a knock at the door announced her other guests were beginning to arrive. He became weary of one-on-one conversation with Abigail after a few minutes. He greeted the others and mingled as much as he could before they were called to dinner. Two of her best friends, Jillian Burton and Rebecca Dobson, had come with their current suitors. Nate knew them through banking, too. Jillian’s beau was Reginald Fitzgerald, who ran his family’s jewelry store. Rebecca’s current beau was Edward Mitchell, who’d just opened a new furniture store in town.
Several other couples whom he’d only met a time or two showed up, but he was certain that if they were anyone he needed to know better, Abigail would see that he did. For now, he just wanted to eat and get home to his daughter. Abigail employed a housekeeper and hired an extra cook for her parties. When the housekeeper let Abigail know that dinner was ready to be served, Nate was glad. He would get home that much sooner.
The help served several courses that included roast duck and creamed potatoes with tiny English peas and crusty rolls. The food was wonderful, and Nate was able to enjoy it as he only needed to give half an ear to Abigail and her friends discussing the upcoming spring social season in Eureka Springs. The ladies’ talk about ball gowns and dressmakers, however, caught his attention and held it.
“I don’t know what we are going to do with Miss Elliot marrying and moving away at the end of the year,” Jillian said.
“We must get orders in quickly if we are to have the newest styles for this season,” Rebecca added.
“This town could use several more dressmakers. I don’t want to have to start going away to get my frocks,” Abigail said, “but I don’t know that we’ll have much choice if we keep losing seamstresses.”
Nate didn’t say anything, but if Miss Meagan Snow was as good a dressmaker as her mother claimed, setting them up in business might prove to be a good risk—a very good one, indeed.
Meagan woke on Tuesday, feeling both excited and apprehensive. She and her mother had worked into the night, too wound up to sleep, but they had only a few frocks to press. They felt confident that Mr. Brooks would appreciate their efforts.
As she pulled on a wrapper and hurried downstairs to finish the pressing before getting dressed, Meagan took a deep breath and tried to appear calm. She didn’t want her mother or the girls to see how nervous she was. That would only make them apprehensive. Besides, she’d prayed and put it all in the Lord’s hands, and He would take care of it. They’d cleaned the house until it sparkled, and she was making certain that she would be showing Mr. Brooks her best work. There wasn’t anything else she could do except wait on his decision.
“Good morning, dear. Mrs. Morrison brought over the morning dress and the dinner dress you made her. She made sure they were clean and pressed. She said if we need her to come meet Mr. Brooks to let her know. She’ll be glad to.”
“That’s very nice of her.” Meagan looked over the two dresses: the dinner dress, a crimson- and cream-striped sateen; and the morning dress, a blue- and green-checked gingham. “She has taken very good care of them. They look like they did the day I finished them.”
She carefully laid them in her room until time to bring them out to show Mr. Brooks. While her mother made breakfast for the younger girls, she finished the pressing. Then her mother went to work, the girls went to school, and Meagan spent the rest of the morning laying out everything she planned to show Mr. Brooks. She loved the last housedress she’d made for Becca. It was of patterned blue and white batiste with three rows of pleated ruffles at the hem, the neckline, and wrists, and a skirt that draped gracefully in the back. Meagan was happy with the way her mother’s new brown brocade visiting dress had turned out, too, with
Several other couples whom he’d only met a time or two showed up, but he was certain that if they were anyone he needed to know better, Abigail would see that he did. For now, he just wanted to eat and get home to his daughter. Abigail employed a housekeeper and hired an extra cook for her parties. When the housekeeper let Abigail know that dinner was ready to be served, Nate was glad. He would get home that much sooner.
The help served several courses that included roast duck and creamed potatoes with tiny English peas and crusty rolls. The food was wonderful, and Nate was able to enjoy it as he only needed to give half an ear to Abigail and her friends discussing the upcoming spring social season in Eureka Springs. The ladies’ talk about ball gowns and dressmakers, however, caught his attention and held it.
“I don’t know what we are going to do with Miss Elliot marrying and moving away at the end of the year,” Jillian said.
“We must get orders in quickly if we are to have the newest styles for this season,” Rebecca added.
“This town could use several more dressmakers. I don’t want to have to start going away to get my frocks,” Abigail said, “but I don’t know that we’ll have much choice if we keep losing seamstresses.”
Nate didn’t say anything, but if Miss Meagan Snow was as good a dressmaker as her mother claimed, setting them up in business might prove to be a good risk—a very good one, indeed.
Meagan woke on Tuesday, feeling both excited and apprehensive. She and her mother had worked into the night, too wound up to sleep, but they had only a few frocks to press. They felt confident that Mr. Brooks would appreciate their efforts.
As she pulled on a wrapper and hurried downstairs to finish the pressing before getting dressed, Meagan took a deep breath and tried to appear calm. She didn’t want her mother or the girls to see how nervous she was. That would only make them apprehensive. Besides, she’d prayed and put it all in the Lord’s hands, and He would take care of it. They’d cleaned the house until it sparkled, and she was making certain that she would be showing Mr. Brooks her best work. There wasn’t anything else she could do except wait on his decision.
“Good morning, dear. Mrs. Morrison brought over the morning dress and the dinner dress you made her. She made sure they were clean and pressed. She said if we need her to come meet Mr. Brooks to let her know. She’ll be glad to.”
“That’s very nice of her.” Meagan looked over the two dresses: the dinner dress, a crimson- and cream-striped sateen; and the morning dress, a blue- and green-checked gingham. “She has taken very good care of them. They look like they did the day I finished them.”
She carefully laid them in her room until time to bring them out to show Mr. Brooks. While her mother made breakfast for the younger girls, she finished the pressing. Then her mother went to work, the girls went to school, and Meagan spent the rest of the morning laying out everything she planned to show Mr. Brooks. She loved the last housedress she’d made for Becca. It was of patterned blue and white batiste with three rows of pleated ruffles at the hem, the neckline, and wrists, and a skirt that draped gracefully in the back. Meagan was happy with the way her mother’s new brown brocade visiting dress had turned out, too, with
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