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Authors: Hilary Gilman
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success.’
‘I had no notion you were such a managing female.
Nor that you would take so much trouble over my delinquent little sister. If
you think you can do all this, by all means make the attempt. You have my
blessing.’
‘Thank you.’ She rose and said, smiling, ‘I must
apologise for invading your male sanctuary.’
‘Believe me, there is no need to apologise.’ His
smile faded, and he added, in an undertone, ‘I only wish I were as welcome in
your room as you are in mine.’
Her eyes flashed to his face, suddenly
apprehensive. He laughed. ‘I will bid you farewell until dinner,’ he paused and
then added softly, ‘Minette.’
Eight
Minette, contemplating her own reflection in the mirror as Becky laced
up her evening gown of midnight-blue lace over an underdress of azure satin,
could not help thinking that the attire of the dashing young Duchess was
infinitely more becoming to her than the simple muslins and dowdy round dresses
she had worn at home. The dress was cut low across the bust, displaying a
décolletage of which she had no need to be ashamed, and it clung to her figure most
alluringly. She handed the little abigail a collar of
sapphires and diamonds from the overflowing jewel casket on her dresser. The
girl clasped it around her mistress’ neck, where it fitted snug as a bracelet. Minette
lifted her head, turning it this way and that in the light of the candles so
that the matching tiara she wore sparkled and gleamed. Decidedly, she could
become accustomed to this life.
‘Thank you, Becky. I must go to Miss Arabella.’ She
viewed the jewel box thoughtfully and reached out a hand hesitating for a
moment before pulling forth a very pretty diamond necklace. ‘This will do,’ she
murmured to herself.
She found Arabella, positively fizzing with
excitement, just ready to leave her chamber. She was wearing another of her new
Bath gowns. The pale yellow did not flatter her complexion, nor did the
diaphanous fabric, which was designed to be worn by a wispy, ethereal creature,
not a solidly built schoolgirl. Minette did not dream of telling her this but,
instead, she said, ‘Oh, how vexatious! You are already dressed. I wished to
lend you this necklace for the evening, but it will not suit your gown at all.’
She held up the necklace, turning and twisting it in the light.
‘Oh, how beautiful! But why can’t I wear it with this dress?’
‘Oh, the colour, the neckline, it is all wrong.
Never mind. Another day will do. I have some amber beads that will be very
pretty with your gown.’
Arabella cast a longing look at the diamonds. ‘Well,
what dress would they go with?’
Minette hid a smile and, opening a large wardrobe,
began searching through Arabella’s gowns. ‘This would be perfect,’ she said,
holding up a modest slip of pale blue sarsenet with an overdress of white net.
The bodice was ruched from the heart-shaped neckline to the high waist and was
trimmed with deep blue velvet ribbons.
‘That! But that’s one of my old gowns.’
‘Oh? But only see how the diamonds are set off by
the colour, and it will hang so prettily around your neck with nothing to
distract from it.’
Plainly unconvinced, Arabella allowed herself to be divested of the yellow gown and donned the
despised sarsenet. However, when the necklace was clasped around her neck, she
was so pleased with the way it looked that she broke into smiles. ‘Oh, Minette! Can I really borrow it? I have nothing one-half
so pretty to wear for, although I inherited all of my Mama’s jewels, they are
locked away, and I may not wear them until I am out.’
Minette dropped a kiss on her cheek. ‘You may have
it for your own. And tomorrow we will buy you a dress that will really set it
off.’
The girl turned impulsively and threw her arms
around her. ‘It is so nice having you for my sister. Mama died when I was born,
you know, and I’ve never had anyone to talk with about clothes and jewels and
things of
‘I had no notion you were such a managing female.
Nor that you would take so much trouble over my delinquent little sister. If
you think you can do all this, by all means make the attempt. You have my
blessing.’
‘Thank you.’ She rose and said, smiling, ‘I must
apologise for invading your male sanctuary.’
‘Believe me, there is no need to apologise.’ His
smile faded, and he added, in an undertone, ‘I only wish I were as welcome in
your room as you are in mine.’
Her eyes flashed to his face, suddenly
apprehensive. He laughed. ‘I will bid you farewell until dinner,’ he paused and
then added softly, ‘Minette.’
Eight
Minette, contemplating her own reflection in the mirror as Becky laced
up her evening gown of midnight-blue lace over an underdress of azure satin,
could not help thinking that the attire of the dashing young Duchess was
infinitely more becoming to her than the simple muslins and dowdy round dresses
she had worn at home. The dress was cut low across the bust, displaying a
décolletage of which she had no need to be ashamed, and it clung to her figure most
alluringly. She handed the little abigail a collar of
sapphires and diamonds from the overflowing jewel casket on her dresser. The
girl clasped it around her mistress’ neck, where it fitted snug as a bracelet. Minette
lifted her head, turning it this way and that in the light of the candles so
that the matching tiara she wore sparkled and gleamed. Decidedly, she could
become accustomed to this life.
‘Thank you, Becky. I must go to Miss Arabella.’ She
viewed the jewel box thoughtfully and reached out a hand hesitating for a
moment before pulling forth a very pretty diamond necklace. ‘This will do,’ she
murmured to herself.
She found Arabella, positively fizzing with
excitement, just ready to leave her chamber. She was wearing another of her new
Bath gowns. The pale yellow did not flatter her complexion, nor did the
diaphanous fabric, which was designed to be worn by a wispy, ethereal creature,
not a solidly built schoolgirl. Minette did not dream of telling her this but,
instead, she said, ‘Oh, how vexatious! You are already dressed. I wished to
lend you this necklace for the evening, but it will not suit your gown at all.’
She held up the necklace, turning and twisting it in the light.
‘Oh, how beautiful! But why can’t I wear it with this dress?’
‘Oh, the colour, the neckline, it is all wrong.
Never mind. Another day will do. I have some amber beads that will be very
pretty with your gown.’
Arabella cast a longing look at the diamonds. ‘Well,
what dress would they go with?’
Minette hid a smile and, opening a large wardrobe,
began searching through Arabella’s gowns. ‘This would be perfect,’ she said,
holding up a modest slip of pale blue sarsenet with an overdress of white net.
The bodice was ruched from the heart-shaped neckline to the high waist and was
trimmed with deep blue velvet ribbons.
‘That! But that’s one of my old gowns.’
‘Oh? But only see how the diamonds are set off by
the colour, and it will hang so prettily around your neck with nothing to
distract from it.’
Plainly unconvinced, Arabella allowed herself to be divested of the yellow gown and donned the
despised sarsenet. However, when the necklace was clasped around her neck, she
was so pleased with the way it looked that she broke into smiles. ‘Oh, Minette! Can I really borrow it? I have nothing one-half
so pretty to wear for, although I inherited all of my Mama’s jewels, they are
locked away, and I may not wear them until I am out.’
Minette dropped a kiss on her cheek. ‘You may have
it for your own. And tomorrow we will buy you a dress that will really set it
off.’
The girl turned impulsively and threw her arms
around her. ‘It is so nice having you for my sister. Mama died when I was born,
you know, and I’ve never had anyone to talk with about clothes and jewels and
things of
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