That seemed like a massive win to Deb, who had never got Janice to agree to anything before. It felt like a weight had been lifted that Deb hadn’t really noticed she was carrying.
‘Oh! Lovely. I’ve been supplyin’ evenin’ dresses for the May Day party a few years now.’ Fiona led Deb to an area at the back of the shop. ‘Come this way, hen. The main shop’s mostly waterproofs, boots an’ the like. But you’ll find what ye want out here.’
The back of the shop was sectioned off with a large mirrored screen. ‘I like tae keep it separate. An’ make it a bit special back here, for the ladies,’ Fiona added as they walked through the gap.
‘Oh, my!’ Deb exclaimed.
Behind the screen, Fiona had transformed the little alcove into a magical wonderland of diamante, fairy lights and jewel tones. Two velvet armchairs – one plum, one navy blue – sat to one side, facing a rack of long dresses. Deb could see silks, lace and satins in various colours; she went over to the rack immediately and reached out to touch the garments. There was a full-length free-standing gold rimmed mirror by the back wall, and shelves holding evening bags and a selection of heels next to it.
‘I’ve got costume jewellery as well, aye. If ye wanted a statement piece tae set off a dress.’ Fiona smoothed the pile onone of the chairs. ‘I love it back here. Sometimes I just come an’ sit back here an’ have a coffee, do the accounts.’
‘It’s gorgeous, Fiona!’ Deb felt like she used to as a child when Janice had taken her into the local toyshop, once a year, before Christmas. Just once a year, she had been allowed to roam her favourite aisle – the one full of dolls in their pink boxes, all with beautiful, sparkly ball dresses and cute little outfits – and choose one. Choosing justonehad been so difficult. She’d wanted them all, but of course, Janice couldn’t afford more than one.
‘Ah, thanks, hen.’ Fiona looked pleased. ‘Nice tae be able tae help local ladies feel special for the night, aye. Ah rent or buy the dresses, up tae you.’
‘The thing is, I brought a dress up with me. I wear it to all of my events. But I tried it on yesterday and it’s too big.’ Deb began flicking through the rail of treasures. ‘I used to be a size fourteen, but it’s hanging off me. I haven’t been trying to lose weight, but I guess I’ve been really busy with organising the party.’
‘These things happen. Ye should try a twelve. Maybe even a ten, lookin’ at ye.’ Fiona sized Deb up with a swift look.
‘Maybe. And, also, Hal Cameron gave me this amazing shawl, and I want to wear it to the party. Around my shoulders. So, a dress would have to go with this.’ Deb pulled the shawl out of her bag and unfolded it for Fiona to see.
‘Ach, it’s gorgeous. Cameron tartan. He gave that tae ye?’ Fiona raised an eyebrow, then turned away and started flicking through a long rail of dresses.
‘Yes. Out of the blue. It’s a long story, but I found out that my family were from here, originally. I grew up in Glasgow. But my grandmother lived here, but she and her family were evicted, back in the 1930s. I got a very nice email back from Hal about it and he sent this over as a gift, with a brooch. It belonged to his mum, apparently.’
‘Oooh. What’s the brooch like?’ Fiona turned back to her, curiously. ‘I bet it’s bonny if it belonged to Lady Cameron. I remember her, aye, when I was a kid. She was always well turned oot. No’ a hair ootae place, always coiffed, you know? An’ she always wore fantastic outfits. Chanel twinsets, that kindae thing,’ Fiona sighed. ‘I always had a passion for fashion, so I used tae take notice of what Lady Cameron wore, aye. She was like the Lady Di of Loch Cameron.’
‘Here. It’s gold. I feel a bit awkward about taking it, to be completely honest.’ Deb took the brooch out of the black box that she’d brought with her, and showed it to Fiona. ‘It must be worth quite a lot of money.’
‘Wow. I’d say so.’ Fiona’s eyes widened. ‘That’s stonkin’. What a beauty. Hal’s a generous guy. He obviously thought ye deserved it. Ye dinnae need tae feel awkward, hen.’ She patted Deb’s hand. ‘Okay. Let’s find a couple o’ dresses that’ll set off the shawl, then.’ She returned to the rail.
‘Hmmm. Red, or black, or even gold or yellow, tae go with the stripe,’ Fiona mused. ‘This one’d suit ye, I’d say.’ Fiona pulled out a floor-length bias-cut satin dress in a pillar box red and held it up to Deb. ‘Wi’ yer colourin’. Or this one.’ She flicked through a few more and pulled out a knee-length bodycon dress in black.
‘Gosh. I’m not sure I could pull off either of those. They’re a bit… bold.’ Deb looked at both dresses doubtfully. ‘I mean, I love them… on someone else.’
‘Aye.’ Fiona handed her both dresses. ‘But it’s your party. You should stand out. Ye’ve a crackin’ little figure on ye,’ she added.
‘I don’t know. I’d feel so… exposed.’ Deb took the dresses from Fiona cautiously.
‘Well, give them a try. No pressure,’ Fiona said, warmly. ‘I’ll look for jewellery while you’re tryin’ them on. Somethin’ in gold, I’d say, tae go wi’ the brooch. No’ that I stock actual gold, justcostume jewellery.’ She hummed under her breath. ‘Get on wi’ ye. Changin’ room’s just in the shop.’
‘All right.’ Deb thought it was best to do as she was told, going into the little changing room in the main shop and pulling the curtain across. She stripped off her jeans and sweatshirt, and slipped on the red satin dress first. It felt both luxurious and sensuous against her skin, and also completely flimsy and insubstantial. Deb wasn’t used to wearing anything as… lingerie-like… as this, in public.
She slipped the tiny straps over her shoulders and shimmied the diaphanous fabric over her hips, sliding her hands over her hips. The dress felt lovely, but she wasn’t at all sure about how it looked. There was a mirror in the small changing room, and Deb stared at herself in consternation.
The dress looked good. Surprisingly good. But she almost felt as if she was looking at a stranger in the mirror. There was the fact that she had lost a lot of weight after the operation, and the bloated tummy she’d got so used to from the endometriosis had completely disappeared. Deb didn’t think she could remember the last time she had a flat stomach: in her teens, perhaps. There was also the consideration that she didn’t ever usually wear dresses like this, and she felt very self-conscious in it. She’d never felt she had the figure for something so revealing before, or the confidence.
‘How is it?’ Fiona called out. Deb walked back out into the shop and found Deb in the little dress cove. ‘Awww, look at ye! Ye look like a princess!’ Fiona cooed.
‘It’s a bit… revealing, isn’t it?’ Deb pulled at the silky fabric, self-consciously. ‘Look at these tiny straps! A brisk wind could blow them off!’
‘Well, yer no’ supposed tae pull at them.’ Fiona tutted. ‘An’ it’s an evenin’ dress. It’s supposed tae look glamorous. Dinnae be scared o’ a bit o’ attention. Anyway, wi’ a shawl on the top, you’dbe a bit covered up, an’ ye’d want tae take the shawl off later, I expect.’
‘Yeah, I expect so. It’s been a while since I wore anything this nice, I guess.’ Deb twirled in front of the full-length mirror. ‘Oooh. It moves when I spin!’
‘Aye.’ Fiona giggled. ‘Nice fer dancin’. I assume there’s goin’ tae be a good band up at the castle, for the party? An’ a ceilidh?’
‘Yes. We’ve got a band that can do traditional Scottish music for the ceilidh, and modern songs for later. Well, not particularly modern, but you know what I mean. Things people like to dance to.’
