“But I’m sure she didn’t. . . . It was just because I’m going,” protested Flo, turning to see the flowers which also were caught by the fire light. The wavering of the flames made the daffodils appear to flicker as if being disturbed by a gentle wind.
“It’s likely,” commented Mrs. Royer scoffingly. “I know Milly Mawson. Ah, well, I think I’ll go and see Mrs. Dower. Fancy Jenny doing that. She must have been careless some’ow. Though I’ve heard tell as them machines is pretty awful.”
With an unexpected gush of energy she got up and turned to the door where her things had been hung.
“Oh, but,” protested Flo. “My things came this morning after you went. I thought you’d stay.”
“What things?”
“Clothes,” said Flo, standing up. “I didn’t want to say while Ivy was here. I was afraid she’d want to borrow . . .”
“Where are they?” asked Mrs. Royer, turning back. “Have they
“D’you think I might wear them to-morrow? It wouldn’t matter one day beforehand.”
“It’s what they’re for,” said Mrs. Royer. “Course you wear ’em. Where are they?”
Flo opened the door in the end wall by the fireplace and ran up the closed-in stairs to the bedroom where the three of them had to sleep in one bed. The box was under the bed at her own side by the window and all the time that Ivy had been up she had been nervous. But the box was as she had left it with the string in a loose bow. She carried it gently as though the contents were brittle, and lowered it on to the table in the manner of putting down a tray. Mrs. Royer stood by while the bow was pulled, the lid taken off, and the tissue paper was put back. On top with arms folded was the neatest costume jacket that Flo had seen. It was blue serge with narrow red braid on the collar, reveres and cuffs. She picked it up by the shoulders and held it over her bust, too eager for her mother to see how it suited her even to have time to put it on.
“Isn’t it lovely?” she exclaimed, turning sideways to get the best light.
Mrs. Royer stared, and then reached for the cuff to feel the soft ribbed texture, and finally she stroked it, unable to take her hand away.
“You’ve never had anythin’ like
Flo laughed and looked down again.
“Does it fit?” asked Mrs. Royer suddenly.
Flo began to get into it, but her thick tartan frock was a nuisance.
“I’ve got to let you see everything; I must take my frock off,” she explained, stopping unexpectedly.
She tried to drag her frock off without undoing the belt, and had to let it down and start over again. Her green petticoat was off in a jiff and then her flannel knickers and she reached into the box and drew out new knickers and a petticoat of pale blue cotton.
“My word!” ejaculated Mrs. Royer.
“There’s vests. Two of everything,” said Flo, beginning to step into the costume skirt. It was tight at the waist, but she held her breath while she got the two hooks into the eyes. She smoothed the creases in front and drew her open hands down from her waist behind and was delighted by the close feel of it. “But only one blouse,” she murmured with the slightest hint of regret. She dropped the blouse quickly over her head. It was of buff cotton with a print design of small red and blue triangles to match the suit braiding.
“Fancy that!” said Mrs. Royer. “My! Didn’t I tell you?”
The jacket slipped on easily. Flo left the front open, but buttoned the belt.
“What more d’you want?” demanded Mrs. Royer.
Flo slowly turned and walked stiffly and sedately the six paces which the room allowed, then abruptly she swooped back.
“There’s shoes, too; I forgot! Brogues.”
Also there were two pairs of stockings, but they were black, thick cashmere, so that she did not mention them because she thought that she looked better in her own which were grey cotton.
“My word,” repeated Mrs. Royer, “I never thought they’d do you like that. When Missis told me, I thought it ’ud be somethin’ not worth having.”
“I bet Ivy’ll be jealous,” said Flo.
She looked down at herself in front and tried to look over her shoulder to see what it was like at the back. “It does fit, doesn’t it?”
“Like you’d been measured.”
“It isn’t a bit tight?”
“You look like a real lady,” said Mrs. Royer. “Fancy them fitting you up like that. Eh, everybody’ll wonder what’s happened . . . we’ve had a fortune or somethin’,” and she chuckled and suddenly remembered Mrs. Dower. “You must come. She won’t believe if I just tell her. But if you’re
“You’d have thought they’d have sent a hat,” said Flo.
“Yes; haven’t they?”
“That’s all that came,” Flo nodded at the box.