So Far From I Expected

26

‘Caireann, how are you pet?’ Sinead asked me excitedly. I started laughing and shook my head at her. ‘This is all so surreal Sinead I’ve no idea how I am! Who is this?’ I asked gesturing towards the other girl hanging behind her.

‘I’m Aoife, I’m Sinead’s assistant now. Once I’ve helped her here I’ll go back and finish helping your mother and grandmother.’ Her accent was a little affected, she was excited to be where and I was glad that the girls were as happy to be there as I was.

‘We don’t have to bathe then I see!’ Sinead smiled knowingly at me and I blushed right down to my toes. She steered me to the fireplace and unwrapped my hair and began to comb it. ‘Aoife, lay out the dress on the bed and then you can go. Thank you.’

Aoife did as she was told whilst Sinead combed my hair and dried it by the fire. After an hour of wrapping and twisting my curls were hanging softly around my face and my skin had been rubbed all over with creams that had the same lily scent from the bath oils.

‘You met my family yesterday, how did that go?’ Sinead smiled and pulled me up off the floor. ‘Your mother was born to dress in silk and your grandmother, well she has taste! Just you wait until you see them pet you’ll hardly recognise them.’ I smiled nervously at her and span round to see what dress she had chosen for me.

‘What is that?’ I raised my voice, unable to understand why the dress on the bed was for me. ‘Well Caireann, you looked so amazing in the lavender dress, but the colour just wasn’t right. You have dark hair and eyes and a fabulous figure; this dress is perfect for you.’ Sinead sounded confident and sat me down at the dressing table and began working with my hair again.

She pulled my hair off my face and arranged some of my hair at the back of my head and the rest was gathered to one side. A silver comb with black stones in it was slid on the opposite side of my head, I looked so different than I was used to. Panic began to overwhelm me, I needed a break.

‘We need to stop for a minute, it’s only 4 o clock, can we stop for a cup of tea?’ Sinead nodded and rang the bell for tea. We sat at the little table in the great room and I learnt that Sinead was moving to Raymar to work at the large Blandas store on Henry Street in Raymar. Mr James had been impressed by her at the boutique store, and Theodore and my compliments had helped her to progress.

The clock chimed 5 times and Sinead jumped off her seat. ‘Caireann we need to get you dressed pet. Come on!’ She looked so excited and I was petrified of putting on that dress laid out on the bed.

Sinead removed my robe and helped me step into a black satin slip dress with a bone corseted waist. She pulled it tight and my breasts lifted and my waist shrank. I whistled as the air was squeezed out of my lungs and my figure was highlighted. ‘Stunning’ Sinead whispered under her breath as she swung the gown to the floor in front of me and motioned for me to step in.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as she laced up the bodice on the back of the dress. I ran my hands over the lace bodice, down to the rich silk over my thighs and it reminded me of Theodore’s skin against mine.

I heard Sinead gasp as she stepped back to look at me and my eyes flew open. I must have looked awful, she had made a mistake. My heart raced as I turned to look at myself in the mirror and it stopped when I saw my reflection. The girl who looked back at me was like no one I’d seen before.

Her hair was shining and the curl looked like it had been done with a curling iron. Her cheeks were pink and lips red and swollen, her eyes were bright and sparking. Her skin was white and looked inviting against the black lace that covered the crimson silk that cinched her waist and hung softly over her hips.

‘Is that me?’ I asked the girl in the mirror and Sinead hugged my shoulders, ‘You look magnificent.’ she whispered.

I stepped into the patent pumps she had laid out and allowed her to place a pair of silk and lace gloves on my hands up to my elbows. She draped a black lace shawl over my shoulders and tied it loosely in a bow behind my back whilst I stood gaping at myself in the mirror.

‘Sinead, I don’t look like me!’ I said in panic and fear. ‘I can’t go out like this! Mama won’t let me!’ Sinead laughed and shook her head at me before lifting my hands. ‘Caireann, you look like a vision, like you always do. This dress is just a dress, you have the beauty.’

