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(dress shopping with six-fingered Nigel and a vampire)
AS I LEFT MY ROOM THE NEXT MORNING, slightly bleary eyed from the late night, chatters floated up the stairs from the downstairs foyer. I'd woken up so late that I'd missed breakfast as well as an interesting conversation that included Will opting to sell Tessa to the Gypsies and Charlotte replying with a firm ''no.'' As Will must've, I felt marginally disappointed. Anyway, Sophie always was a good eavesdropper, stealing away funny snatches of conversation. As unladylike as the sport was, it filled our mornings together as I dressed with giggles and sly grins.
My skirts rustled against the alabaster steps- the material a fine chiffon and the colour a bluish form of dove grey. I immediately spied Will leaning against one of the Institute's marble busts, Jem standing to his side whilst Jessamine snapped at Tessa on the other.
I paused briefly when I spotted Jem. The last I'd heard from Will was that he was still in bed, resting.
''Jem,'' I greeted as I enveloped him in a hug, I could feel the boy's thin bones through the padding of his waistcoat. Jem smiled and fixed my hat. It tilted to the side when I embraced him. ''I hope you don't mind terribly if I tag along, Will begged and begged until I very well thought he might never stop.'' I glared at Will.
''I said I'd deign to join you'' Will spoke with a cheeky shrug, ''I never promised I wouldn't drag Jem along too.''
''Oh you poor boy'' I tutted at Jem. ''No, you foolish boy, unlike what I'm sure Will promised you today is going to be a day of boudoirs and fabric. You can forget trailing off to the tavern.'' I said simply as I took his arm. ''Nevermind now, there's no escape with me on your arm.''
I spied Will shooting Jem an apologetic look and a wicked plan formed in my mind. I'd never had an obsessive penchant for dress shopping as Jessamine had and thus had planned to sneak off with Will at some point during the day, yet torturing boys with swaths of velvet and glass beading seemed most appealing in that moment.
''Come along William'' I called with a haughty grin. ''I have at least four tailors I simply must pay a visit to. Not to mention the extra half hour I need to spend in them having the hem of my dresses altered. Lace is so unfashionable this season.''
Jessamine shot me a look of approval, as if I was at last coming to my senses.
⋅✽⋅
A few hours later, Jessamine, Tessa and I stood outside the Institutes carriage, trunk upon trunk full to the brim with new dresses sitting at our feet. I'd like to have thought we did rather a good job. Tessa had four new gowns, I six, and Jessamine- dear god, she'd gone and bought eleven. They were rather splendid though.
Thomas, Will and Jem had sauntered off a while ago- I'd begrudgingly let them after I'd grown bored of their complaints and Will quoting Caesar on an endless loop. When I'd finally grown tired of it (Jessamine had begged me multiple times to get rid of them) I'd snapped back at Will, quoting Caesar too;
