A Tale of Two Outfits

Now that our heroine is established in her attic, it's time to set her sights on getting her man.  Some of us don't know what she sees in him, but isn't that always the way?  Anyway, Mortimer has invited Evangeline over for afternoon tea tomorrow and she is in her attic now, fretting over what to wear.  The armoires are full of choices but he has seen her in every one of them.  She's getting a headache over this.

She lets out a sigh and realizes there is nothing to be done but to sew something new.  In a dusty old trunk in a dark corner of the attic Evangeline finds an old gown made of orange chiffon.  She shakes the dust out, and thinks "I can make this work."

Of course it needs to be taken in in the waist, let out in the bust, and needs some gold trim added to make it au courant and, well, more "Evangeline," but our heroine is no stranger to the old sewing machine left behind in the attic of Barkley Manor.   And so, as the clock strikes eleven, Evangeline sets to work...

She sews in to night, the gown becoming more voluminous with every passing moment...

Finally, just before midnight, she holds up the finished gown and admires her work.

As usual, Bella is out catching flies, Mouette is asleep in the corner, and Valentine is nowhere to be found so Evangeline asks the owl in the rafters, "How does it look?"

She can tell it isn't his favorite.  He prefers purple.  So, with another sigh, Evangeline puts the orange gown away and, just after midnight, begins work on a second outfit.

As dawn approaches (well, this second outfit has the most amazing black lace and chiffon bustle that took forever to get right!) Evangeline tries on her new creation for the owl:

She can tell he is pleased.  Finally, as the first rays of morning sunlight break through the heavy brocade curtains of her bedroom, Evangeline climbs into bed and with one last look at a picture of her beloved, she drifts off to sleep...

to be continued.