Persuasion Read Free

Lily.” Mrs. Sampson's head swiveled between Lily
    and her daughter, until she raised a brow at the delay. “Anna, go along with
    her ladyship.”
    Anna looked over-flushed and discomforted, by Lily's presence or her
    mother's, Lily wasn't certain. And so, she clutched at Anna's hand, tucked it
    underneath her elbow and forced her into moving around the cavernous
    chamber.
    “Your dress is quite . . . lovely, Anna,” she said and was the first to speak.
    “T-Thank you, your ladyship. You look most beautiful also!”
    “Less of the ladyship. My name is Lily.”
    “Oh, I thank you for the honor, my lady, but I couldn't possibly. My mother
    would not be pleased at such impoliteness.”
    “Your mother is not here at the moment, Anna,” she pointed out with a wry
    smile. “Please. I do so hate this dreadful necessity of thrusting our nobility
    about the place as though it mattered.”
    “I-If you are certain, L-Lily. You do me a great honor.”
    “That is quite relative I'm sure. You would be doing me a great honor
    yourself, if you . . . .”
    “If I could? Anything I can do to help you, Lily, please, I am at your
    disposal.”
    “Tell me who your modiste is?”
    “Is that all?” Anna laughed and a delightful blush spread along the curve of
    her cheeks.
    “Of course! Your dress is beautiful and while you say that I look lovely, I feel
    almost as though I'm indecently exposing myself to any number of
    gentlemen here!”
    “Oh that's not true! It suits you perfectly!”
    “We shall agree to disagree, I fear, Anna.”
    “Madame Boliage is my modiste, Lily.”
    “No! If she can produce that for you, why can't she produce it for me too?
    Lily complained with a groan and looked down at Anna's sweeping dress
    whose crisp, fine linen gathered at the bust then fell to the floor in a
    sweeping wave of material. It was bordered with a thick line of embroidery,
    which matched the bust and short capped sleeves at her arm. It was
    elegant, tasteful and while showing a good deal of flesh did not make the
    young Anna look like a houri!
    “I fear you dislike your raiment, but you look most sophisticated for your . .
    . ,” the younger girl hesitated.
    Lily smiled. “My age? I suppose I need not look so pure as you, Anna, but
    still, appearances must be upheld, no? The good Madame had designed me a
    perfectly suitable outfit and then my aunt saw fit to interfere! The nerve, I
    ask you,” she finished, but was less annoyed now and was sufficiently
    calmed to merely grin at her aunt's mischief with the still-shy girl beside her.
    “I'm sure your aunt thought she was acting on your behalf.”
    “Naturally. I should have realized she would have slipped a whispered
    message to the modiste! But still, if I'm as old as she says I am then surely I
    have the right to choose my own apparel,” she said, with a teasing smile.
    “I fear that you are correct. To our elders, we shall always be the babes
    regardless of any contradictions they choose to make!”
    “Very true. Sadly, I must remain with Madame Boliage if she was the creator
    of your exquisite dress,” she said with a dramatic sigh.
    “Forgive me, Lily, but you do not appear to be having a diverting time of it. I
    had my come out ball three weeks ago and I enjoyed it greatly. Yet, you
    seem . . . well, if you will forgive my forwardness . . . rather down?”
    Lily raised intrigued eyebrows. She hadn't credited Anna with astuteness nor
    frankness, apparently she'd been wrong. “You think so? I hope I'm not as
    transparent as all that!” she murmured wryly.
    “No,” Anna replied with a smile. “But I see much more than your average
    eighteen year old.”
    “Ah. You are a reader of people, no?”
    “Well, I wouldn't phrase it like that, Lily.”
    “How would you phrase it?” she asked and nodded to one of the gentleman
    who smiled at her. She hurried their pace to escape a dance invitation and
    ducked her head towards Anna.
    “I can see that you approve of