Riverbreeze: Part 1 by Ellen E. Johnson Page A

clothes,
looking like miniature adults. And several of them had already
gathered to play games of blindman’s bluff or kick ball with a
small leather ball.
    Well, she knew it was inevitable; she would
have to go downstairs at some point. With her sister beside her,
she could manage almost anything, even facing the scores of Uncle
Francis’ acquaintances. Maybe she would even sing. That always made
her feel better. It was a shame there wasn’t a harpsichord for her
to play, but singing alone was just as uplifting.
    She smoothed her hands down her only gown,
mourning slightly the loss of all the others. It was in a deep
Caribbean blue silk with a high-waisted bodice that had been
expertly embroidered by Evelyn and a full gathered skirt which hung
in loose folds to the floor. The neck had a low décolletage in
front, showing the lace of her chemise, but it was cut much higher
in the back. And the close-fitting elbow length sleeves ended in a
good three inches of frilled white lace. She was also wearing a
large Bertha collar which covered her shoulders, back and breasts
like a cape. Her twin sister, Evelyn, had sewn both articles of
clothing only six months ago for another one of the coming-out
balls and when they had been told they would be allowed to keep
only one gown, there had been no questions of keeping this one.
    Elizabeth once again marveled at her sister’s
talent. Just yesterday Evelyn had had to alter the gown to fit her
noticeably thinner body and she had done an exquisite job. The
ocean voyage had taken a toll on them, both of them losing weight
they couldn’t afford to lose. The gown she wore now was the only
party gown she had been allowed to keep. All the others had been
sold. Each girl had been allowed to keep one of the best gowns
along with two serviceable bodices and two skirts, along with
several collars and handkerchiefs, two pairs of shoes, several
pairs of stockings, several shifts and chemises and their warm
woolen cloaks and gloves. But the rest of their finery and jewelry
had been seized, even the pieces of jewelry left to them from their
mother. That had been crushing, to know the only two pieces of
jewelry she had inherited from her mother were gone forever.
    “Are you coming down, Bess?” It was Evelyn
appearing in the doorway, looking eager and flushed. She was
wearing the one party gown she had been able to keep, also sewn by
herself, but since Elizabeth was not the accomplished seamstress
Evelyn was and since Evelyn had not had time to alter her own gown,
it didn’t fit as well as it used to. It gapped at the bodice and
was loose in the waist, but it was a pretty spring green color with
beautiful embroidery covering the bodice she had done herself. And
as the color of Elizabeth’s gown complimented her coloring, the
color of this gown was chosen to also compliment Evelyn’s identical
complexion and hair color. Right now Evelyn was wearing an apron
over the gown and it was smeared with grease and drippings and baby
stains; she had been helping their cousin, Maureen, with her
children and assisting the servant with the final preparations of
the ample amount of food and drink being provided.
    The two little pocket beagles that were
sleeping on the bed came awake at the sound of Evelyn’s voice and
each of them lifted their heads excitedly and let out a single bark
each. She came into the room, smiling softly at their precious pets
and immediately flopped down on the bed next to the dogs to gather
them into her arms.
    “Bonjour, bonjour, mes
petits cheris .” She cooed in French, then switched to
English. “…Ah, I am tired already.” She said with a sigh. The dogs
smelled the delicious odors of roasted boar, duck and venison on
her apron and shoved their noses into her lap, licking at the
grease and stains, causing Evelyn and Elizabeth to laugh amusedly.
Because of their voracious appetites, the dogs had not been allowed
in the kitchen or they would have been begging for scraps