Leeway Cottage by Beth Gutcheon Read Free Book Online Page A

ROWN T ALBOT
    R EQUEST THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY
    A T A SMALL DANCE IN HONOUR OF THEIR DAUGHTER
    A LICE S T . J OHN
    D ECEMBER TWENTY - EIGHTH ,
    A T TEN O ’ CLOCK
    T HE M AYFIELD C LUB
    Et cetera, et cetera. Alice Talbot was a grade ahead of Annabee at school, but her twin brother, Toby, was a sort of friend of Annabee’s. They had danced together at dancing school and once won a silver dollar which he had let her keep.
    â€œWasn’t that kind of Polly to include you,” said Candace.
    â€œBut I’m not out yet.”
    â€œNo, you’re not, but almost…”
    â€œYou mean, I can go?”
    â€œOh, why not?” Candace looked up and smiled. “You won’t wear a long dress, of course. Polly was devoted to your father, you know.”
    Annabee did know, and it mattered to her. There were not so many who had remained devoted to him.
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    Of course she had nothing to wear to Alice’s party. They went shopping. First to Halle Brothers, where Candace had a favorite saleswoman. Annabee stood in her best silk underwear in the dressing room, surrounded by mirrors, while Candace sat in a plush chair and smoked Old Golds. Mrs. McCall ran in and out with dresses gathered from every department. Everything Mrs. McCall could find was either too poufy, or too décolleté, or not suitable for dancing. At the end of the day, they put two dresses on hold, and went downstairs to salvage the expedition by buying Annabee’s first long white kid gloves.
    â€œOh, dear,” said Annabee as they settled into the backseat of the car. Osgood had finally been retired and Candace was driven now by a patient colored man from New Orleans named Ralph. It was beginning to snow, and the streetlights were already on.
    â€œDon’t worry. Tomorrow we’ll go to the Band Box. Yvonne will have something, she always does.” The Band Box! Yvonne was from Paris and so were the clothes, and if she couldn’t suit you, she’d have something made up. Annabee might wear a dress from Paris, like Berthe, the lost love of her father’s life.
    At the Band Box, Annabee stood in the middle of the room, while Yvonne walked around her as if examining a horse. She used her hands to pull Annabee’s shoulders back, then with one finger caused her to lift her chin, as if she’d forgotten Annabee was alive and a speaker of English. She gazed thoughtfully, then cried, “Ah!,” and left the room in a rush.
    Candace sat as if at a performance. Yvonne reappeared at the door to her atelier and said, “I have it, mam’zelle, come with me,” and Annabee did.
    When she reappeared, Annabee was wearing a swirl of royal blue taffeta, with draped shoulders, a V-neckline, and a very small waist.
    Candace stubbed out her cigarette and sat up straight. “Yvonne!”
    Yvonne used her hands to cause Annabee to rotate slowly. “Ooh la la, non?” she said to Candace, complacently.
    â€œAnna, you look simply marvelous.”
    Annabee blushed. While she had been tucking and pinning her in, Yvonne had rattled off names like Schiaparelli and Lanvin; Annabee wasn’t sure that one of them had actually made this dress, but she knew it was très chic, and it certainly might have been made for her.
    â€œWe just have to take it in here, and here.” Yvonne touched the waist in the back and the shoulders. “And of course she needs a little…” She touched Annabee’s tummy.
    Candace chuckled. “Yes, I see she does.”
    â€œWhat?” asked Annabee. She couldn’t see that she needed anything else if she had this dress.
    â€œA little corseting, lovey. Should we take care of that before you do the fitting, Yvonne?”
    â€œNo, pas du tout. We can fit her now.”
    â€œI suppose I don’t dare ask what this will cost?”
    Yvonne laughed merrily. “No, I wouldn’t, madame. You can see the dress is perfect for her, par-faite,