Luck be a Lady-5
The gala was the next day, and Elizabeth was surprised she made it thus far. Planning such an extravagant event was tiring and a logistical nightmare. She had spent all day at the spa trying to relax only to be interrupted by urgent phone calls every few minutes. Finally, after restarting her massage session three times, she went home.
She found her father in parlor reading newspapers when she returned. “Daddy, next year you are planning this party yourself. I am too exhausted.” She flopped down on the couch and rubbed her temples. She looked up at her father, he was reading The Sun. “Daddy why on earth would you read that trash?”
“Well my darling daughter, you are in it.” He replied with a smirk and handed over the paper.
Elizabeth groaned, “What could that Reeter woman be writing now?” She opened the paper and saw a picture of her out at the shops in her sweat suit, accompanied by a picture with William with his mates, along with a headline reading ‘Narnia Star and Socialite Relationship on the Rocks!’ The article followed to discuss Elizabeth’s trip to the grocer for ice cream pints while William was out partying at a concert. Skita Reeter had assumed that the couple was having troubles in the relationship and their relationship might be ending. “That is ridiculous!” Elizabeth exclaimed, “I went to buy that ice cream for you. That is not fair. I should not be in the paper because you could not sleep without your chocolate chip ice cream.” She looked at her father. “You’re getting your own ice cream from now on.”
“Lizzie,” he said smiling. “Sweetheart you know I’ve been eating that for years and you would never leave your father without his ice cream would you?” He looked at his precious daughter.
“No Daddy, of course not.” She stood up and hugged him. “Well I am off to bed, tomorrow is a long day.” She kissed his forehead and turned in.
Elizabeth spent the following morning resting at home, and taking care of final arrangements from her father’s home office. All seemed in order until her father came in at lunchtime with a surprise.
“Lizzie, you know that dress you had picked out for the party?” He asked with a curious tone in his voice.
“Yes Daddy?”
“Well I had it sent back. The color does not suit you or your eyes.”
“Daddy!” Elizabeth looked up, close to tears. “Why would you do that, today of all days? The gala is tonight, what am I supposed to wear now?”
“Darling you worry to much. Now come with me.” He led her upstairs to his large walk-in closet.
“Daddy I’m not wearing one of your suits, I’m a girl.”
George chuckled. “You talk too much sometimes.” He reached into a far corner and pulled out a dress bag. From within it, he produced an elegant silk evening gown in the richest shade of emerald Elizabeth had ever seen. The fields of Ireland could not compare to this color. She knew this dress, her mother had worn it at an anniversary party years ago. And yet the style was timeless.
“Daddy, are you sure I can wear this?” Silently she touched the dress; so many memories flooded her at once. “Mum looked so beautiful in it, how can I wear it?”
“If anyone could wear it,” he handed her the dress. “It should be her daughter.” He left the room and Elizabeth stared at the dress in her hands. It was a simple floor length dress. It had seams in all the right places. The top of the dress came to a knot at the chest, and went up in a halter. The back dropped a little lower than in the front. With the exception of the halter work, it was simple.
Elizabeth took the dress to her room to get ready. An army of stylists had assembled and taken all of their tools out. First, she put on the dress and had it fitted. Her mother had more curves when she had worn the dress. Next, her hair was styled straight and parted to stay out of her face. Then, make up gave her a stunning yet light evening look. Her eyes were done a little heavier than usual, but seeing as how the gala would be dimly lit, it wouldn’t matter.
Elizabeth slipped back into the dress, put on shoes to match and stepped out from her room. Her father was waiting with a velvet box. “I had these brought from the safe, I hope you like them.” Inside were emerald and diamond drop earrings, and a matching bracelet.
“Oh Daddy,” tears filled Elizabeth’s eyes. “These were your mum’s.” Her hands shook slightly as she put on the earrings. Her father helped her with the clasp on the bracelet. Elizabeth felt odd, like a new woman almost. She looked at her father, and he had tears in his eyes as well.
