Beggars and Choosers Read Free

on the bed playing with Sali’s ivory and lace fan.
    â€˜You say that before every party, Mari, but there are far prettier girls than me in Pontypridd.’ Sali studied her reflection critically in the mirror. She held no illusions about her appearance, but she was not displeased with what she saw. A slender young girl of middle height with an abundance of rich, chestnut hair pinned in an elaborate style, a small, neat nose, large grey-green eyes and a determined chin. She smiled and a dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth.
    â€˜Gloves,’ Llinos reminded, handing Mari a pair of cream satin, elbow-length evening gloves.
    Sali held out her arms and Mari rolled them over her fingers, wrists and arms.
    â€˜Jewels.’ Llinos opened the white satin-lined case and picked out the heirloom sapphire and diamond hairpin, bracelets, necklace and ring that had belonged to their grandmother.
    â€˜Miss Harriet’s maid told me that Miss Harriet wears six hairpieces to pad out her evening hairstyles. I told her straight, my Miss Sali’s hair is that thick and long, she doesn’t need to wear a single one.’ Mari pinned the diamond hairpin to the side of the elaborate bouffant hairstyle she had taken over an hour to create. ‘Look at that, perfect.’
    â€˜You don’t think it’s too elaborate for a family ball?’ Sali asked anxiously, turning her head.
    â€˜Not for tonight.’ Mari fastened the twin bracelets over Sali’s gloved wrists, fastened the necklace around her throat and slipped on the ring.
    â€˜Scent?’ Llinos unscrewed the silver cap of the blue and silver glass bottle that held Sali’s favourite essence of violets.
    â€˜What would I do without you, muffin?’ Sali took the bottle.
    â€˜Let me, or you’ll stain your gloves, or even worse your dress.’ Mari intercepted the bottle, removed the rubber stopper and upended the bottle on her forefinger. Dabbing carefully she applied scent to the back of Sali’s neck, behind her ears and sprinkled a few drops on her hair. ‘Where’s your hanky? We can risk staining that.’
    Sali handed over a scrap of silk and lace.
    Mari placed a dab, then screwed the cap back on the bottle and set it on the dressing table.
    â€˜Grandma’s fan.’ Llinos flicked it together and Sali smiled as she took it.
    â€˜Well, you’re as ready as I can make you. And if I do say it myself, you won’t disgrace your father when you stand next to him in the receiving line,’ Mari announced.
    â€˜I don’t see why I can’t stand in the line,’ Llinos grumbled. ‘Geraint is, and he’s only four years older than me.’
    â€˜And when you’re four years older, Miss Llinos, you’ll be able to stand in the line too,’ Mari said ruthlessly in an attempt to stamp out Llinos’s envy before it became any more apparent.
    â€˜And by then I’ll be an old withered spinster.’ Sali hooked up her train and tried a twirling dance step.
    â€˜That, I doubt,’ Mari countered.
    â€˜Here’s your card.’ Llinos glanced at it before giving it to Sali. ‘Aren’t you terrified that no one will ask you to dance? If I have a single line left free at my first ball, I’ll die of shame.’
    â€˜Then it’s just as well that you’re not going to the ball, Miss Llinos, because no girl is engaged for every single dance at a ball. Except perhaps your sister tonight,’ Mari amended. ‘Looking the way she does I wouldn’t be surprised to see the men queuing up as soon as they come through the door.’
    â€˜That’s nonsense, Mari, and you know it.’
    â€˜I know no such thing.’ Mari combed the hair from Sali’s brush, curled it round her finger and placed it in the hair tidy. ‘Right, now you’re finished, I’ll go along and see if I can help Alice with your mother.’
    â€˜Do you