Chapter 40
Week 14, Instructor Calendar, May 1898
This is the night
That either makes me or fordoes me quite.
V.i
“Nonsense, you look wonderful,” Charlotte insisted, pinning the last stray tendrils of Concordia’s hair under the silver netted hair covering. “I knew the gown would fit you once we hemmed it.”
“Once Ruby hemmed it,” Concordia said, thinking about how hard the house matron had worked on such short notice. “That woman’s a treasure.”
The gown Charlotte had lent her was certainly lovely, with its crossed bodice of black velvet accenting the shimmering fabric of pearl-gray satin. The cap sleeves were trimmed with more narrow bands of velvet, and the deeply-pleated sides of the skirt caused the skirt to drape in graceful folds and enabled greater freedom of movement. It was a
