Silence Breaking

10. Selfsame Siblings

Ding-dong...

The elderly tailor looked up from his books with a distracted little smile and nodded at me. 'Welcome, Sir.'

'Hello.' I smiled back. 'Are you the proprietor of this lovely little shop?'

'Yes. Are you a customer?' He chuckled. 'Sorry for asking, but at this time of year, practically no one comes by here. I might get an occasional order for winter gloves from Battlewood Hall, but new faces are rare.'

'I'm a guest at Battlewood. Linton is the name.'

'Ah, that explains it.' He gave a little arthritic bow. 'Welcome to my humble shop, Mr Linton. Is there anything I might show you? Tailcoats? Top hats with a warm lining for the winter weather?'

'No, thank you. I'd like to take a look at your dresses.'

The little man blinked. 'Err...dresses? For women?'

'I've yet to see ones for orang-utans. Oh, and I would also like to see your selection of bonnets, ribbons and parasols, if you have them.'

'Um...well, yes, of course, Sir. May I enquire what the measurements of the lady in question are?'

I smiled brightly at him. 'Mine.'

If the little man had been off-kilter before, this really did him in. 'Yours, um...Sir?'

'Oh yes. Hurry up a little and bring out what you have, will you? I'd like to be back at Battlewood in time for breakfast.'

Mumbling to himself, he hurried off into the back room, and not long after was back with several dresses slung over one arm and a selection of bonnets, ribbons and parasols in the other.

'I must commend you,' I said, smiling as I studied a magnificent red silk dress. 'For such a small shop out in the country, you are amazingly well stocked. Just look at the detail in the hem! I've never worn a finer dress in my life!'

'Err...worn, Sir?'

Instead of answering, I gifted him with another bright smile. 'Where is the changing room, please?'

With a trembling hand, the little man pointed to a curtained-off area at the back of the room.

'Thank you.'

I disappeared.

Twing.

Twong.

'Crap! Bloody corset!'

Twang!

'Crap, crap, crap! Fit already!'

A few moments and curses later, I pulled aside the curtain and beamed at the little tailor, who was supporting himself by holding on to the corner of his counter.

'And? How do I look?'

'Um...magnificent, err...Sir?'

I took a long, critical look at myself in the full-length mirror on the wall. 'Hm...I agree, not bad. Red is a nice colour on me. But there's a certain something missing.'

I disappeared back behind the curtain.

Snap!

Twong!

'Bloody stinking Hell!

Twang!

'Blast, blast, blast!'

Once more, I reappeared.

'And? What do you say?'

'Grgsfgl.'