Read Online Anna: Bride of Alabama (American Mail-Order Bride 22) by Lily Graison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Graison
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Western, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Daughter, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, Alabama, Faith, misunderstanding, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifth In Series, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, No Letters, No Ad, Single Father, Cotton Plantation, 12-Year-Old, Daughter Scheme, Marriage Resistant, New Mother
Ads: Link
center of town was bustling with carriages and people. Anna had never been fond of the city and this town was just as busy as Lawrence.
Shops lined the street on both sides of the road and Gabriel navigated the Surrey to a row of buildings near the end of the street. Stopping along the wooden sidewalk, he secured the break and hopped to the ground, then turned and held up a hand to her.
“Thank you,” she said, as she let him help her down. The windows of the shops were full of colorful dresses and hats of every kind imaginable. Simple every day dresses in muted colors took up most every window she saw but one stood out from all the others. Its window displayed gowns that would make the poorest pauper look like a queen.
Once Gabriel helped Julia down from the Surrey he said, “I have to see Mr. Bower over at the bank. I’ll meet you in the dress shop when I’m finished.”
“Don’t be long, papa.”
“I won’t be.”
Julia took her arm and led her down the street. Anna looked into the windows, wishing they could go inside every shop but Julia kept walking. “So, what are we shopping for?”
“A new dress.”
“Do you have anything in particular in mind?”
“Oh yes. I know exactly what I’m looking for.”
They stopped in front of the shop with the colorful gowns in the window. Julia went inside and motioned for her to follow. They were greeted by two ladies whose eyes lit up when they saw them.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Julia Montgomery.” The older of the two woman wore a plain dress in brown and beige. Her hair was nearly white but she didn’t look old enough to have so much gray. “You’re growing too fast, dear.”
The other woman crossed the room to a large red velvet settee and picked up a few dresses that were slung across the back. “Come, Miss Julia. Come rest yourself and tell us what we can do for you.”
Julia nodded her head and started across the room. “Thank you, Mrs. Elliott. I’d like you to meet Anna Davis. She’s a guest in our home.”
“Its a pleasure to meet you, Miss Davis, but please call me Edith.” She turned and motioned to the other woman in the room. “And that is my sister, Edwina Elliott.”
“Its a pleasure to meet you both.” Anna sat on the edge of the settee and looked around the dressmakers shop. She’d seen dresses like these before but there weren’t anything she would ever be able to afford. They were made from the finest silk and velvet fabrics, intricate pieces of lace and hats with large feather plums in every color imaginable.
Edith came to stand near the settee. “So, what can we do for you Miss Julia?”
“I’m in need of a dress. The Grants are holding a ball in three weeks. I wish for a gown to make every woman there envious to the point they’re seeing green for months.”
Mrs. Elliott smiled and looked toward Edwina. “The blue?”
The other woman nodded. “I knew we were saving that for something special.” She turned and hurried into the back of the store to return a few moments later with a bolt of cloth. It was silk in a blue the color of a cloudless sky. A design ran through the material, a dark royal blue creating a scrolling garden of roses and vines. “This just came in from France. No one in town has seen it.”
Julia nodded and ran her hand over the material. “Its lovely. What style of dress do you suggest for this material?”
Edith searched through a rack of dresses, pulling several down and showing them to Julia. We can do a number of different things. Which do you like?”
“I’ll have to see them on to decide.”
Edwina shot a look to Edith. “I’m sorry, Miss Julia. We don’t have anything pre-made in your size.”
“Oh, the dress isn’t for me.” Julia looked her way and smiled. “The dress is for Anna.”
Anna’s sat back, surprised. “Me?”
“Of course. You can’t wear those plain dresses you have to the Grants summer party. Now come, let’s try on these dresses and see which
Shops lined the street on both sides of the road and Gabriel navigated the Surrey to a row of buildings near the end of the street. Stopping along the wooden sidewalk, he secured the break and hopped to the ground, then turned and held up a hand to her.
“Thank you,” she said, as she let him help her down. The windows of the shops were full of colorful dresses and hats of every kind imaginable. Simple every day dresses in muted colors took up most every window she saw but one stood out from all the others. Its window displayed gowns that would make the poorest pauper look like a queen.
Once Gabriel helped Julia down from the Surrey he said, “I have to see Mr. Bower over at the bank. I’ll meet you in the dress shop when I’m finished.”
“Don’t be long, papa.”
“I won’t be.”
Julia took her arm and led her down the street. Anna looked into the windows, wishing they could go inside every shop but Julia kept walking. “So, what are we shopping for?”
“A new dress.”
“Do you have anything in particular in mind?”
“Oh yes. I know exactly what I’m looking for.”
They stopped in front of the shop with the colorful gowns in the window. Julia went inside and motioned for her to follow. They were greeted by two ladies whose eyes lit up when they saw them.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Julia Montgomery.” The older of the two woman wore a plain dress in brown and beige. Her hair was nearly white but she didn’t look old enough to have so much gray. “You’re growing too fast, dear.”
The other woman crossed the room to a large red velvet settee and picked up a few dresses that were slung across the back. “Come, Miss Julia. Come rest yourself and tell us what we can do for you.”
Julia nodded her head and started across the room. “Thank you, Mrs. Elliott. I’d like you to meet Anna Davis. She’s a guest in our home.”
“Its a pleasure to meet you, Miss Davis, but please call me Edith.” She turned and motioned to the other woman in the room. “And that is my sister, Edwina Elliott.”
“Its a pleasure to meet you both.” Anna sat on the edge of the settee and looked around the dressmakers shop. She’d seen dresses like these before but there weren’t anything she would ever be able to afford. They were made from the finest silk and velvet fabrics, intricate pieces of lace and hats with large feather plums in every color imaginable.
Edith came to stand near the settee. “So, what can we do for you Miss Julia?”
“I’m in need of a dress. The Grants are holding a ball in three weeks. I wish for a gown to make every woman there envious to the point they’re seeing green for months.”
Mrs. Elliott smiled and looked toward Edwina. “The blue?”
The other woman nodded. “I knew we were saving that for something special.” She turned and hurried into the back of the store to return a few moments later with a bolt of cloth. It was silk in a blue the color of a cloudless sky. A design ran through the material, a dark royal blue creating a scrolling garden of roses and vines. “This just came in from France. No one in town has seen it.”
Julia nodded and ran her hand over the material. “Its lovely. What style of dress do you suggest for this material?”
Edith searched through a rack of dresses, pulling several down and showing them to Julia. We can do a number of different things. Which do you like?”
“I’ll have to see them on to decide.”
Edwina shot a look to Edith. “I’m sorry, Miss Julia. We don’t have anything pre-made in your size.”
“Oh, the dress isn’t for me.” Julia looked her way and smiled. “The dress is for Anna.”
Anna’s sat back, surprised. “Me?”
“Of course. You can’t wear those plain dresses you have to the Grants summer party. Now come, let’s try on these dresses and see which
Similar Books
