Lena dropped her teacup on the floor with a clatter. Trudy, a housemaid standing in the corner of the room, entered on the scene swiftly and collected the broken glass in a basket and dabbed at the hot tea on the rug, and left as swiftly and silently as she arrived. "What-what are you talking about?" she stammered out. "Mother!"
Her mother held up a hand. "I think MaryAnne has a point. We cannot afford a debutante gown and ball and a wedding within the same year, I don't care how rich your father is. Lena, we mustn't be selfish. Your cousin Amelia is an excellent piano player, and I'm sure she is willing to play for free at your ball. We cannot compensate on the food, I'm sorry, but we could take in MaryAnne's dress from two years ago, hmm?"
Aunt Constance gasped. "Why on Earth should MaryAnne get a debutante ball extravaganza, while our Lena here only can afford to have a few guests, free music, and a hand-me-down dress?! All for, once again, MaryAnne to have a wedding extravaganza. Addie, if you'll listen to me, if you go through with this, the whole of London-and Paris, I might add!-society will think that the Gallows family is going poor and this is all they can afford to pay for their youngest daughter! I urge you, Addie, to let me pay for the ball and dress." Turning to her niece next to her, she posed the question of the dress to her. "Lena, darling, when will your dress be ready?"
Lena cast her gaze down to her shoes.
"Do you HAVE a dress being made?"
She shook her head in response.
"No? Well, I leave for Paris today, so I'll be making an appointment with my seamstress. Addie, could I borrow Lena for a week and a half?"
Lady Adelaide sighed and thought for a moment. "Fine. You may take Lena with you to Paris."
Lena was elated. "Really?! Mother, you're the best!"
Her mother chuckled and made a shooing gesture with her hand. "Go have Jane pack for you. I'll finish with Constance and see you off."
Lena jumped up in a very unladylike fashion and quickly walked upstairs to her bedroom and called Jane in from, well, wherever she was. After instructing that she was going to Paris for ten days and will not be requiring Jane on this trip, Jane began packing a large trunk for the trip with her stockings, petticoats, dresses, and everything else she would need.
Her mother held up a hand. "I think MaryAnne has a point. We cannot afford a debutante gown and ball and a wedding within the same year, I don't care how rich your father is. Lena, we mustn't be selfish. Your cousin Amelia is an excellent piano player, and I'm sure she is willing to play for free at your ball. We cannot compensate on the food, I'm sorry, but we could take in MaryAnne's dress from two years ago, hmm?"
Aunt Constance gasped. "Why on Earth should MaryAnne get a debutante ball extravaganza, while our Lena here only can afford to have a few guests, free music, and a hand-me-down dress?! All for, once again, MaryAnne to have a wedding extravaganza. Addie, if you'll listen to me, if you go through with this, the whole of London-and Paris, I might add!-society will think that the Gallows family is going poor and this is all they can afford to pay for their youngest daughter! I urge you, Addie, to let me pay for the ball and dress." Turning to her niece next to her, she posed the question of the dress to her. "Lena, darling, when will your dress be ready?"
Lena cast her gaze down to her shoes.
"Do you HAVE a dress being made?"
She shook her head in response.
"No? Well, I leave for Paris today, so I'll be making an appointment with my seamstress. Addie, could I borrow Lena for a week and a half?"
Lady Adelaide sighed and thought for a moment. "Fine. You may take Lena with you to Paris."
Lena was elated. "Really?! Mother, you're the best!"
Her mother chuckled and made a shooing gesture with her hand. "Go have Jane pack for you. I'll finish with Constance and see you off."
Lena jumped up in a very unladylike fashion and quickly walked upstairs to her bedroom and called Jane in from, well, wherever she was. After instructing that she was going to Paris for ten days and will not be requiring Jane on this trip, Jane began packing a large trunk for the trip with her stockings, petticoats, dresses, and everything else she would need.
