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The guests have all long since gone home, but Evie still sits at her hostess’ piano. Flora is close at her side, turning the pages with perfect synchronicity, whispering soft comments every now and then.
Evie sighs when she reaches the end of the song, her fingers stilling on the keys. “How was that?”
“Perfect, as it always is.” Flora smiles, one hand coming to rest on Evie’s arm. “Now, would you come upstairs with me? I have one last gift for you.”
As if she needs to ask.
Flora leads Evie up to her bedroom by the hand, looking back at her every few steps with her usual sunny smile. When they reach the room, she pulls Evie through to her dressing room. She pushes her about until she stands in front of the floor length mirror. “Now, you stand right there.” Flora winks at her before turning and leaving the room.
Evie tilts her head, slightly turning to swish her skirts around her ankles as she waits.
“Don’t peek!” Flora calls from the other room before entering, holding what appears to be a folded up gown in her hands.
“Flora,” Evie warns lowly, “I really don’t need—”
“Hush! You are my dearest and I will spoil you if I so wish.” Flora sets down the gown on the armchair then looks back to her. “Now, do you need my help getting undressed or not? And don’t you argue, I got this made up especially for you.”
Evie fixes her friend with a pointed look, Flora’s responding expression the picture of all innocence. Evie sighs. “I would appreciate your help, then. I never can reach the hooks of this bodice.”
Flora hums as she sets about the task. She’s curiously silent for the first few hooks but, as she goes for the next, she speaks softly right beside Evie’s ear, “Would you call this a good or a bad time to tell you I’ve also gotten you a new petticoat?”
“Flora!”
“A new decade demands a new ball dress! You may as well get a petticoat designed for it while you’re at the dressmaker.”
Evie scoffs.
The last hook comes undone, and Flora pushes the bodice off her shoulders. “Mind if I get the skirt?”
Evie shrugs. “If you like.”
“Oh, I like,” Flora murmurs, unhooking the overskirt first and tossing it aside. The underskirt follows, leaving Evie in only her undergarments. “You stay right there.”
Flora hums as retrieves the petticoat from the chair, rising in pitch and volume to a sharp end when she reaches Evie again. “Put your arms up for me, will you?” Evie complies, and the petticoat is slipped over her head and fastened. “Alright, what do you think?”
Evie brings her arms down, tilting her head as she looks in the mirror. It looks fairly standard, from the front, if a fair amount finer in fabric and fuller in hem than her own. She turns and—ah, that’s what it is. Tiered flounces trimmed with lace go down the back of the petticoat, each tier a bit fuller than the last. It’s quite nice, as far as petticoats go. Certainly a more than adequate present. “It’s lovely, Flora.”
Flora beams. “And you haven’t even seen the dress yet. Now, close your eyes! I won’t have you peeking and spoiling the gift.”
Evie huffs amusedly, but she complies. She hears Flora shuffling about the room, the rustle of fabric and finally footsteps back her way. “Here’s the skirt,” she says softly. “Would you raise your arms again for me? Excellent.” Evie feels smooth silk slipping against her arms, hearing a few tugs of fabric before feeling the waistband being fastened. “Can you put your arms out? The bodice fastens in the front, so I’ll need to put it on from the back. Thank you!” Flora pulls the bodice over one of her arms, tugging it down after the bodice is fully on her shoulder, then does the same to the other. “Now, turn ‘round towards me. Perfect!” She feels the bodice tugged over her chest, slowly being hooked to a perfectly snug fit. “Open your eyes!” Flora’s smile is dazzling when she does, her eyes crinkling at the corner from the force of it. “Now….” Flora grabs her arms, dragging her back around before moving to stand next to her.
Evie gapes when she sees herself in the mirror. The dress is stunning, the fine silk fabric reflecting the light in a most flattering fashion. The bodice is red scarlet, golden brocade stripes flaring out into a train edged with silk flowers of varying sizes. The underskirt is the same scarlet shade, drapery of white lace going down from the bodice’s point and miniscule pleats lining the bottom.
“Flora…” Evie breathes. “This must have cost a fortune!”
Flora clicks her tongue. “Your happiness is priceless to me.”
“I don’t need gifts to be happy, Flora.” Evie pulls Flora from beside her to look directly into her eyes, keeping her close with a hand on both shoulders. “Your company is more than enough, you must know that.”
Flora raises a hand to cup Evie’s cheek, idly rubbing her thumb across her cheekbone. “I do know, of course.” She huffs amusedly, shaking her head. “Not for your happiness then. Perhaps I simply enjoy dressing you up. Is that satisfactory, my dear?” she asks, a light sarcasm underlying her tone.
Evie smiles, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from laughing. “More than. I happily surrender to your games, as you well know.”
Flora brings her other hand up under Evie’s jaw and leans in, kissing her softly. Evie hums into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Flora’s waist. Flora pulls away with a cheeky smile, then leans back in to quickly peck Evie’s lips. “Merry Christmas.”
“It’s not Christmas anymore, not technically.”
“Oh, hush!” Flora protests, but her grin gives her away. “Come to bed now, wouldn’t you? I can’t have you walking home at this hour.”
A thinly veiled excuse, given Flora keeps more than one carriage, but Evie allows it. Flora picks a nightdress for her and brushes out her hair reverently. Flora follows Evie into bed shortly, wrapping around her in an octopus-like manner. She pecks Evie’s cheek, before snugly setting her head on Evie’s chest. She drifts into sleep easily and Evie follows shortly after.
A very merry Christmas, indeed.