Clarissa and the Poor Relations Read Free Page B

You cannot well go into Hertfordshire looking like you have spent last winter counting the coals on the fire individually, however true it maybe. You would not like your new neighbours to pity you would you?’
    ‘I should not.’ exclaimed Clarissa, revolted by the idea, ‘But what modes there were in Mamma’s time. Very grand, of course. But mother was such a bookish woman that it seems strange to think of her going to balls wearing such stiff as this. ’ she held up a purple satin gown with gold brocade overdress.
    ‘Yes, very strange. One must suppose the colour was fashionable at the time. However, don’t you think that we could quite easily cut it up to make an underdress and perhaps an evening cape for Miss Appleby? If we made a simple over dress of this lavender crepe it would be quite in keeping with her semi-mourning for your mama. And it would add little to your consequence to have your companion dressed as she is now.’
    Looking at Oriana’s delight, Clarissa believed that she must have missed the fashionable world more than she thought, and also that she had been itching to gown Clarissa for some time.
    So the ladies devised their scheme to dress their elders in clothes more befitting their new station and it seemed that it could all be done at very little cost with the aid of the riches in the late Mrs Thorne’s chest. A fine dove coloured muslin from mamma’s cupboard could be taken in several inches for Miss Appleby, along with a pelisse to match, which could very well be given a ‘touch of Paris ’ (as Miss Petersham called it) by trimming it with some dark grey velvet ruched ribbon from one of the assorted dresses.
    Miss Micklethwaite was more of a problem. It was useless to suppose she would allow herself to be done up in purple satin. She was, indeed, the daughter of a respectable solicitor who had been forward thinking in the education of ladies, and as such was the social inferior of the rest of the ladies. Even Miss Appleby boasted an impoverished Baronet somewhere in her family tree, but Miss Micklethwaite had no such claims to gentility. She was far too proud ‘to ape her betters’ as she declared when referring to her brother’s wife whose father had made a fortune in trade. Therefore the ladies settled on some dark sturdy poplin (which had served as a voluminous coat to protect her mother’s extraordinary gowns) which could form a simple habit and some black figured muslin that could be fashioned into a simple evening gown. They had such an abundance of beautiful furs in ermine and sable that they almost decided to trim a hat and muff for her, but it would not do - she would not have worn it. It was only when Clarissa found a fox stole at the very bottom of the trunk, which could very well do the same purpose that she was satisfied.
    ‘For she cannot object to that.’ declared Clarissa stoutly, ‘since it is such as anyone with a respectable allowance might possess.’
    The ladies took such of their spoils as they wished to their sitting room there to beginning cutting and pinning to their hearts’ delight. They were found there by Misses Micklethwaite and Appleby, returned from their constitutional. When they were informed what was toward, Miss Appleby began to cry, ‘Oh my dear girl, you cannot. I have never had such gowns in my life ... your dear mama…’
    ‘Would be happy to see you wear them and glad that you could add a little to my consequence with my new neighbours. It would not do, you know for them to think me a nip-cheese to my companion. And you need not think me generous, you know, for they will cost me nothing and you will be obliged to help make them.’
    ‘Oh, of course…’ said Miss Appleby, still sobbing with gratitude.
    ‘Stop snivelling and give the girls a hand, Louisa. It is quite right, you cannot show Clarissa up with her neighbours - even I can see that.  Give me the poplin, I’ll see to it. If you think that you two girls will measure me then