Dressed in Black

Chapter 14

"Ah, Miss Cathy," she said with a playfully reproving look. "Don't class men and women in th' same category, for each have their own duties to fulfil. What is acceptable for a man is not acceptable for a woman."

"What an odd outlook, Sarah. I don't believe I was raised to think in that manner. I shall have the dress now," she said shortly, rather miffed at her chamber-maid's lecture, which made no sense to her whatever. Though the dressmaker had disapproved of Catherine's not wearing a corset, she was not going to break the habit – instilled by her father, who had been vexed by the idea of his child being deformed by such an unnatural contraption – and the dress, as she managed to get into it, was tight enough on its own.

She looked at herself in the full-length mirror hanging in her wardrobe. It wasn't a very elaborate gown, and she was glad of it. The black silk was trimmed with black glass beads on the short sleeves – which were blown up like balloons – and with black velvet ribbon on the hem and sleeves. The under-sleeves and tucker were of cotton, the bodice was lined with polished cotton, and as was the skirt. The only drawback was the neckline – for her shoulders were left bare, and she felt exceedingly exposed.

"Well, Miss, d'ye like it?"

"I don't know that I do, Sarah," she murmured, gravely sizing herself up in the mirror – being her own worst judge, like many a young woman her age are. "There is something wanting."

"Ay, a pearl necklace and a handsome hair piece!" she agreed enthusiastically, stroking her glossy sleeves with a wistful look.

"Not that, you silly girl," she laughed with meek admonition, slightly injuring her maid's pride by calling her a 'silly girl'. "My cheeks want colour, and my eyes want glow. Do you think, Sarah, that I shall ever be as happy as I once was?"

"Oh, forsooth, missy!" she cooed, looking in reproof at her thoughtful mistress. "To say such dree things! Of course yo'll be happy some day! Mark me words, lass, that I shall make ye happy, if naught else does! Yer a very gradely young 'on, aren't ye."

"O hush, my dear," she said, tottering – yes, tottering, for the stiffness of her dress was choking her – to the chair by her bed and dropping into it, with her hand held over her abdomen. "I know what else you want to say – I can read person's emotions, if not their thoughts, through looking at their eyes. Nothing is so expressive as that organ, and most of the time, words cannot express as well as those faithful agents do. Now, Sarah, about my ornaments. I mean to wear the black necklace that contains papa's curls. It is very pretty, and no one need know what is inside of it; I am determined to wear it, for it shall give me much needed strength. As for my hair..."

"How 'bout a garland o' red roses, missy?" Sarah put forth mechanically.

"Yes, I daresay that will do," said she in reply, directing her uninterested gaze to the window. The weather was very bleak, and the snow was only just beginning to fall in heavy white flakes. It was the sticky kind, for Catherine well knew snow, for many a time she and her father had played together in it in all of its different stages. The sound of Sarah's voice recalled her to the present.

"Now don't be sittin' thither wi' your head i' th' clouds, missy!" she said in her usual scolding manner, but Catherine knew better than to take her tone to heart.

"You're quite right," she rose, still mildly abstracted. "My dear friend. Shall you help me out of it?"

"Right! Let Sarah undress ye, there's a good lass."

*

The guests arrived an hour late, which was only fashionable – and country gentry often venture to imitate city gentry – but when they did it was in a great flock, as if they had all of them consulted each other about the exact time of their arrival. The household guests had been lounging and chatting in the drawing-room, when these others were shewn in after having deposited their coats and shawls and other such articles of outdoor clothing in the cloak-room. However, this was only but a private ball, and this flock consisted merely of twenty people, not including those already present.