Second-Hand Dresses

Chapter 38: Changes

The promise of passion is to a lover as a blueberry to a starving rat.

—Degumóni Chois

Lily sat at her desk and struggled to keep her script neat as she penned a hasty letter. It was the fifth one she had written that morning, the four previous ones were sent out to the various suppliers of fabric in hopes that one of them would have a yard of Klafin Sheer for sale.

She could imagine the delicate whorls of the fabric in her head. The pattern was famous for looking like frosted glass with an alluring design, but it was also difficult to purchase in a hurry. Like the glowing fabric she used for trim, the Klafin carried a hefty price and was treasured by most seamstresses across the city.

A young man stood across from her, his cap was balanced on his head as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

Lily glanced up at him and then down to the letter. She finished her entreaty to Masuin da Kasin, a supplier on the north side who had slightly shady reputation. She wasn't Lily's first choice—Mausin never was—but rumors are that she had an eclectic selection.

With a flare, Lily finished her letter. Signing it, she blew on it lightly to dry it. As she did, she glanced up again to see the young man staring at her.

He turned his head. "Sorry, kudame."

Lily tensed for a moment, wondering if she was working too hard to follow Penir's suggestion. She had spent most of her free money on couriers asking for a bit of expensive material; the perfect fabric to finish the collar.

The young man took the letter.

She tightened her grip.

"Kudame?"

Lily stared at him, her mind spinning furiously. Images of the Klafin raced across her thoughts as she pictured it in place. The whorls would fit nicely into the collar, following the curves of the young girl's chest, and drawing the appropriate attention.

"Kudame?" repeated the courier with a gentle tug.

The fabric was a perfect choice, one that would be the talk of High Society for months.

It was also Penir's choice. It would be her touch on Lily's dress. It would be Penir's reputation that marked the outfit.

The courier tugged again.

Lily stirred and pulled the letter from his hand. "Hold on, I need to make a change."

The courier let out a quiet sigh. "Yes, kudame."

Lily set it back on the table. With a sigh, she looked over the letter. The muscles in her back tensed as she stared at it, her mind once again flashing through the sheer materials that would work in the collar.

She settled on two of them, a Piliot and a Warchoisn. Both were sheer but didn't have a classical whorl pattern of fish bone lacing. Instead they were designed around tiny dots and curves. With a smile, she crossed out Klafin and replaced it with her own choices.

With her heart beating hard, she dried her letter and handed it back, this time with a fifty jem bill. "Please, deliver with haste."

The courier's eyes widened at the cash, it was double the normal rate. Instantly, he bowed his head. "Yes, Kudame dea Kasin."

The door bell rang out. Mindil came in. Her flowered dress fluttered with every step she made, showing off a generous amount of her thick thigh. She smiled broadly before stepping aside to let Hasan come in after her.

Hasan carried two large cloth bags with him. They would have lunch for all three of them, along with an appropriate selection of wines and treats.