The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies Page A

dragging Nicole out of her bedroom, Lisa had pulled from her own wardrobe the most beautiful dress Nicole had ever seen.
    ‘It was your mother’s,’ Lisa said, then paused. ‘Chanel.’
    Nicole whistled. ‘Are you sure?’
    Lisa nodded. ‘I think it will fit you.’
    ‘Why have you kept it?’
    ‘Your father brought it back from Paris before you were born. She only wore it once. After she died he didn’t want any memories, but told me to pick one of your mother’s things to remember her by. I picked the dress. He sold all her beautifulgold jewellery or I would have chosen a necklace. I had the dress altered recently, brought up to date. I’d thought of giving it to you for Christmas.’
    The gown did fit perfectly and Nicole had been astonished to see herself looking so glamorous. Made of scarlet grosgrain silk and red chiffon, it had a sleeveless, tight-fitting bodice, fastening down the front with hooks and eyes, a high neckline and a skirt of red silk chiffon, falling from pleats at the waist. Nicole could hardly believe her good fortune as she twirled around. There was nothing old-fashioned about the dress, just timeless simplicity.
    ‘Look at how it complements your skin,’ Lisa said. ‘See how lovely you are? Now you need red lipstick and black eyeliner. I’m going to pin up your hair Chinese style with a single red rose from that awful dress you were wearing.’
    A pair of high-heeled shoes and Nicole was all set, wearing a classic French dress but looking stunningly oriental.
    As she stood inside the entrance to the ballroom, the orchestra stopped playing. She could hear the clink of champagne glasses, a steady hum of voices punctuated by ripples of laughter and the odd jubilant shout.
    She looked towards the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the entire courtyard side of the room. The drapes had been left open and dozens of torches lit the gardens, their glitter reflecting in the central ponds and increasing Nicole’s expectation of enchantment. She spotted Mark wearing a black dinner suit, talking to another man. His shoulders seemed broader than ever and although his hair looked as if it had been trimmed, a curl still fell over his right eye. She found herself wanting to rush over and flick it way. He threw back his head and laughed at whatever his companion had said, and Nicole felt suddenly shy and faltered. Had she imagined that he liked her? But at that moment he spotted her and stopped laughing. They staredat each other and then he seemed to collect himself, clapped the other man on the back and walked towards her.
    Happy that for once it was her turn to shine, she waited, her heart fluttering just a bit.
    ‘Let me look at you,’ he said as he came close and held out both hands. ‘You are absolutely stunning.’
    ‘Am I?’ She took his hands and felt her spirits soar as she looked into his shining eyes and saw the affection and admiration there. She hadn’t imagined it.
    ‘I was worried you weren’t coming.’
    She could hardly speak. ‘I had trouble with my dress.’
    He kissed her on both cheeks and she closed her eyes, wanting to savour every moment.
    ‘Dance?’ he said. ‘The orchestra are tuning up.’
    As he took her arm with a palm resting under her elbow, Nicole spotted Sylvie over at the other side of the ballroom, laughing with a blond officer dressed in white and gold. She witnessed Sylvie’s surprise, and didn’t try to hide her triumph.
    ‘Well, the little duckling has turned into a swan,’ Sylvie said, smiling widely as she walked across. ‘Hasn’t she, Mark?’
    ‘She always was a swan,’ Nicole heard him say, though she didn’t think Sylvie had caught it.
    At that moment a photographer from the local newspaper came up and snapped the three of them. Sylvie posed for the man, giving him a perfect smile, then drew Nicole aside to whisper.
    ‘You look lovely. I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to upset you. Please forgive me.’
    ‘It doesn’t matter,’