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After doing the finishing touches on her makeup, Lydia looked in the mirror to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. She was very much looking forward to tonight. Ileana’s idea to host the costume ball brought life back into the house that she hadn’t thought would come about again. Her father’s wife had been very tight lipped about what she’d wear, though Lydia had asked once or twice. Even Clarice wouldn’t tell her a thing, which was a bit surprising since Clarice usually didn’t keep secrets from her. Secrets were her thing. Regardless, Lydia couldn’t wait to see what Ileana had come up with.
As for herself, she had chosen a red dress styled in the regency fashion from 100 years ago. Her hair had been put in an updo by Elisabeth, Clarice’s younger sister who had been assigned as her ladies maid, and whose duties mostly consisted of passing messages to and from Clarice. She had chosen a neck choker and some pearl earrings as her accessories. She had been named after a character from Pride and Prejudice, and she might as well run with it.
She had a little bit of time before she needed to head downstairs. Aunt Bea, Uncle Giles, and Roger were going to arrive soon, before the rest of the guests as they usually did. Knowing her father, he was probably already down there. Maybe Ileana was too, but she doubted it. The latest message Elisabeth had passed along to her had been that Ileana hoped to make a grand entrance, which only increased the suspense and excitement as to her costume. Surely it would be worth the wait in that case.
As she was applying her lipstick, a brighter shade than she usually tended to wear, she heard a knock at her door. Realistically, it was probably Elisabeth or Danny letting her know she should go downstairs, but she hoped it was Clarice. She had promised herself she’d do her best to sneak in a moment alone with her tonight, and she definitely wanted to show Clarice her costume before the ball started. “Come in,” she called.
Clarice was still all too giddy with excitement from helping Ileana into her dress. Oh that beautiful, big white dress! Her lady would look so beyond beautiful. She was so happy for Ileana. She really deserved it. Clarice knew very well how hard the first weeks at Manderley had been for her. This was going to be her evening and the whole house would be a bright dream of light and talk and music and dance. How exciting!
She had not yet changed into her costume. She would do so after her duty was done. First she had to make sure Ileana was all happy and taken care of.
She was holding the dress in one hand now. The black sequins were shiny in the gloomy hallway. She was going to look like a queen. Like an actual lady. It was unbelievable.
She knocked on Lydia’s door and rushed in, after her love told her to enter.
Clarice giggled a little and walked straight over to Lydia and kissed her right on her perfect red lipstick lips.
“Whoops,” she said then and wiped her finger over her lips. She had smeared some of Lydia’s lipstick with her kiss. She shrugged. ”I had no choice, ok?”
Lydia laughed, caught off guard by the spontaneous kiss. “Then it seems I have no choice but to do this,” Lydia smirked playfully and kissed Clarice right back.
The dress Clarice was holding looked absolutely stunning. Lydia had to admit that she hadn’t expected her beloved to dress as a flapper when she first told her, but she just knew it was going to take her breath away once she was actually wearing it. “You’re going to look absolutely stunning,” she said.
“So, Ileana let you sneak away, I see.”
”Yes,” said Clarice. She wiped her lips with her tumb like she just had the best candy.
“She wants to put on the wig herself. No idea why. But I told her I’d go find you. If she needs me, she’ll let me know,” she grinned widely.
She was so proud. She had been a lady’s maid for just a few months and today was such a big day. Her absolute overactive imagination was telling her that she could be like Mrs Danvers one day. Just - without all the black stuff. And the death glare. And the obsessive cleaning and ordering - But other than that, just like Mrs Danvers!
She looked at Lydia and smiled.
“Can I help you with your dress? Pleasssseeeee????”
Lydia smiled back at her, feeling her heart flutter at Clarice’s giddiness. She gladly accepted Clarice’s offer, having sent Elisabeth away to go get herself ready once her hair and accessories were ready. “If you’d like to, sure.”
Clarice nodded happily and put down her flapper dress. Lydia’s own regency dress was on its hanger by the wall and Clarice stepped over to admire it.
”You will look stunning in it my love,” she told Lydia. For a moment she turned around and smiled at her love who was starting to take off her dress.
