It was an enormous confection of lavender, blush, and champagne tulle. The skirt was gathered and as puffed as a meringue, but remarkably lightweight, as though a cloud had floated down to earth, deciding to adorn me. The bodice was wickedly sheer, cleverly embroidered with flowers in beads and metallic thread to cover my breasts. Echoes of the same flowers were embroidered into every other layer of the skirt, so that when I walked, there was an impression of blossoms in the misty swell, but they’d disappear before you were certain of what your eyes saw.
She reached out to touch the silk tulle with unchecked hunger, but then seemed to think better of it and her hand was left raised, poised and frozen midair.
She was the first maid I’d seen at Chauntilalie. It had been strange to notice the overwhelming presence of so many footmen and valets but given Gerard’s extramarital proclivities, it gave me a deep sense of amusement, imagining Dauphine’s clever workaround.
Which made this girl—so young and quite pretty—an unlikely presence.
I froze, glancing to the candlestick I’d used last night, its taper now nothing more than a melted stump.
Was this maid truly here or did she belong to another Chauntilalie household, one long gone and forgotten?
Her hair was plaited into a simple, timeless braid but her dress—a smock of blue linen—was peculiar in style and very poorly fitted. The waist seemed to be cut higher in the front than at the back and seemed far too large on her.
“Good morning,” I called out, curious to see if the would-be ghost would acknowledge me.
The young woman startled, as if she’d been unaware of my presence on the terrace. She dipped her head in greeting to cover her surprise.
“Good morning.”
So she could see me.
“Did…did Dauphine send you up to help me dress?” I watched her carefully, waiting for the moment when she’d briefly flicker, giving away her state.
“It looks quite complicated,” she observed, circling the mannequin to understand the gown’s intricacies without answering my question.
A row of eighteen buttons hung as if by magic across the delicate netting of the back, like couture vertebrae. One wrong snag by me and the entire bodice would be ruined.
“I suppose so,” I murmured, keeping a steady eye upon her. I was certain there would be some otherworldly tell about her, but she moved easily about the room, a solid shape, occupying exactly the right amount of space.
Doubt tickled my throat.
“You won’t be able to wear a corset.”
I shook my head, feeling a blush rise over my chest. “Is that…is that a common practice in Bloem? To leave oneself…so exposed?”
She shrugged, eyes fixed on the long, sheer sleeves. “There’s nothing exactly common about fashion, is there? The moment something becomes everyday, it’s already stale and forgotten for the next new thing.”
I took a step closer to her. “But will people…Do you think they’ll think me…too loose?” Feigning concern, I reached out to touch her shoulder, nearly laughing in relief as I felt the tangible heft of her body.
I’d been quick to jump to conclusions.
This maid was as real as I was.
My mind, exhausted after the night of fitful sleep, was playing tricks on me.
The young woman finally met my gaze, her lips twisted in a smirk. “You’ll be the most modestly dressed one there.”
My eyebrows rose with surprise.
“I suppose I can help you,” she said.
“Oh, thank you,” I said, ignoring the peculiarity of her phrasing as I stepped into the center of the sitting room, away from the furniture. I’d already pinned my hair up in a crown of braids and flowers and wore my garters and stockings beneath my robe. “I don’t think we’ve ever been introduced,” I said, feeling self-conscious as she stripped the robe away, leaving me completely exposed.
With an expert flick of her fingers, the maid unfastened the row of buttons and eased the dress up and over the mannequin’s frame. Wordlessly, she hoisted it over my head, helping me through the long sleeves and making sure everything settled where it should. I felt her begin to work on the buttons and then she stepped to the front of me, studying everything with a critical gaze.
“I’m Verity,” I added.
“I know.” She blinked at me, her dark brown eyes flat. “Will you need help with your shoes?”
I glanced toward my bedroom where a new pair of slippers waited, butter-soft leather, flecked with champagne and gold shimmers. I’d seen them in a store window, and though Dauphine claimed a young lady ought to live in heels, I’d been inexplicably drawn to them.
Wordlessly, I shook my head.
“Are you sure…” Her voice trailed off and I sensed she was questioning something greater than the shoes. “Are you sure you want all this?”
I shifted from foot to foot in the gown, acutely aware of the enormous footprint it took up. “Honestly…no. Dauphine picked out this style. It’s a bit too much for my taste.”
She narrowed her eyes, looking at me as if I were incredibly stupid. “Not the dress. This. All this.” She waved her hand about the room. “All them.”
“The Laurents?”
She nodded.
“You ought to be careful,” she said, swiftly cutting me off before I could respond. “You…you seem like a good person. You shouldn’t let them hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” My mouth dropped open. “Alex would never—”
“Not him,” she hissed. Her head darted toward the door as the sound of approaching footsteps rang out. “I think we’re all done here. Enjoy your party.”
Before I could protest, she bustled out of the room and disappeared down the hall.
* * *
“Oh my dear, you look like a dream but it’s far too early to be dressed,” Dauphine said, looking up from her desk as I walked into her private parlor.
“Alex wanted to show me something before the party tonight… He asked if I’d wear this.”
Her eyes flashed with understanding. “Oh, how wonderful! Then I won’t keep you long… I only wanted to give you an itinerary for the day…but it seems you’ve already checked off most of your list. Turn for me?”
I spun around slowly for her inspection, the layers of tulle fluttering.
“That shade of purple is perfect with your coloring,” she murmured. “You look positively ethereal. If the Sisters of the Ardor saw you, they’d snatch you up to serve Arina for the rest of your days.” She let out a soft sigh. “Alexander will be utterly smitten.”
I glanced down at the skirts, feeling a coil of nerves unspool in my belly. His affection was not whose I worried for most. “You think so?”
“I know it.” She stood up and took my hands, beaming at me. “I hope you know how happy you make him. Before you came to us…he was always so shrouded away in his own thoughts, his own world. I knew he was lonely but I wasn’t sure how to help him, what to do… You’ve brought him out, made him shine. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for him.”
“I care for him immensely,” I promised, telling myself that as much as her.