upright long enough for Lily to help her out of the dress. Belle was given the chance to sit a few times while they got her changed, hating the fact that she had to rely on them so much. But between trying to bear the pain and maintain her balance, she didn’t think she would have been able to manage it without them.
When she finally managed to get back onto the bed, however, she felt satisfied. The dress fit her perfectly and the color she’d chosen, a soft blue, made her feel much happier than the boring brown she’d been wearing before.
“I’ll wash this for you,” Julia said, picking up the maid’s dress she had been wearing.
“And I have to go help Mother with supper,” Lily told her.
They both stared expectantly at Belle and she wondered if they were thinking she would voice her protests. But in all honesty, the scant amount of energy she’d expended trying to change her clothing had worn her considerably, so she didn’t mind being left alone for now.
“All right,” she said with a nod. “I hope you two will join me when it’s time to eat?”
“Why don’t we all come eat with you?” Julia joked. “Wouldn’t that be a sight to see.”
“Careful, Julia,” Belle warned, a smile tickling her lips. “I just might insist that you do. You know, as the patient and all.”
That made both the sisters laugh. “I’ll mention it to Mother,” Lily said as she began to make her way out the room. “When Julia is done with your dress, she’ll come back to fold these and put them away.”
“Thank you,” Belle said. “This is truly appreciated.”
“Mother did say you like to be grateful,” Lily said on a giggle, her voice trailing off as she left. “Glad to see that she was right.”
