[Reviews - 469]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2977 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry this has taken ages to get out.. I have been rushed off my feet!!! Please review and it will help me get more wrote!! Thank you!
Chapter 24: Dressing up

Walking into the room, Willow placed the box down on the chaise-long that sat under the widow. She then stood to admire the room, Elizabeth followed in behind her.

Although small, with low ceilings, the room was beautifully furnished. A simple bed with a patchwork hand embroidered quilt sat in the far right corner. In the opposite corner was a full-length hand engraved wood surround mirror. As Elizabeth stepped up to admire the beauty of it, Willow rushed past her and draped a blanket that she had picked up off the bed over the mirror, effectively obscuring Elizabeth’s view of it. Turning, she looked at Willow with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Ok, the reason you did that was…?”

Willow blush bright red, the colour didn’t complement her hair colour in the slightest. “I didn’t want you seeing yourself until you are all ready. I didn’t want you to spoil the surprise. Is that ok, because if its not I can take it off…”

“Will, it’s fine, it’s a nice idea. Thank you. So where should we start then, this all feels very strange.”

“I know, doesn’t it… umm, I don’t really know where we should start. Well, umm, why don’t you go and have a nice relaxing bath, and while you do that I’ll, umm, I’ll sort out your wig. It’s in the box I assume with everything else?”

Elizabeth’s eyes suddenly went wide, “I didn’t get a wig. Am I supposed to have a wig? What will I do without a wig? Is it wrong I don’t have a wig?”

Willow cut her panicked ramble off. “Relax, it’s ok that you don’t have a powdered wig. Not everyone wears them anyway; they just make people look pompous basically. That’s probably why Master William didn’t give you one. He never wears a wig himself anyway.” Elizabeth realised that was true, she had never seen William with anything but his natural hair.” It really isn’t a problem, Elizabeth, so don’t panic, ok? We will just do your own hair up. You are going to look fabulous, I promise.” Elizabeth simple nodded “O.k. you go on and have your bath, I’ll get everything ready here.”

Placing the bottle of champagne and glasses down on the dressing table, Elizabeth went off in search of the place to have a bath.


***
She didn’t have to search very long, as just off from the kitchen she found a small room. Elizabeth realised this is where the inhabitants of the house, who ever and wherever they where, must wash. The room was cosy and warm, caused by the open fire that was roaring away. In front of the fire sat a quite large tin bath. A rack hung from the ceiling with three towels draped over it. In the corner farthest from where Elizabeth stood was a simple stove where several large jugs of water sat on it gently warming, ready to fill the bath. There were no windows in this room, so it was just filled with candle light, making it feel quite homely.

Walking over to the stove, she took off the jugs and poured them one at a time into the bath. Each made a splashing sound as it hit the hard tin of the bath. Putting half a jug of cold water in as well to cool it, Elizabeth carefully dipped one slender finger in to make sure it was the right temperature. She then walked over to the rack; taking down a towel, she draped it over the fireguard so that it would warm up ready for her to get out. Stripping off her clothes, she submerged herself in the hot water.

Already, she could feel herself relaxing as the water lapped at her aching body. Laying her head back, she allowed herself a few moments to enjoy the feel of the hot bath, before reaching over the side of the bath for the soap and flannel that lay on the floor.

Working up a lather with the soap, she washed every inch of her body before finally washing her hair. Lying down in the water so that her head was completely covered, Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling through the water and soap bubbles that lay across the surface of the water, giving her a murky view. Tearing herself away from the magical feeling of being helpless under the water, she stepped out of the bath and onto the rag rug that had been placed over the cold stone floor by her feet. Elizabeth dried herself and then wrapped the towel securely around her petit frame. Making sure she was decent, she left the room to go and see how Willow was getting on in the main bedroom.

As she entered the bedroom again, she saw that Willow had set up a screen in the far corner of the room, this would be so that Elizabeth could get changed behind it and give her some privacy. Lady Darla had one quite similar.

Hearing the floorboards creak, Willow spun round startled.

“Oh! Elizabeth you made me jump!” Walking over to her, Willow ushered her over to where she had gently laid the dress out on the bed. “You didn’t tell me how gorgeous it was. Have you seen all the work that has gone into making it? It must have cost mast William a fortune. He must really like you. Do you think you will be able to keep it? Afterwards, I mean, or do you think he will want it back?”

That simple question posed a whole series of questions in Elizabeth’s head that she just wasn’t ready to answer just yet, where was her relationship with William really heading? “I don’t know, we haven’t really discussed it.” That answer seemed to satisfy Willow and she dropped the subject.

Carefully picking up the petticoats and corset, Willow handed them to Elizabeth.

“You go and put these on. When you get to the corset call me and I will come and help you fasten it up. It’s going to have to be tight though so that you fit it, so are you ready to learn how not to breath?” Elizabeth laughed at Willow’s joke, she knew full well how painful corsets could be. “As for the main body of the dress, we will wait to put that on. Make sure that it is the last thing that we do. We will do your hair and make-up first, that way the dress will end up less creased and we won’t end up spoiling it.” With that, she gave Elizabeth a little push towards the screen.

