Page 55 of The Trouble with Anna

The Dowager’s eyes flooded and her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, heavens!”

“Oh, Josephine!” Charlotte breathed.

Anna could barely stand it. “It’s just a gown! Why must you stare at me so strangely!”

Charlotte glided over, smug as anything. “We’re staring at you because it’s notjust a gown.” She spun Anna around. “It’syourgown.”

Anna’s hand fluttered up to her mouth.

The woman in the looking glass was her, that much was indisputable. The thin slash of her lips, her sharp chin, and strange eyebrows stared back at her from the mirror, all right where she’d left them. The same dark hair sprouted from her head, though it swished back from her forehead in a dashing new way, and Ivy’s sweet-smelling pomade gave it the loveliest shine. She still had her thin arms and small frame, and she scowled just as fiercely as ever.

And yet—was that reallyherstanding in the mirror in a stormy-blue evening gown that made her skin, always so wretchedly pale, glow against the moody silk? Was thatherform it clung to so lovingly, as if flaunting her strength and spare lines? Anna’s hours in the saddle had given her enviable posture, she knew that. But this was the first dress that knew it too, that flat-out rejected any thought that she was scrawny or awkwardly sharp. Instead, this dress had its own ideas and it proclaimed them out loud:Behold—this is Lady Anna Reston. She’s really quite something.

Anna, overcome, snapped her eyes shut. Was this who she’d been all along?

If only Julian could have seen it.

No, no, no! What a useless thought.

“Dear?” said the Dowager gently. “Is something amiss?”

Anna shook her head, eyes still closed.

Charlotte squeezed her shoulder. “It’s too much too quickly, is that it?”

Anna shook her head again.

“You look beautiful. I promise you do.” The Dowager’s voice was clouded with worry.

Anna’s eyes snapped open. “Beautiful, bah!” she scoffed, and shook off the strange wistfulness. “I look… I look… I look…ferocious! Whatgeniusesyou lot are. I look as if I win every fight!”

Charlotte laughed. “Exactly. Much better than beautiful. You look like yourself. At least, how I’ve always seen you.”

Anna smoothed her skirt and gave a cry of delight. “Never say I havepockets!?!”

“They are not for filling up with sugar cubes, do you understand?” said Charlotte. “They’re to tuck your hands in when you wish to look coy.”

“I’m going to fill my pockets with daggers!” Anna swished around the room, pulling imaginary knives from her skirts and skewering enemies.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “All right, my lady pirate. Try the pelisse.”

She held up the long jacket and Anna slipped it on.

The short collar stood up straight, like the jackets of the Royal Hussars, and it fastened with two rows of shiny gold buttons. Anna preened in the mirror. “I see what you mean about military cuts, Josephine. I could command an army in this.”

“Try the riding habit?” The Dowager pointed to the pool of emerald velvet on the bed.

Anna took off her new pelisse and handed it reverently to Ivy. “Thank you for my haircut, Ivy. Thank you, Josephine.” She pressed Charlotte and the Dowager each into a quick hug. “What a ridiculous fuss I made about a few dresses.”

Josephine smiled faintly. “My clothes deserve a fuss. But, mylady, if I may—too many young women dress to hide. And why should they, when clothes are for mystery, armor, or, yes, even beauty?”

“Mostly I dress to please myself, but sometimes I dress to squash my enemies,” said Charlotte.

“Ooh, Charlotte, yes! I’ll wear the green velvet and go marauding with you.” Anna caught her friend’s eye in the mirror, and the two women cackled together, in perfect agreement.

The Dowager, long-suffering, could only sigh.

CHAPTER24

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