Then came the important question of the evening dress. Over that business the two ladies spent a long time. Gown after gown was rejected by the Countess as too elaborate, and not young enough for her niece, and at last Lily felt quite tired out of standing like a doll to be dressed, redressed and undressed.
Mme. Jeanne, on her side, began to wonder if she would ever please her difficult client, the Countess Polda, when suddenly a simple pale grey chiffon gown was produced and slipped over Lily’s head. It was what is called in England a picture dress. It belonged, that is, to no special time or fashion, and it was extremely becoming to the wearer’s delicate, brilliant complexion, and beautiful fair hair.
“Even if Mademoiselle is in mourning, could she not wear with this gown a turquoise-blue velvet belt?” Without waiting for an answer, Mme. Jeanne fetched a bit of turquoise ribbon and put it around the girl’s slender, rounded waist. The effect was enchanting!
But the sight of the velvet ribbon made Lily feel guilty. Though she often felt now as if she were living in another world, she did not forget The Nest at Epsom, and Aunt Emmeline’s long, loving kindness to her. She grew very red, and said quickly: “I would rather have a black belt.”
“No, no, not black!” exclaimed Mme. Jeanne decidedly, “but grey if you like, to tone in with the gown, Mademoiselle. That will be quite pretty. And here is something else—a real bargain this time!” As she spoke she went to a cupboard and took out a black and white striped evening cloak. It was a very attractive garment, though perhaps a little old for a girl.
“This was ordered by a war widow; but between ordering this cloak and its completion, which was only three days, the lady became engaged! So she made up her mind she need not wear mourning for her departed hero any more. Only three hundred francs?”
She threw it over Lily’s shoulders, and the girl realised that it gave a touch of elegant finish to her appearance.
“The cloak goes so well with this dress,” went on Madame Jeanne, “because it, also, was copied from an old picture—a picture which hangs in the Palace of Monaco. If I may venture to advise Mademoiselle, I should have this beautiful cloak repeated when Mademoiselle goes back to colours. It would look exquisite in pale lemon yellow and turquoise blue.”
And as Lily was still hesitating, Mme. Jeanne exclaimed: “Oh, but I forgot—there is a bag that goes with the cloak. That alone was to have been a hundred francs, but I shall give it to Mademoiselle—it shall be thrown in!”
She pulled out a drawer, and took from it a quaint little silk bag. The clasp was of light tortoiseshell, and it really was a charming little object.