Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Approaching

"Isn't it? I thought it make the most marvelous dress for your reception." Liz had no compunctions about reaching over and letting the organza flow through her fingers as she lifted it. "It would suit your sapphires."

"It would." I traced my fingers over the gold embroidery. "But Mother is insisting that I wear the wedding dress for the reception."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Anastasia, really, don't deny yourself this. It suits you perfectly!" She stepped back, considering the dress for a moment. "I have an idea!" She stepped forward, her voice as whisper as she smiled. "You and Will are going to be expected to throw a party sometime after you come back, why not make it a costume party? You've always had fun with those, and this would be perfect for you to be some kind of sea nymph."

My mind latched onto that. "It would work."

"With your sapphires, and some pearls in your hair." Her voice dropped even more, now simply a breath. "You're going to be married, your husband might not even let you out of the bedroom once he sees you in it."

I felt my cheeks flush. "Liz, my God."

"I'm only stating the truth." Liz smiled, waving over a salesman. "Please package this up!" She quickly gave him the address and he whisked the gown away. She took my elbow, drawing me on. "Now, you are going to be getting gloves, fans and whatever else you're going to need for your honeymoon." Her lips twisted up again. "Perhaps something to entice Will even more."

"I hardly think I need help with that." I mumbled, but I allowed her to pull me further into the lingerie department. Some of the items were so revealing that I flushed just looking at them. As soon as Liz mentioned that I was a soon to be bride we were swarmed by shop girls, and soon enough an entire bridal trousseau had been assembled and sent back to the house. It appeared the Will and James hadn't been spared by Oscar, for Will looked extremely exhausted and growled something about not needing everything that Oscar had insisted on purchasing for him.

Back at the house, he followed me up to my rooms to commiserate on it. "Ana, he bought me an entire dinner suit! The coat has tails almost a foot long, really, can't we stop him?"

"Oscar has never been one to be stingy with his gifts." I shook my head, opening the door to my sitting room. A small fire was lit, refreshments laid out. Will left the door open behind him as he came in, sitting beside me on the settee. I moved a bit closer to him "So unfortunately, we're just going to have to deal with it."

"He's planning on Sherry's for dinner." Will shook his head, looking over when Louise bustled into the room with her hands full of dress boxes and packages. She quickly bobbed a curtsey, heading for the dressing room. He sighed, "You too?"

"Liz insisted." I shrugged, "Those two are incredibly stubborn."

Will was just about to say something when Louise came back through, her voice light. "I left a package for you to put away, Miss Dalian. The items for your trousseau? I thought you would prefer to deal with those." Remembering some of the scandalous things that Liz had thrown into my purchases, I felt myself blush a bit as I thanked her.

I looked to Will. "Would you mind if I dealt with that?"

"I wouldn't mind if you chose to model some of it for me." Will chuckled, but pressed a kiss to my cheek. "Go deal with it, I'll sit here in the quiet. It is rather nice." I gave his hand a squeeze as I stood, moving into the bedroom. Louise had left a number of packages on the bed, everything inside folded and stored in tissue paper. I turned to my hope chest, that old battered sea chest that Peggy had thrown a shawl over to disguise it. I fiddled with the broken lock for a moment, throwing open the lid as I knelt down in front of it.