"Ruin and Redemption"

Lizzie's New Wardrobe

Derrick had been gone to Charleston for nearly a week.

Lizzie saw Derrick from an upstairs window; His wagon was piled high with boxes. Lizzie had missed him while he was gone, especially these last few days. She hurried down the stairs, watching her feet so she didn’t trip over her skirts in her hurry to get to her husband. It was hard sharing him, and she wasn’t looking forward to his visit to Scarlett, but at least she would get to see him first.

His eyes lit up with surprise; His wife was glad to see him! He hugged her solidly and jubilantly on the porch, bending down to kiss her. Let them think what they wanted; He was legally married to Lizzie Henderson LaPoint! He had been over the paperwork again with his lawyer; He and Lizzie were safe. They’d get an exemption from a judge in NewOrleans if he claimed Lizzie was of the gens de couleurs. She was his wife indeed, and nobody could tear her away from him, or say their marriage didn’t exist!

Derrick took her hand, “I have some surprises for you! Remember what I said about the profits at Rose Hedge this season? Well, let’s just say, you’re worth it, and I can’t wait for you to see them.”

He took her hand and pulled her off the porch and back to the wagon. He slid open the lid of one of the boxes and Lizzie gasped in admiration.

“Oh, my God, Derrick! Is that for me?!” From what little she could see of the ballgown, it was absolutely exquisite. It would make wearing her corset particularly worthwhile for the duration of the ball. She could tell already that the cut of the gown would make her bosom look particularly full. She blushed a little to think of the men staring; Still it was within the realm of propriety and it would be stunning on her! She couldn’t wait to see what else Derrick had for her.

“Patsy!” Derrick called, running up the porch steps. “I’m home, can you help me carry these dresses upstairs?”

Lizzie was tempted to carry them up herself. Why did being a lady have to mean being excluded from the simplest chores?

Patsy was soon on the porch and dutifully helping Derrick with the dress boxes, although she gave him a questioning look. What was he doing? How had he afforded all of this? She had expected one or two new gowns for Lizzie based on the profits from Rose Hedge and the rest spent on some improvements to the two properties. But Derrick had gone way overboard, buying eight ballgowns for his wife, as if she had nothing to do but attend balls!

Patsy was perturbed with him, to say the least. She left them and went back to the kitchen the minute the boxes were unloaded.

“I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” she said, eager to get away from the scene of Lizzie trying on her new ballgowns and Derrick admiring her in them.

Derrick let Patsy go. He would enjoy lacing Lizzie up himself, he decided. It would be a pleasure to help her with her attire.

When she saw Patsy in the kitchen, Lizzie knew to go to Derrick and the ballgowns. She hurried eagerly up the stairs. She could scarcely wait to see what the dresses looked like on in front of her full length mirror.

The first box contained a russet gown, with tiny seed pearls at the neck and at the flounced outer sleeves. The inner sleeve ran all the way to the wrist and the material was a shiny cotton fabric. There were embellishments all over the bodice and lace at the top. As for the skirt, there were three of them in cascading layers.