“My little princess is growing up,” he wiped his eyes. “Shall we go then? This party will not wait all night.” He offered his elbow and Elizabeth slipped her arm through. They went down the stairs, outside and into the waiting car.
She found her father in parlor reading newspapers when she returned. “Daddy, next year you are planning this party yourself. I am too exhausted.” She flopped down on the couch and rubbed her temples. She looked up at her father, he was reading The Sun. “Daddy why on earth would you read that trash?”
“Well my darling daughter, you are in it.” He replied with a smirk and handed over the paper.
Elizabeth groaned, “What could that Reeter woman be writing now?” She opened the paper and saw a picture of her out at the shops in her sweat suit, accompanied by a picture with William with his mates, along with a headline reading ‘Narnia Star and Socialite Relationship on the Rocks!’ The article followed to discuss Elizabeth’s trip to the grocer for ice cream pints while William was out partying at a concert. Skita Reeter had assumed that the couple was having troubles in the relationship and their relationship might be ending. “That is ridiculous!” Elizabeth exclaimed, “I went to buy that ice cream for you. That is not fair. I should not be in the paper because you could not sleep without your chocolate chip ice cream.” She looked at her father. “You’re getting your own ice cream from now on.”
“Lizzie,” he said smiling. “Sweetheart you know I’ve been eating that for years and you would never leave your father without his ice cream would you?” He looked at his precious daughter.
“No Daddy, of course not.” She stood up and hugged him. “Well I am off to bed, tomorrow is a long day.” She kissed his forehead and turned in.
Elizabeth spent the following morning resting at home, and taking care of final arrangements from her father’s home office. All seemed in order until her father came in at lunchtime with a surprise.
“Lizzie, you know that dress you had picked out for the party?” He asked with a curious tone in his voice.
“Yes Daddy?”
“Well I had it sent back. The color does not suit you or your eyes.”
“Daddy!” Elizabeth looked up, close to tears. “Why would you do that, today of all days? The gala is tonight, what am I supposed to wear now?”
“Darling you worry to much. Now come with me.” He led her upstairs to his large walk-in closet.
“Daddy I’m not wearing one of your suits, I’m a girl.”
George chuckled. “You talk too much sometimes.” He reached into a far corner and pulled out a dress bag. From within it, he produced an elegant silk evening gown in the richest shade of emerald Elizabeth had ever seen. The fields of Ireland could not compare to this color. She knew this dress, her mother had worn it at an anniversary party years ago. And yet the style was timeless.
“Daddy, are you sure I can wear this?” Silently she touched the dress; so many memories flooded her at once. “Mum looked so beautiful in it, how can I wear it?”
“If anyone could wear it,” he handed her the dress. “It should be her daughter.” He left the room and Elizabeth stared at the dress in her hands. It was a simple floor length dress. It had seams in all the right places. The top of the dress came to a knot at the chest, and went up in a halter. The back dropped a little lower than in the front. With the exception of the halter work, it was simple.
Elizabeth took the dress to her room to get ready. An army of stylists had assembled and taken all of their tools out. First, she put on the dress and had it fitted. Her mother had more curves when she had worn the dress. Next, her hair was styled straight and parted to stay out of her face. Then, make up gave her a stunning yet light evening look. Her eyes were done a little heavier than usual, but seeing as how the gala would be dimly lit, it wouldn’t matter.
Elizabeth slipped back into the dress, put on shoes to match and stepped out from her room. Her father was waiting with a velvet box. “I had these brought from the safe, I hope you like them.” Inside were emerald and diamond drop earrings, and a matching bracelet.
“Oh Daddy,” tears filled Elizabeth’s eyes. “These were your mum’s.” Her hands shook slightly as she put on the earrings. Her father helped her with the clasp on the bracelet. Elizabeth felt odd, like a new woman almost. She looked at her father, and he had tears in his eyes as well.
“My little princess is growing up,” he wiped his eyes. “Shall we go then? This party will not wait all night.” He offered his elbow and Elizabeth slipped her arm through. They went down the stairs, outside and into the waiting car.