CHAPTER IX.
WHITE MUSLIN.
As the good little spinster was arraying herself on this particularevening, having laid upon the bed the greater portion of her modestsplendor, she went to her wardrobe, and took therefrom the scored bandboxcontaining her best cap. All the ladies of Slowbridge wore caps; and allbeing respectfully plagiarized from Lady Theobald, without any referenceto age, size, complexion, or demeanor, the result was sometimes a littletrying. Lady Theobald's head-dresses were of a severe and bristlingorder. The lace of which they were composed was induced by some ingeniousdevice to form itself into aggressive quillings, the bows seemed linedwith buckram, the strings neither floated nor fluttered.
"To a majestic person the style is very appropriate," Miss Belinda hadsaid to Octavia that very day; "but to one who is not so, it is rathertrying. Sometimes, indeed, I have _almost_ wished that Miss Chickie wouldvary a _little_ more in her designs."
Perhaps the sight of the various articles contained in two of the fivetrunks had inspired these doubts in the dear old lady's breast: it iscertain, at least, that, as she took the best cap up, a faint sighfluttered upon her lips.
"It is very large for a small person," she said. "And I am not at allsure that amber is becoming to me."
And just at that moment there came a tap at the door, which she knew wasfrom Octavia.
She laid the cap back, in some confusion at being surprised in a momentof weakness.
"Come in, my love," she said.
Octavia pushed the door open, and came in. She had not dressed yet, andhad on her wrapper and slippers, which were both of quilted gray silk,gayly embroidered with carnations. But Miss Belinda had seen both wrapperand slippers before, and had become used to their sumptuousness: what shehad not seen was the trifle the girl held in her hand. "See here," shesaid. "See what I have been making for you!"
She looked quite elated, and laughed triumphantly.
"I did not know I could do it until I tried," she said. "I had seen somein New York, and I had the lace by me. And I have enough left to makeruffles for your neck and wrists. It's Mechlin."
"My dear!" exclaimed Miss Belinda. "My dear!"
Octavia laughed again.
"Don't you know what it is?" she said. "It isn't like a Slowbridge cap;but it's a cap, nevertheless. They wear them like this in New York, and Ithink they are ever so much prettier."
It was true that it was not like a Slowbridge cap, and was also true thatit was prettier. It was a delicate affair of softly quilled lace, adornedhere and there with loops of pale satin ribbon.
"Let me try it on," said Octavia, advancing; and in a minute she had doneso, and turned Miss Bassett about to face herself in the glass. "There!"she said. "Isn't that better than--well, than emulating Lady Theobald?"
It was so pretty and so becoming, and Miss Belinda was so touched by thegirl's innocent enjoyment, that the tears came into her eyes.
"My--my love," she faltered, "it is so beautiful, and so expensive,that--though indeed I don't know how to thank you--I am afraid I shouldnot dare to wear it."
"Oh!" answered Octavia, "that's nonsense, you know. I'm sure there's noreason why people shouldn't wear becoming things. Besides, I should beawfully disappointed. I didn't think I could make it, and I'm real proudof it. You don't know how becoming it is!"
Miss Belinda looked at her reflection, and faltered. It was becoming.
"My love," she protested faintly, "real Mechlin! There is really no suchlace in Slowbridge."
"All the better," said Octavia cheerfully. "I'm glad to hear that. Itisn't one bit too nice for you."
To Miss Belinda's astonishment, she drew a step nearer to her, and gaveone of the satin loops a queer, caressing little touch, which actuallyseemed to mean something. And then suddenly the girl stooped, with alittle laugh, and gave her aunt a light kiss on her cheek.
"There!" she said. "You must take it from me for a present. I'll go andmake the ruffles this minute; and you must wear those too, and let peoplesee how stylish you can be."
And, without giving Miss Bassett time to speak, she ran out of the room,and left the dear old lady warmed to the heart, tearful, delighted,frightened.
A coach from the Blue Lion had been ordered to present itself at aquarter past five, promptly; and at the time specified it rattled up tothe door with much spirit,--with so much spirit, indeed, that MissBelinda was a little alarmed.
"Dear, dear!" she said. "I hope the driver will be able to control thehorse, and will not allow him to go too fast. One hears of such terribleaccidents."
Then Mary Anne was sent to announce the arrival of the equipage to MissOctavia, and, having performed the errand, came back beaming with smiles.
"Oh, mum," she exclaimed, "you never see nothin' like her! Her gownd is'evingly. An' lor'! how you do look yourself, to be sure!"
Indeed, the lace ruffles on her "best" black silk, and the little cap onher smooth hair, had done a great deal for Miss Bassett; and she had onlyjust been reproaching herself for her vanity in recognizing this fact.But Mary Anne's words awakened a new train of thought.
"Is--is Miss Octavia's dress a showy one, Mary Anne?" she inquired. "Dearme, I do hope it is not a showy dress!"
"I never see nothin' no eleganter, mum," said Mary Anne: "she wantsnothin' but a veil to make a bride out of her--an' a becominer thing shenever has wore."
They heard the soft sweep of skirts at that moment, and Octavia came in.
"There!" she said, stopping when she had reached the middle of the room."Is that simple enough?" Miss Belinda could only look at her helplessly.The "white muslin" was composed almost entirely of Valenciennes lace; theblue ribbons were embroidered with field-daisies; the air of delicateelaborateness about the whole was something which her innocent mind couldnot have believed possible in orthodox white and blue.
"I don't think I should call it exactly simple," she said. "My love, whata quantity of lace!"
Octavia glanced down at her _jabots_ and frills complacently.
"There _is_ a good deal of it," she remarked; "but then, it is nice, andone can stand a good deal of nice Valenciennes on white. They said Worthmade the dress. I hope he did. It cost enough. The ribbon was embroideredby hand, I suppose. And there is plenty of it cut up into these bows."
There was no more to be said. Miss Belinda led the way to the coach,which they entered under the admiring or critical eyes of several mostrespectable families, who had been lying in wait behind theirwindow-curtains since they had been summoned there by the sound ofthe wheels.
As the vehicle rattled past the boarding-school, all the young ladies inthe first class rushed to the window. They were rewarded for their zealby a glimpse of a cloud of muslin and lace, a charmingly dressedyellow-brown head, and a pretty face, whose eyes favored them with afrank stare of interest.
"She had diamonds in her ears!" cried Miss Phipps, wildly excited. "I sawthem flash. Ah, how I should like to see her without her wraps! I have nodoubt she is a perfect blaze!"
A Fair Barbarian Page 9