Her hair looked regal, all curled up. Elisabeth had done a good job and Clarice made a mental note to tell her so later.
Her sister was going to match Clarice in another flapper dress in dark red. They would surely be a pair. But no one could compare to regal and beautiful Lydia. Her Lydia. Sometimes she still could not believe it.
She took Lydia's clothes and folded them neatly on the bed. Then she helped her into the regency dress.
She was just pulling up the sleeves, when the door opened and Elisabeth stuck her head in. When she saw Clarice her mouth formed a perfectly round O.
“Excuse me, you have your own lady,” her sister said in a playful tone. ”This is mine.”
“On the contrary,” Clarice said and pulled a face at Elisabeth. “And now goodbye.” She took off her shoe and threw the door shut.
“Unbelievable,” she heard her sister say behind the closed door. Clarice rolled her eyes and turned back to Lydia. “It’s hard, you know,” she said. “But I get by.”
Then she turned her attention back to the dress.
Lydia covered her mouth, unable to hold in her laughter at the sisters’ antics. From the moment Elisabeth was hired, she saw that the two had the special ability of being absolutely chaotic when together, sort of like herself and Roger when the adults weren’t around, and it always lifted her mood. “Sisters, am I right?” she shrugged her shoulders.
Once Clarice finished lacing up her dress, Lydia turned to face her. “Now, shall I help you with your dress before Ileana steals you away again?” she asked, wanting to return the favor, and kissed her on the cheek.
Clarice hesitated for a moment. She was not quite certain if it was alright to walk back into her mistress's room dressed as a flapper. Flappers were generally a complicated matter. But then again, it was Ileana. She probably would not mind.
“Oh alright,” she said to Lydia. She got out of her clothes and into the flapper dress. Lydia moved her hair out of the way and closed the dress behind her back.
It was a strange thing because Clarice was so used to being the one who took care of others that it felt downright strange to be taken care of for once.
It was nice, she could not deny it. Lydia often did little things for her but this was something else. She was very careful and very gentle and Clarice had to smile a little. They were getting ready together. For a ball. A real ball. When Lydia was done she let go off Clarice’s hair and put her hands on Clarice’s shoulders.
Lydia let her hands rest there for a few moments, and she gazed lovingly into Clarice’s eyes. Then she got an idea, given away by the way her eyes lit up. “There’s something missing,” she hummed.
Stepping away from Clarice, she opened a drawer of her vanity. “I found it,” she pulled out a hairpin in the shape of two small black bows with a pearl chain linking them together, and clipped them into Clarice’s hair.
“There,” she smiled, “don’t tell Elisabeth, but you’re the most breathtaking flapper I’ve ever seen.”
Clarice could not stop smiling. She turned to look at herself in the mirror. The hairpin looked so sweet on her. It made her sigh a little.
She turned back to Lydia and grinned. “I won’t tell,” she said. “Promise. But there is also something missing in your outfit.” Lydia raised her brows at her and Clarice giggled. Then she stepped closer and pressed another kiss on Lydia’s lips.
“There,” she muttered then. “That’s better.”
Lydia’s eyes widened. Clarice had caught her off guard again. “You little minx, you,” she chuckled darkly. She was about to take her revenge by kissing her right on the mouth until she could no longer breathe, but unfortunately she was thwarted by Elisabeth opening the door again.
“Not to interrupt your alone time,” Elisabeth gave a teasing look in their direction, “but Mrs. Danvers told me to tell you that the Lacys are pulling in right now.”
Damn it.
“I guess that’s my cue,” Lydia sighed and started to head out the door. Just before she stepped out of her room, she gave Clarice one last smirk. “Don’t worry, love, I’ll get you next time.”
If her lipstick was a little messed up from all those sweet little kisses, she didn’t mind. Damn what Rebecca would’ve said about it. Everyone would be too focused on that grand entrance Ileana was planning to notice such a minor thing anyway. And if they wondered why she was so happy, well that was her and Clarice’s business. She was the only one among the hundreds of people who would fill the ballroom who really mattered.