Her carriage pulled to a stop at the dress boutique on St.Charles Avenue in the Vieux Carré.Elizabeth stepped out of the carriage and looked at the brick building.How lovely it was with its beautiful wrought ironwork across the balustrades.New Orleans was much prettier than London, and rich in cultural diversity.
The bell above the door rang as she entered the little shop.
“Miss Trent,” the young woman acknowledged as Elizabeth entered.“We heard that you were going to pay us a visit.Come this way, Mrs.Claremont has set everything up in the back.”
“Oui,you’ll make a lovely bride,” Mrs.Claremont greeted Elizabeth, taking both her hands.“Come sit down.We have much to do.”
Elizabeth looked at yards of silk and lace and pored over the latest fashion plates from Europe.Mrs.Claremont gave her suggestions and finally they agreed on the perfect dress.It would be made out of white muslin and satin trimmed with the most delicate lace Elizabeth had ever seen.
“I would also like to plan for a breakfast after the ceremony, keeping the tradition of my homeland,” Elizabeth said.“Do you have any suggestions?I want everything to be perfect.”
“That sounds lovely.We can handle the food and we must have many flowers, which will be hard to find this time of year.However, I do have some friends with hothouses.I will pay them a visit tomorrow.”
“When do you think I can be fitted?”Elizabeth asked as she stood to leave.
“I will be at Four Oaks in a week for our first and, I hope, final fitting.That is a promise I make to you, because you have been so good to me since you’ve arrived.I’ll make sure your wedding is perfect.”
Elizabeth hugged the dear little lady.“Thank you.I can’t wait to see what you’ve created.”
The invitations came next.Elizabeth bought very fancy paper to take back home with her, where she’d address the invitations herself, and then have the servants deliver them to their friends.
Today wasthe final fitting for her wedding dress.
Elizabeth stood patiently while the seamstress pulled and pinned the soft material.Outside the large window in her bedroom, leafless trees were dark silhouettes against the winter sky.She wondered what Jonathan was doing at the moment.Was he thinking of her?Would he like to kiss her as much as she’d like to kiss him?
The chattering of the seamstresses faded into the background as Elizabeth’s attention turned back to the window.This week had been milder than usual.The rain had let up and the sun had begun to dry out the soggy ground.She hoped the weather would be perfect for her wedding day.
“Please turn,” Mary, the head seamstress, said.
“What?”Elizabeth had been so interested in the view outside that she hadn’t been paying attention.
“Please turn, Lady Elizabeth,” Mrs.Claremont repeated.
“Oh, sorry,” Elizabeth said as she complied with their request.She caught a glimpse of herself and smiled.The gown’s design was new, and to keep the surprise, Elizabeth wouldn’t let Jewel and Annie come to any of the fittings.They had protested strongly about being left out, but in the end, Elizabeth had won the argument.
The design Elizabeth chose was very feminine.The bodice had an off-the-shoulder top made with delicate Brussels lace.The long satin skirt fell to the floor.Around the hemline, the seamstresses had embroidered pink roses connected by snowy pearls.She would wear a simple wreath of roses around her head to hold her veil, and carry a single pink rose in honor of her mother.
Elizabeth looked down to see that they were finally pinning the hem of the dress, and she sighed as she tried to stand perfectly still.She’d never had the patience for things like this, and today it was taking a lot of concentration to put up with the seamstresses.
Looking back out the window, she wondered about the prickling sense of foreboding that kept nagging at her that something was about to happen.It gave her an uneasy feeling that she wanted desperately to dismiss.Maybe it was just anticipation of her upcoming wedding.
“There.We have finished, Miss Elizabeth,” Mrs.Claremont said as she offered her hand to help Elizabeth down.“Your gown will be ready in two days.I’m not sure I’ve ever created a gown so lovely,” Mary said with a proud smile.“It will be long remembered.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.You have accomplished an almost impossible task, finishing this lovely gown in such a short time,” Elizabeth said, squeezing Mary’s hand.“You have truly outdone yourself.I cannot believe you took my idea and turned it into something so enchanting.”Elizabeth stepped out of the garment and handed it to the seamstress.
Mrs.Claremont beamed.“You will be a beautiful bride.”She gathered her pins and tape measures, placing them in her sewing basket.“I must say, you’re the most excited bride I’ve seen in a long time.There seems to be a special glow about you that I don’t often see.I am very happy for you.”
“If you knew Jonathan, you would be excited, too.”
“I have seen him,” Mrs.Claremont said with a sly grin.“Oui, he is a fine one.”
Elizabeth blushed.“I think so.”
During the next week several parties were held in the honor of the future bride and groom.It was about the only time she got to see Jonathan, because Adam kept him so busy.
However, before the last party, Jonathan made a surprise visit to her room.Elizabeth shut her eyes, remembering.
“May I come in, love?”Jonathan asked, but didn’t wait for her to answer as he closed the door behind him.
