A CHRISTMAS WISH

Chapter 8: Sarah Gets The Jitters, part 2

Chapter 8

SARAH GETS THE JITTERS, PART 2:

Four hours, and an eternity of primping and preening later, Sarah was finally ready.

The Sun had set outside an hour ago and Sarah could already hear muffled sounds of music and merriment making their way into her room. It looked like there was one hell of a party going on downstairs. Sarah was getting more and more anxious with each passing minute. Now that she was ready Sarah felt extremely apprehensive about going downstairs.  She really didn’t have any compulsion to parade herself in front of a roomful of strange men.

“Oh M’lady, ye look so beautiful.” Glenda whispered awe struck. Unfortunately Sarah wasn’t the least bit curious; her mind was too busy fretting about tonight.

Glenda rushed her excitedly to the corner of the room to stand her in front of the ivory bordered polished metal mirror.

For a minute even Sarah was speechless, Glenda had really outdone her self this time. The beautiful golden gown was extremely flattering on her, for the first time in her life Sarah couldn’t actually find anything to criticize about her own appearance. She ran a tentative hand over the rich material with the amazingly detailed black embroidery.

Sarah unconsciously traced the pattern of tiny birds and flowers across the border of the round neckline with her fingertips. She liked the way the golden cloth was slit at the elbows, to reveal the skin tight black sleeves which Glenda had sown on underneath.  Her waist was accentuated by a jeweled belt with gold links, enclosing small, white ivory plates. The bodice of the gown, as always was tight, and though it concealed any skin it still drew the eye to every alluring dip and hollow of her upper body.

Sarah couldn’t help twirling around to get the full effect of her gown. The heavy skirts fluttered and shifted sinuously with every movement she made. It was a dress fit for a medieval princess and Sarah felt extremely lucky to be the one standing there wearing it. Eat your heart out, Gwyneth Paltrow.

But it was her hair that Sarah liked best, it was just perfect. Glenda had urged her to wear a matching golden head-dress but Sarah had been adamant against wearing the thing. It was far too big and clunky. She really didn’t feel like walking around all night with a giant mushroom on her head.

Giving up, Glenda had finally brushed Sarah’s long titian mane until it shone like molten fire and then bound it into one thick glossy braid with black and gold ribbon. She had also cleverly used small pearl tipped pins down the length of her braid and finished off the look with solid gold butterfly combs pinned onto the crown of Sarah’s head.

“You look lovely, child.”

Surprised Sarah looked at Lady Catherine who stood transfixed in the open doorway. She could see the pride in her mother’s eyes. For a moment they just stared at one another, a myriad of unspoken emotions forming an intangible bond between them.

“Thank you, mother.”

Lady Catherine walked into the room slowly surveying Sarah from head to toe. She was mesmerized by Sarah’s transformation tonight, her heart swelled with pride as she looked at the beautiful young lady standing before her. Her little girl had turned into a woman, a beautiful young woman worthy of the finest things in life.  Catherine placed a trembling hand on her daughter’s cheek. There was so much she wanted to say but she could hardly find the words.

Catherine was a product of her time, as a woman in the Middle-Ages it was her duty to follow her husband and comply with his every command. It wasn’t her station in life to question she was there to obey no matter how strong her own apprehensions. And standing here, looking at her beautiful young daughter Catherine was burdened with apprehensions, in fact many of them and the reason for every single one of them had already arrived downstairs.