Free Keep Me (Beggar's Choice #3) by Lily Morton

tips. First he painted my face white
like a little ghostly doll, accompanying the look with red lipstick which he
accentuated by sticking a little beauty spot next to my lips. He then powdered
my hair and backcombed it to within an inch of its life, before pinning it up
and pushing a peacock feather into the back.
    I’m corseted into the gown so tightly that I think I might
have to let it out to do anything simple like drink, or even breathe. However,
it’s raised my breasts up over the low neckline so they look massive in
comparison to my waist which looks tiny. The dress gleams with its rich colour
in the low light when I move. It has tight sleeves ending in white lace, and
the skirt bells out making a lovely swishing noise. The final touch are white
stockings and a flowery garter which can be seen through a rent in the skirt,
and the most beautiful forest green satin, square toed ballet shoes which have
delicate, green ribbons to fasten around my ankles.
    I spritz myself with perfume and make my way downstairs
feeling excited for the first time today. There’s something about being in
costume that takes the nerves away. You could be anyone and do anything in a
costume and I think of Bram and his garden party and snort.
    “What are you laughing at?” his voice booms at me suddenly
and I jump, holding my hand to my throat.
    “Jesus Christ you startled me,” I say crossly. “Don’t sneak
up on the deaf person.”
    “Don’t say that,” he chastises automatically as he always does
whenever I take the piss out of the deafness.
    He moves further into the light of the hall and I gasp. He
looks amazing and I wryly realise why Matt was so insistent on my costume
because it pairs with Bram who is wearing an 18 th century soldier’s
outfit. He has on tight white breeches which cling to the muscles in his
thighs, and knee high boots. A black frock coat falls from his wide shoulders
and underneath is a white waistcoat with gold frogging down the front. He’s
tied his hair back in a short ponytail, wrapped a black cravat round his neck
under a white shirt, and to top it off he’s added a horribly realistic bloody
wound to his temple and dusted his hair with dirt.
    I become aware that I’m staring at him at the same time that
I realise he’s staring just as hard at me, his attention seemingly divided
between my breasts which are almost staring him in the face and the rip in my
skirt showing off my garter. His chest rises and falls sharply and I draw in a
sudden sharp breath feeling like there isn’t enough air in here. He moves
towards me as though pulled slowly by a rope until he’s in front of me, and I
sway towards him without any thought as he lowers his head towards me, only to
breathe in sharply and jerk back when he hears Matt’s voice behind him.
    “Well, well you two do look cosy don’t you?”
    Bram mutters something that I can’t pick up and then turns
to face Matt.
    “Oh Matt you look brilliant,” I gush and he does, dressed in
a long, black, hooded gown and combat boots.
    “Thank you honey,” he says, breezing past me. He pauses next
to Bram as he goes and I could swear that he laughs and says, “How’s that
promise to Saint Agnes looking now babe?”
    “Fuck off,” Bram snaps crossly and marches off down the
stairs leaving me to grab Matt’s arm and let him lead me away.
    When we pull up outside the venue I can’t help but gasp. The
outside of the club has been transformed, covered by a giant cobweb and halfway
up the building’s façade I can see the giant hairy legs of a massive spider.
Doormen are waiting dressed as vampires but I shrink slightly as a thousand
flashbulbs seem to go off in one go as photographers descend on our car.
    I can hear a lot of shouting and the word Bram a lot
but thankfully I can’t hear everything and Bram turns to Matt. “I’ll get out
this side and let them take some pictures. You grab Alys and go round the back
of them okay?” Matt nods and Bram grabs my