Inheritance of Secrets by Victoria Prescott

Author:Victoria Prescott
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Recent July 2014, Crime
Published: 2014-01-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Alicia put on the gown and stood while Matty draped the silk gauze to make a fichu around the neckline and falling cuffs for the three quarter length sleeves, and stitched it into place. Tess persuaded her to borrow a string of pearls which she wore around her neck, and Matty curled her hair and dressed it with ribbons and another string of pearls, although Alicia predicted that the curls would not last the evening. Tess also wheedled her into trying some cosmetics.

'Not too much!' Alicia pleaded, as Matty approached with the rouge brush and pot.

'No, no,' Tess reassured her. 'Just a teeny, tiny bit. You are naturally pale. You need a little colour. You will be surprised at the effect - and a little on your lips - there!'

Tess was right, Alicia found; the reddening of her lips and cheeks, with the elaborately curled hairstyle, changed her appearance dramatically; she had been transformed into a fashionable miss. Tess had not finished with her yet, however. Turning from her trunk, she held out two fans, trying the effect of each against Alicia's gown, before handing her one. Alicia immediately achieved the correct flick of the wrist to open the fan, and turned to the mirror to study the effect as she fluttered it coquettishly while peeping wide-eyed over the top. Tess watched approvingly.

'If you flirt like that this evening, you will be thronged with admirers!'

Tess herself, as a concession to her widowhood, wore a robe of white and silver-grey striped silk brocade with a white underskirt embroidered with silver. Her fichu and cuffs had narrow bands of silver at the borders.

'Are you going to dance?' Alicia asked her.

'That depends on who asks me,' Tess replied naughtily.

As they entered the Assembly Room, Alicia was conscious of increasing pleasurable anticipation. It would be good, for one evening, to set aside her worries and devote herself entirely to enjoyment. There had been little enough time for frivolity in her life before. The room, which had tall windows along one side, was filled with the glowing golden light of many candles. At one end, tables were set up for card players. At the other, musicians played. Perhaps, a quarter of a century ago, her father had sat and played there, Alicia thought.

Although it was still early, there were already enough people present to promise an evening of good entertainment. Tess was also clearly looking forward to the evening; Alicia saw her looking around with sparkling eyes, her reddened lips curved in a smile. With her folded fan she was tapping out the musicians' rhythm against the palm of her other hand.

Couples were taking the floor for a minuet. Mr Langley turned to Alicia, but she was obliged to decline. She had learned the steps at school, but had never performed them in public, and was unsure whether she remembered them well enough to attempt it now. Politeness obliged Mr Langley to turn to Tess, who accepted with alacrity. As they walked on to

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