Once behind the screen, Elizabeth let the towel drop to the floor, before dressing in the undergarments William had given her. The fabrics were much nicer than what she had become accustomed to. They glided across her recently washed skin, making her whole body sing, and making her feel like a princess.

Once she was dressed in the numerous layers of under clothes, she picked up the hand made whalebone corset and stepped out from behind the screen.

“Well, Will. what do you think?”

Holding back a giggle, Willow looked at her best friend stood there in only her underwear. “Very nice, well then, should we get that corset on?”

“Sure.” Handing her the corset, Elizabeth turned her back to Willow. Placing her hand on the wall, she braced herself.

Willow placed it around Elizabeth’s torso and brought the ties round to the back. Placing her weight on the small of Elizabeth’s back, she started to pull the string tight. She had had lots of practice doing this to Lady Darla, yet doing it now it felt nothing short of torture for her best friend.

After 10 minutes of puffing, panting and struggling, Elizabeth was in the corset. Her movement was restricted and her she was struggling to breathe. She didn’t remember the last corset she wore feeling like this. Willow’s face was bright red from struggling with it.

Walking stiffly over to the dressing table, Elizabeth poured herself and Willow a glass of the champagne that they had been left. Carefully, she then sat on the little stool by the dressing table, ready for the next stage of the transformation.

Coming up behind her, Willow took the glass, and drank most of it one gulp. Placing the now half empty glass onto the table next to Elizabeth, she picked up the pearl handled brush and started to arrange Elizabeth’s hair.

Soon her hair looked like a fabulous beehive on top of her head. Elizabeth was unsure how Willow had managed to achieve such height with her thin hair, however she was not complaining. With her make-up finished, Elizabeth longed to see what she looked like. She knew the pale white on her face must make a vast difference to her appearance and couldn’t wait to see it.

Carefully stepping into the dress, Willow laced it up the back. Stepping into the shoes that where laid out on the floor, Elizabeth felt a complete transformation finally take over her. She was no longer the servant girl, she was the lady.

Taking out the perfume that her mother hand given her, she placed some on her pulse points. Picking up her bag and the fan, she turned to Willow.

“Well then, how do I look? Will I do?”

“You’ll more then do.” Willow couldn’t get over how fabulous her friend looked. “Here have a look for yourself.”

Leading her over to the mirror, she removed the blanket she had placed there earlier. Elizabeth stared at the reflection of the girl before her. The girl oozed class and refinement. Elizabeth couldn’t believe it was herself that she was looking at.

As she looked at herself, they heard a noise coming from the kitchen.

“You stay here Elizabeth, I’ll go and have a see what it is.”

Although Elizabeth didn’t like the idea of Willow going of on her own, she allowed her to go.

As Willow opened the door to the kitchen, she saw Master William pacing back and forth.

Hearing the door open, William spun round with a hopefully look on his face. He tried to mask his disappointment when he realised that it was Willow.

“Is she ready to go?” William nodded towards the bedroom where Willow had just come from.

“She’s all yours.”

Willow went to gather her shawl off the chair; she stopped when she felt William’s hand on her arm.

“Thank you for helping with everything tonight.”

“It was my pleasure, Master William.”

“Look Maggie isn’t expecting you back tonight, so go do what you want. When Osborne has taken Elizabeth and I, I can get him to come back for you if you want. Go do something fun tonight, you deserve it.” Slipping a few coins into her hand, he quickly stepped away from her.

A huge smile split Willow face, “Thank you so much, sir. Well I’ll get my things and let you be off.”

As Willow disappeared into the bedroom, Elizabeth entered the kitchen. William was lost for words. Never in his whole life had he seen something so amazingly beautiful. It was like an angel was stood before him. Swallowing a few times, it took him several attempts to be able to speak.

“You look… well, you look amazing.” Walking over to her, he stood within inches of her. “A few thing missing though.” Elizabeth looked down at her outfit wondering what she could possibly be missing, there wasn’t room to squeeze anything else in. Leaning in, William whispered in her ear. “Close your eyes”

Doing as she was told, she did just that. Feeling something cold go round her neck, she tried to open her eyes, only to find William stopping her.

“Ok now you can open your eyes.”

Opening them, Elizabeth saw the most beautiful diamond necklace ever. It shimmered in the candlelight. Looking up into William’s eyes, she smiled.

“Thank you.”

“It pales in comparison to your beauty. You’re effulgent.” Elizabeth’s smile grew. “One more thing and then we really should be off.” From behind his back, William produced a mask. Walking behind her, he secured it to Elizabeth’s face.

Elizabeth looked at him puzzled.

“Tonight, my dear, is a masquerade ball. We all go as who ever we want to be. Who do you want to be?”

Leaning up she whispered in his ear the two words that William would never forget. “I’m yours.”

Taking his hand, she led the stunned William out to the waiting carriage. Together they set off, the night promised to hold many excitements for them both.

TBC…





You must login (register) to review.