“Have fun tonight,” Julietta said as she left the room. Brietta was too enraptured by her dress to notice, but Julietta’s smile dropped and I could not mistake the look onher face—pity.
I quickly dressed Brietta. The dress hid all her voluptuous curves, but I had no time to alter the dress and save her drowning silhouette. I carefully tightened Brietta’s shoe-string laces on the back of the flimsy bodice as the other girls filed out to head to the ball.
If the dress made it four hours without falling apart, I would swear Julietta had become a sorceress. I gave Brietta a once-over and a false smile before taking her hand and leading her down to theacademy foyer.
As soon as we took the first few steps into the stiff and grey foyer, I noticed Brietta’s hem was too long. I helped pick up Brietta’s skirt so she would not trip and we reached the bottom ofthe stairs.
The five of us waited shoulder-to-shoulder in a line. I wrung my clammy hands together as I thought of a plan for the ball. It was too late to lie about my musical talent, I could not fake wistful beauty, and even if I danced on my raised toes, I could not change my stature. I tried to think of a line from one of the poems Brietta had sent to Derrick, but my mind was spinning too quickly for meto remember.
I let out a cool breath. I had countless shortcomings I could not change, but my constant strength was that I knew how to play Derrick like no one else. I had charmed him for seven years, and I just had to keep telling him what he needed to hear for onemore night.
Hopefully that wouldbe enough.
I closed my hands into fists as the tall clock in the foyer ticked downthe seconds.
Tick.
Derrick was waitingfor me.
Tock.
He said he wouldmarry me.
Tick.
But nothing is evera guarantee.
Tock.
I had to keep the lies going. Hehadtobe mine.
The clock chimed eight times. Time for theSuitors’ Ball.
We trembled as we waited in the Ashmore foyer to go to the Suitors’ Ball.
As soon as I thought Headmistress Blackiston would be late for the first time in her life, she walked in from a dark hallway accompanied by two other matrons. She approached Brietta and her mouth tightened into a thin line as she inspected Brietta’shastily-made gown.
She would never show it for fear of appearing insubordinate to the Duke, but I knew Headmistress Blackiston hated breaking centuries of protocol to force Brietta to graduate early. She could not defy the Duke’s order to put Brietta through Selection Night, but the Suitors’ Ball was within her control as the head of Ashmore. She could easily determine Brietta was improperly dressed and exclude her from the ball to maintain order. Keeping Brietta from the ball might save her from potential embarrassment, but then she would marry someone she had never met or spoken to. I could not allow thatto happen.
“Julietta created the dress, Headmistress,” I said, interrupting her scrutiny ofthe gown.
Headmistress Blackiston turned her attention to me. “Isthat so?”
I kept her on the hook and pulled her in. “Along with all the Juniors and the fourth-years. They worked forhoursconstructing the gown from Brietta’s bed linens. Quite inventive, if I maysay so.”
Headmistress Blackiston smiled softly. Nothing kept us girls in order more than camaraderie and teamwork. Both the Juniors and the fourth-years would be ill-tempered for days if Headmistress Blackiston rejected Brietta’s gown, and sheknew it.
“How thoughtful,” she crooned. “Nevermind that this dress is not of the approved fabric and lacks the required details,” she plucked a loose strand of red hair on Brietta’s bodice and tossed it away, “but men do not noticedetails anyway.”
Headmistress Blackiston gave me a quick once-over andmoved on.
After approving Dinah and Camille, Headmistress Blackiston faced Annalisa and held out her hand. One of the matrons placed a linen rag in heroutstretched palm.
Annalisa whined as Headmistress Blackiston scrubbed the paint and soot fromher face.
“Nice try, Lady Hyton,” she scolded. “I am old,not blind.”
She left Annalisa with a raw and red face. Annalisa pouted and refused to look Headmistress Blackiston in the eye. Brietta let agiggle escape.
