A Stitch In Time. Part Two. 1815.

A Stitch In Time 

The Life Story Of A Dress


Previously in A Stitch In Time.....
Lady Nell debuts her red and gold brocade gown at her first ball as chatelaine of Ivywell House. She revealed her secret hope for the future and looked forward to having her portrait painted.
Now read on………
Ivywell House Sussex
August 1815
Dearest Cecily,
Greetings from a household that is in a positive whirl of excitement.I have taken refuge in the summer house to have some peace to put pen to paper and let you know how my wedding preparation proceed. The Aunts may be said to be permanently in a state of euphoria. As twins they not only look the same but behave identically. Aunt Honor now has her vinaigrette constantly to hand and Aunt Grace has become quite giddy. Aunt Grace says ‘Of course we are excited, as maiden ladies of a certain age we were resigned to never organising a wedding ‘. Bless them. The aunts are all the family I have. They brought me up since dear papa died and mama dwindled away to an early grave. They insist that their dear dead brother would have given the same care to their families if matters had been reversed. When my beloved and I are man and wife I shall make it my happy duty to keep them here, loved and cherished for ever. This is their home as well as mine. I have no brothers, so the house is left in trust to me. My dearest Ralph is from a venerable family, but as a younger son has no prospects. Ivywell house will be home to us all.The preparations and extravagances superintended by the aunts for my wedding are almost beyond belief. I felt that when the question of my wedding gown was first mentioned that I should make a stand and not let them spoil me any more. I can confess to you my dear Cicely that the aunts are digging deeply into their own stipend for the wedding expenses. Until I am married and can realise my inheritance I have no funds. I therefore insisted that I fashion my own gown. My sprigged muslin will be just the thing I told them. A few new ribbons shall suffice to revive it. Nothing more was said at the time, but the Aunts called me to their sitting room the next day. They bid me open a large chest that sat in a corner of the room. I lifted the heavy lid and from inside came the sweet scent of lavender and a flash of red and gold. It was a dress and such a gown you never saw. ‘It belonged to our mother, your grandmother’ the aunts said. Oh Cicely it was sumptuous, but far too heavy and ornate for my wedding…after all the dress is over fifty years old.. I had however underestimated my aunts. There was a most exquisite linen drawn work apron at its front, a popular fashion of that time and a plan has been hatched to use this fabric to fashion the front panel of a wedding dress, the remainder of the dress will be fashioned from some fine lawn that the aunts have in their sewing room. The exquisite lace from the cuffs of grandmamas dress …yards and yards of it..will provide ample to decorate and finish my gown. As I tried to take all of this in I heard aunt Honor telling me that their mother used to tell them a bedtime story about this dress and the ball that she wore it to. It was her first ball as a young bride and new mistress of Ivywell. She told them how the evening had been a triumph and that she and their father went on to have many happy years together. Grandpapa so loved her in this dress that he had her painted wearing it and this very portrait still hangs in my aunt’s boudoir. After their mother died the aunts discovered the dress in the chest and had never been able to bring themselves to dispose of it. I can scarcely believe how sweetly all this has been resolved…my dress will be a triumph I am sure. Cook has starting baking. Prodigious numbers of eggs have been sent up from the farm and a footman was sent 10 miles to purchase some candied fruits. The head gardener has been keeping the under gardeners busy looking after the flowers required for decorating the house and chapel. I hear that the boy in charge of the furnace in the pineapple greenhouse is to sleep in there until the wedding. This to ensure no possibility of harm to the fruit. I count the days until my love returns to England when his staff duties to the Duke of Wellington are concluded. The newspapers are full with accounts of a victory in a place called Waterloo, where the Duke has seen off Bonaparte. I feel that if I maintain a steady and calm frame of mind Ralph will be returned to me hale and hearty.
Oh my dear, hurry to me here and join me in the joy and excitement abroad in Ivywell.
I remain my dear Cecily, your devoted friend,
Amelia

Next Time
Join Clara in Victorian England
Find out if Amelia did marry Ralph?
Did she find her happy ever after?
And discover how family finances and the ball gown became inextricably intertwined.

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