“Of course.” If a member of the royal family, or almost a member, wanted to see an artifact, they could. “I’ve no dress forms in here, but I can retrieve the gown and spread it out on the worktable. Lucy, would you please cover the table with a cloth?”
Daffy opened the cabinet markedPrincess Louisa. For a moment, only a moment, she feared it’d gone missing—a silly thought, really. The gowns were all safe in this room. And the cream-and-ivory gown lay sleeping in its linen bag.
With slow, measured motions, she and Lucy removed the gown from the protective cloth and arranged it across the table one layer at a time.
“Stunning.” Lady Holland leaned close, her hands clasped behind her back. “Is it all chiffon?”
“With organza and layers of French lace.” Lucy added additional details.
“This gown, along with theKing Titus Ichair, which I probably may never see, were my spark into curating,” Daffy said. “Their history and beginnings fascinate me.”
And now she was in charge of one of them. Life did offer sweet surprises.
“TheKing Tituschair?” Lady Holland smiled. “This is your lucky day. John told me this morning the queen is setting out the chair for the ball. So you’ll see it after all.”
“But I won’t be attending the ball, milady.”
“They’re releasing it from storage this week, I believe.”
Lucy whistled, a high, soft sound. “The chair has only been out of its room twice in the last twenty-five years. The queen is so protective of it.”
The chair was stored in a controlled environment at Hadsby Castle and only seen for rare and special occasions.
But, back to the star of the moment. TheLouisa. The three of them admired the dress with its princess collar, long, tight sleeves ending with a subtle Tudor flare. A pattern of pearls decorated the bodice that connected to a pleated skirt of chiffon and organza. The pleats released just above the hips, and the creamy fabric flowed, boosted by layers of muslin and tulle.
“Well? Is your gown very similar?” Daffy straightened the collar.
Lady Holland stepped away from the table and offered Daffy a cunning smile. “We’ll just have to see.”
Lucy waited to say anything until the future queen of Lauchtenland had exited the room. “I’m sorry. But a gown modeled after theLouisais not unique at all. Lots of aristocrats have been inspired by this gown. If she wanted to be unique, she should’ve designed her gown after theQueen Arabella. Or even theQueen Catherine II.”
“She’d never make it down the aisle in anArabella.Besides, it’s hideous. And if you ever quote me, I’ll deny it. And theQueen Catherineis too new. She was the last princess to marry. Holland had to make her own mark. We shall see how her designer modified Taffron Björk’s pattern.”
“Makes me wonder if Björk faded from the fashion scene because everyone copied his design,” Lucy said.
“Maybe. But isn’t it lovely that a common girl could wear something like a princess?” An image flashed from her past of when she’d stepped into one of the queen’s gowns. The blue fabric was so rich and elegant. Even at the age of ten, she knew she’d touched something special.
She shouldn’t have been in the queen’s dressing room, but once she saw the dress, everything else faded.
Carefully and methodically, Daffy and Lucy packed the dresses for their moving day. Upon inspection, they noted those that needed slight repairs before being placed on the display dress forms. And goodness, the skirt and long train of theQueen Catherine IIpractically required its own postal code.
Late in the afternoon, Lucy ran to the corner shop and back for sandwiches and crisps—which they ate in the courtyard.
They’d boxed seven gowns with eighteen to go when their bellies rumbled. After the gowns, they’d tackle the dress forms and stands, sewing kits, and repair tools. Last but not least, plan the staging.
Daffy had just finished boxing up the simple drop waist dress of Princess Amelia from 1922 while Lucy prepared the next gown when Mum entered.
“I see you’re making progress.”
“Four hundred years of wedding gowns, three to seven princess brides per century, plus the two from the medieval era… We should be done on time. Oh, we had a special guest earlier. Lady Holland came by to see thePrincess Louisa.”
“Did she? Any particular reason?” Mum inspected theArabellagown. Not as a casual observer, but as a curator. “Check the seams on this, Daffy. They seem weak.”
“Lucy and I will go over everything when we set up the dresses.” The work would be slow and tedious, but worth it. She would do Mum proud. Prove she was worthy.
“You’ll be ready to leave on Friday?”
“I haven’t booked my passage on the Northton Express yet, but I plan to take the early train. The dresses will go up in the lorry. I’ll be there to welcome them.”
