Letting in Light ✔️ [Completed] [Book two]

Chapter 33

I don't take my eyes off the most beautiful dress I have ever seen as Robin informs me of the military operation planned for the following week.

"...I'll be there to dress you, and I've arranged for a team to come and do all your hair and make up... at Daniel's request of course." She can barely contain her excitement, and I have to admit... it's a little infectious.

I turn to look at the girls with my mouth hanging open. As soon as we make eye contact and I see their delighted expressions, the smile spreads widely across my face.

Robin is still grinning when I spin back round. But, my heart suddenly plummets when I realise I have no idea how much the dress is. Shit, a dress like this must be well out of my price range... unless I split it over several credit cards... or maybe sell a kidney?

I walk back over to the dress, which is now hanging in front of one of the huge mirrors in the centre of the room. I allow my fingertips to caress the softness of the lace. My eyes scan the dress from top to bottom, but I cannot see a price tag.

"How much is it?" I ask, reaching down for my bag. Robin swiftly appears behind me and stops my arms with a gentle touch.

"Everything has been taken care of." Robin says quietly.

"No, I pay my own way." I respond sharply, and pick up my handbag to find my purse.

Robin chuckles softly. "Daniel said you would do this. He said I need to be firm with you." She covers her mouth in humour. I'm not sure she could be firm with anyone.

"Lizzie, just let him do this." Sarah comments with a flick of her wrist. "You never let him treat you."

"I agree completely. I would bloody love Jeremy to do something like this for me." She walks over to the dress. "Anyway, I don't think you could afford this sexy little number, even spread across all your credit cards!" Caroline watches the confusion in my expression that she knew what I was thinking. "Ha ha! I knew exactly what you had in mind with your flexible friends!"

"So, can we stop talking about how much it is now?" Robin asks. "The important thing is that it now belongs to you!"

I raise my hands in defeat. "OK, I will be a kept woman... just this once!" I laugh, but my eyes return to my dress.

"So, as I said, we will come to get you ready next week. We will probably arrive mid morning." Robin says seriously.

"What? I don't think we need to be there until the evening!"I say in complete shock. What are they going to do for six hours?

"Oh, I have already worked out the timings for everything." She practically sings at me.

"Oh! OK, then." I decide its best to just keep my mouth shut and enjoy being pampered. "I will see you next week."

A thought suddenly bursts into my head that I cannot shake. My mouth asks the question before my brain has caught up. "You said you went to school with Daniel, right?"

"Yeah, all through secondary school. Why? Do you want to know what he was like?" She giggles.

"Maybe another time, but I was wondering... did you know Georgia Marsloe?" I ask hesitantly, not really sure what I'm hoping to hear.

Robin's face immediately falls. I watch an array of emotions sweep across her features before her bottom lip starts to quiver slightly. "I haven't heard that name in such a long time." She shudders involuntarily. "Yes, I knew her." Robin gives no more information.

"Could you tell me about her?" I ask quietly. My palms become clammy, so I discreetly try to wipe them on my jeans.

"What do you want to know?" Robin clears her throat, and straightens her blouse preparing herself to answer my questions.