Free Distant Dreams by Tracie Peterson, Judith Pella Page B

instantly went to unhook Carolina’s dress.
    “Mother, truly,” Carolina protested as Miriam worked. “By your own rule you know Virginia must marry first. Since she’s still available, why muddy the waters, so to speak?”
    “I want to make sure, Carolina, that you don’t find yourself in the same desperate predicament as your sister. Eighteen and no husband, not even a prospect.”
    Her day dress was lifted over her head, and Miriam quickly had the pink satin in place before Carolina could utter another word. The cold material caused Carolina to shiver, but it was a good feeling nevertheless. Satin always had a way of making Carolina feel truly lovely. Miriam finished with the back hooks and, after adjusting the sleeves to expose Carolina’s milky white shoulders, stepped back to await her mistress’s bidding.
    “Why, it looks as though it had been made for you,” Margaret said, taking in the vision of her daughter.
    Carolina caught sight of herself in the mirror. She had developed quite young, and the dress was designed to show off just the right amount of figure without leaning into a dangerously overexposed area. The satin hung off her shoulders in sleeves of demi-gigot fashion. Fitted from the elbow down, Carolina couldn’t resist the urge to puff out the tops as she took in her reflection. She wished it had the newest style of sleeves that she had seen in Godey’s Lady’s Book , instead of the old muttonchop style. But at least it had a fashionable fitted waist. The form-fitting bodice showed off her womanly shape, rounding softly just above her breast with elaborate handmade lace. The snug waist blossomed out in three tiers of flouncing to the floor.
    Yes, Hester and the girls in the sewing house had done a fine job of duplicating the latest fashion. Carolina could not imagine what had prompted Virginia to reject it. But she could be exceedingly choosy at times. No wonder she still had not found a husband!
    “I think this will do just fine,” Margaret stated as Carolina turned slowly before her mother. As much as Carolina had thought the party of little interest, she found herself growing excited as she considered the gown. She might have an unwomanly fascination with science, but that in no way superseded her feminine interest in clothes and looking good.
    Margaret seemed to sense the change in her and offered an approving nod. “You’ll turn heads, no doubt. And you’ll do yourself proud and maybe even find a young suitor who will come to call.”
    Carolina had no chance to respond, for Hannah appeared in the doorway to announce tea. Margaret motioned for Penny to accompany her downstairs while Miriam helped Carolina change.
    Once she was properly attired in her cotton day dress, Carolina took the gown to her own room. But as she laid it over the back of a chair, she caught her reflection in the dressing table mirror. Where was the grown woman that had seemingly stared back at her only minutes ago? Carolina reached a hand up to her carefully secured bun and pulled it loose. Rich brown hair tumbled down and fell about her shoulders like a cape. Taking the pink satin gown in hand, she held it up against her body and shook her hair loose to fall across the material. She thought herself very much to resemble a child playing dress-up, and the thought seemed to haunt her. Why had she allowed herself to get caught up in the party?
    “I have no desire to attract anyone’s attention,” she said and tossed the dress aside as unmercifully as her sister had done earlier.
    Plopping down in the window seat of her bedroom, Carolina stared wistfully beyond the panes of glass, remembering the hissing steam engine that had captured her fancy. She could close her eyes and almost see it.
    Reaching beneath the cushion of the seat, Carolina pulled out the kid gloves she’d hidden there. Lifting them to her nose, the sharp smell of oil mingled with smoke lured her like Ulysses’ sirens back to that wonderful