Chapter 109:
Fancy Dress
“Well?” Ethel giggled as she turned around. “How do I look?”
“Cor!” Jenny gasped. “Don’t you look that beautiful?”
“Do I?” Ethel asked. “Here, hold up the glass for me.”
Jenny held up the small looking glass as Ethel went to the farthest end of their small, shared room. She studied her reflection. “I think I may cry,” Ethel sniffed.
“I might, too.” Jenny nodded. “You look like a right and proper princess, you do. Just like out of a fairy tale.”
Ethel twirled so that her gown of shining coral silk flared out around her legs.
“And look a’ them jewels! They’re that elegant.” Jenny said happily.
“Weren’t it kind for His Grace to lend ‘em to me?”
“And to Mrs. Pepper, too.”
“Have you seen her yet?” Ethel asked.
“No.” Jenny shook her head. “Only saw her costume hangin’ up in her room. It’s a proper queen’s gown, that one. She’s gonna look just like Her Majesty Queen Charlotte.”
“You ain’t never seen Queen Charlotte.”
“Well, no, ‘course I didn’t. I’m nigh on sixteen!” Jenny clucked her tongue. “Only I weren’t born ‘til Victoria were Queen. But, I seen paintin’s o’ Queen Charlotte and George III.”
Ethel nodded. “Come on, then. Let’s get you in yours.”
“Glad that His Grace suggested I be Joan of Arc.” Jenny squealed.
“You should be gladder still that the sketch His Grace sent to the tailor wasn’t all armor, but rather St. Joan in her plain gown. You’d tip over with all that armor on, you would.”
“You know I would.” Jenny tittered excitedly. “And, did ya see the wig that they sent?”
Jenny opened a tall box and removed a short, sandy wig on a stand. “I’ll look like me brother with it on!”
“You’re gonna be very smart, Jen.” Ethel smiled. “You’ll look jus’ like the saint herself.”
“Look!” Jenny spun around. “There’s a sword and all.”
A knock on the door interrupted their girlish chatter.
“How is it, then?” Ethel asked.
“It’s Gamilla and Vi.” Violet answered.
“Oh!” Jenny scrambled for the door and opened it. “Hurry and come in before the boys see us.”
“How ya feelin’ Gamilla?” Ethel asked with sincere concern.
“Much better.” Gamilla answered—embarassed.
“We was all worried.” Jenny nodded.
“Was you really drunk?” Ethel giggled.
“Come on, then, let her be.” Violet scolded the girls.
“But, Gamilla,” Jenny said quickly. “What happened? Did Gerry get ya drunk?”
“It happened just as Mrs. North said,” Violet interrupted. “Gamilla accidentally drank out of the beaker, thinkin’ it was Gerard’s. She didn’t know it was filled with whiskey. It was an accident, and we don’t need to talk no more ‘bout it.”
“Sure, she gets one kiss from Mr. Hutchinson before we leave for Scotland and she thinks she’s the mistress of the ‘ouse.” Ethel teased.
“We just wanted to see your fancy dresses.” Gamilla smiled, hoping to change the subject. “Ethel, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Gamilla.” Ethel grinned.
“And, is this your sword?” Gamilla asked Jenny.
“I’m gonna be Joan of Arc.” Jenny chirped.
“I’m gonna be Marie Antoinette.” Violet boasted.
“Are ya?” Ethel’s eyes widened. “Cor! I’ll bet yours is beautiful!”
“It is,” Violet finally smiled. “But, not as pretty as yours.”
“I doubt that.” Ethel laughed. “Let’s help Jenny get dressed and, then, we’ll come and help you.”
“We only got a couple hours before the ball.” Jenny said. “We gotta hurry.”
“We got time.” Ethel chuckled.
“What ‘bout you, Gamilla?” Jenny asked. “Who are you gonna be?”
“Cleopatra.” Gamilla said softly.
“Oh!’ All three girls said in unison. “Ain’t Gerard gonna be charmed?”
Gamilla looked at the ground.
“Let’s hurry, then!” Jenny said.
“Listen, girls,” Gamilla looked up. “I wanna help ya, but I’m just gonna go make sure Mrs. North is up from her nap. She was so kind to stay with me off and on today. Poor dear tired herself out doin’ everythin’ she did. She told me she was gonna take a nap and asked if I’d wake her in time to get ready for the ball.”
“Hurry back, Gamilla!” Ethel said. “We need ya! Besides, I wanna see your Cleopatra!”
“I’ll be right back.” Gamilla nodded, hurrying from the room. As she approached Mrs. North’s door, she saw it open and watched as Mrs. North hurried from the room.
“Mrs. North!” Gamilla called after the woman. But, she didn’t turn around.
Gamilla chuckled. “Poor thing can’t hear a sound.”
With that, she shrugged and walked back to join the other girls. Though her head still pounded slightly, it was nearly as strong a beat as that of her heart. Despite the trouble which lurked around her, she had decided that she was going to enjoy the ball—if only just because it was a special gift from the Duke and the Doctor. She was going to dance and talk with Gerard and eat and be a lady for one night. Little did she know, but her life would be forever changed in just a few hours.
Did you miss Chapters 1-108 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 110.
