Arabella showed me around her home, which was enormous and spacious, decorated to perfection.
As Ella-As Arabella insisted I call her-told me about the paintings in the hall and their origin, I heard the jingling chain of a pocket watch. Aaron sighed and said he had a prior engagement to see to, but he promise he would return to see how we were getting along.
When the door closed Ella turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Well, now now that we are alone, we can speak candidly, Ms. Lauren."
I looked at her wearily. "I suppose." I said, not know what was the right thing to say.
She circled me a few timed before muttering something about laces.
She suddenly jerked me up the stairs and pulled me into a room.
It was one of the rooms she showed me. It was primarily white, but it wasn't stark, it looked soft. Soft linens and a soft white rug with a faint rose design as a border. The dressing screen was dark mahogany and stood out in the angelic cloud-like room.
"I know it's in here." Ella muttered to herself, as she rummaged in the wardrobe. "A-hah!" She pulled out a baby blue dress and held it up to me.
She smiled a me. "I think you would look marvelous in this color." I tried to protest but she wouldn't have it. She insisted I put the dress on.
So I did.
I felt alittle self-conscious stepping out from behind the screen, I knew women of this time wore corsets and petticoats and other god-awful devices for the sake of beauty, and all I worn beneath my dress was a white Vanity Fair bra and lacy black panties(FYI-they covered my butt and they were NOT see-through.). I prayed Ella didn't notice.
The dress fit me like a glove and it was-for the most part-very comfortable.
It was fitted in the bust and flowed around the rest of my curves ever so gently. The sleeves were the puffy kind, but as long as they were cutting off the circulation in my arms I was fine with them.
Ella squealed when she saw me. I smiled lightly and did a little twirl for her.