I smiled at her and squeezed her hands, ‘Now, l think we need a little rouge! Not that you’ll need it soon  seeing as you and Mr Desala can’t keep your hands off each other!’ She smiled through her eyelashes at me and I blushed from my breasts to my forehead.

She stepped back after painting my lips and with a grin on her face let out a little squeal. ‘He’s not going to let you out of his sight all night! Do me a twirl!’ I laughed and span around excitedly.

‘What time is it?’ I asked her, I wanted Mama and Granny to see me before we were leaving. I needed them to approve. ‘Come on, I’ll take you to your mother and have word sent to Mr Desala and your father to collect you from there.

‘Oh God Sinead! What will Papa think?’ She laughed and ushered me out the door into the great room and down the hallway.

I walked slowly into the great room of Mama and Granny’s suite and Aoife did a double take when she saw me. ‘Miss Black, you look lovely! Let me get your family for you.’ She smiled warmly at me, Granny must have won her over too.

I was trying to control my nerves when the door from a bedroom opened and I heard Mama’s voice. She swept in through the door, a vision in a navy gown with a fitted waist and small sleeves lined with white silk; bright white gloves on her hands. Her necklace and earrings Granny had given her glistened in the lights and her red hair fell in soft waves down her back and her face.

‘Mama!’ I had no other words. She looked up at me and clamped her hand over her mouth. ‘Mama!’ she shouted, calling Granny from the bedroom.

Granny walked slowly out of the room with a new cane in a gown the colour of leaves in the autumn. It was slightly fitted with long sleeves and a pattern of flowers attached across the front. She had cream gloves on and a feather the same as her dress in her grey hair that had been twisted in a knot at the back of her head.

‘Oh Caireann. Oh child, you are stunning. Wait until your Papa see’s you.’ I laughed at the two of them, tears glistening in their eyes.

‘You both look wonderful. Oh Mama, Granny! Just look at you!’ My face broke into a smile that hurt my face and Sinead and Aoife laughed at the three of us in awe of each other. We hugged each other as best we could in our fancy dresses and sat on the plush sofas whilst Sinead poured us glasses of wine.

A knock on the door sent my stomach into knots. I knew it was Papa and Theodore and I was nervous. The door opened and Papa walked in, dressed in his tails. I laughed and clapped my hands gleefully. ‘Papa you look like a gentleman!’ Mama and Granny agreed and stared at Papa whilst he stared back at the three of us.

‘I am just speechless! Meghara, oh my Meghara look at you. And lovely Molly, you look just lovely. He turned and looked at me and shook his head. Tears fell through his eyelashes and he took my hands and kissed them softly. ‘You’re perfect pet. Just perfect.’ I kissed his cheek and wiped his tears before he went to Mama.

Theodore hadn’t entered the room yet and my nerves were building. He rushed in only moments later and stopped dead. I smiled shyly at him and chewed the inside of my cheek waiting for his reaction. There was silence for what felt like eternity. Mama laughed softly beside Papa and Theodore looked at her and Granny.

He told them how beautiful they looked and kissed them affectionately on the cheek. ‘Unfortunately we must be going or we will be late ladies. A hotel porter arrived with a chair for Granny and wheeled her out the door in front of Mama and Papa. I moved to follow them but Theodore stopped me.

‘No, not you. Stop.’ He said sternly. Oh no, he hated how I looked. He walked around me and I clenched my hands together, panicking that I had disappointed him. He came behind me and undid the bow keeping the shawl together and left it draped across my arms before running his finger across my back and kissing my bare left shoulder.

I heard a rustle and next thing Theodore was putting a silver diamond necklace around my neck. He fastened it and lifted my hair over it. ‘You look stunning Caireann. You do not leave my side tonight. None of these schmucks are stealing you from me. You hear me?’ I turned around and kissed him softly before whispering in his ear, ‘Theodore, I love you.’

Before he could stop me I whirled across the room and stood in the doorway giggling as he gathered himself. He gave me his arm and we made our way to the carriage waiting to take us to Tumlus House.