“Well?” Ethel giggled as she turned around. “How do I look?”
“Cor!” Jenny gasped. “Don’t you look that beautiful?”
“Do I?” Ethel asked. “Here, hold up the glass for me.”
Jenny held up the small looking glass as Ethel went to the farthest end of their small, shared room. She studied her reflection. “I think I may cry,” Ethel sniffed.
“I might, too.” Jenny nodded. “You look like a right and proper princess, you do. Just like out of a fairy tale.”
Ethel twirled so that her gown of shining coral silk flared out around her legs.
“And look a’ them jewels! They’re that elegant.” Jenny said happily.
“Weren’t it kind for His Grace to lend ‘em to me?”
“And to Mrs. Pepper, too.”
“Have you seen her yet?” Ethel asked.
“No.” Jenny shook her head. “Only saw her costume hangin’ up in her room. It’s a proper queen’s gown, that one. She’s gonna look just like Her Majesty Queen Charlotte.”
“You ain’t never seen Queen Charlotte.”
“Well, no, ‘course I didn’t. I’m nigh on sixteen!” Jenny clucked her tongue. “Only I weren’t born ‘til Victoria were Queen. But, I seen paintin’s o’ Queen Charlotte and George III.”
Ethel nodded. “Come on, then. Let’s get you in yours.”
“Glad that His Grace suggested I be Joan of Arc.” Jenny squealed.
“You should be gladder still that the sketch His Grace sent to the tailor wasn’t all armor, but rather St. Joan in her plain gown. You’d tip over with all that armor on, you would.”
“You know I would.” Jenny tittered excitedly. “And, did ya see the wig that they sent?”
Jenny opened a tall box and removed a short, sandy wig on a stand. “I’ll look like me brother with it on!”
“You’re gonna be very smart, Jen.” Ethel smiled. “You’ll look jus’ like the saint herself.”
“Look!” Jenny spun around. “There’s a sword and all.”
A knock on the door interrupted their girlish chatter.
“How is it, then?” Ethel asked.
“It’s Gamilla and Vi.” Violet answered.
“Oh!” Jenny scrambled for the door and opened it. “Hurry and come in before the boys see us.”
“How ya feelin’ Gamilla?” Ethel asked with sincere concern.
“Much better.” Gamilla answered—embarassed.
“We was all worried.” Jenny nodded.
“Was you really drunk?” Ethel giggled.
“Come on, then, let her be.” Violet scolded the girls.
“But, Gamilla,” Jenny said quickly. “What happened? Did Gerry get ya drunk?”
“It happened just as Mrs. North said,” Violet interrupted. “Gamilla accidentally drank out of the beaker, thinkin’ it was Gerard’s. She didn’t know it was filled with whiskey. It was an accident, and we don’t need to talk no more ‘bout it.”
“Sure, she gets one kiss from Mr. Hutchinson before we leave for Scotland and she thinks she’s the mistress of the ‘ouse.” Ethel teased.
“We just wanted to see your fancy dresses.” Gamilla smiled, hoping to change the subject. “Ethel, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Gamilla.” Ethel grinned.
“And, is this your sword?” Gamilla asked Jenny.
“I’m gonna be Joan of Arc.” Jenny chirped.
“I’m gonna be Marie Antoinette.” Violet boasted.
“Are ya?” Ethel’s eyes widened. “Cor! I’ll bet yours is beautiful!”
“It is,” Violet finally smiled. “But, not as pretty as yours.”
“I doubt that.” Ethel laughed. “Let’s help Jenny get dressed and, then, we’ll come and help you.”
“We only got a couple hours before the ball.” Jenny said. “We gotta hurry.”
“We got time.” Ethel chuckled.
“What ‘bout you, Gamilla?” Jenny asked. “Who are you gonna be?”
“Cleopatra.” Gamilla said softly.
“Oh!’ All three girls said in unison. “Ain’t Gerard gonna be charmed?”
Gamilla looked at the ground.
“Let’s hurry, then!” Jenny said.
“Listen, girls,” Gamilla looked up. “I wanna help ya, but I’m just gonna go make sure Mrs. North is up from her nap. She was so kind to stay with me off and on today. Poor dear tired herself out doin’ everythin’ she did. She told me she was gonna take a nap and asked if I’d wake her in time to get ready for the ball.”
“Hurry back, Gamilla!” Ethel said. “We need ya! Besides, I wanna see your Cleopatra!”
“I’ll be right back.” Gamilla nodded, hurrying from the room. As she approached Mrs. North’s door, she saw it open and watched as Mrs. North hurried from the room.
“Mrs. North!” Gamilla called after the woman. But, she didn’t turn around.
Gamilla chuckled. “Poor thing can’t hear a sound.”
With that, she shrugged and walked back to join the other girls. Though her head still pounded slightly, it was nearly as strong a beat as that of her heart. Despite the trouble which lurked around her, she had decided that she was going to enjoy the ball—if only just because it was a special gift from the Duke and the Doctor. She was going to dance and talk with Gerard and eat and be a lady for one night. Little did she know, but her life would be forever changed in just a few hours.
Did you miss Chapters 1-108 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 110.
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