Sweetheart Wife novel · Chapter 18 of 24
Chapter 18: The Dress
On Saturday evening Hester pinned me into the emerald gown with her mouth full of straight pins.
She had worn it to the Founders' Ball in 1979, she told me.
A man had proposed to her in it, and she had said no.
"Hold still, sweetheart. I sewed pockets in the skirt. A woman needs somewhere to put her troubles."
The silk was the deep green of a bottle held up to the light, and it was cut low in the back.
It fit me.
"I went to see your notary yesterday," Hester said, tugging a seam. "I brought a lemon cake."
"You what?"
"She cried on my shoulder and made me tea. She also found a little green fee book in a biscuit tin."
"Every cash tip, every date, every word she wrote for her taxes, and that Thursday is in it."
I turned around so fast that a pin went into my ribs.
"She'll come tonight," Hester said. "I've ordered a car. She's bringing her good coat and her bad knee."
"Hester."
"Don't thank me. I haven't been this entertained since the hurricane."
She put the pearls around my neck herself.
The three strands were cool and heavy against my collarbones.
She fastened the little gold fish at the back with hands that were not quite steady.
The rest of this chapter is part of the paid portion of the series. Chapters 1–12 of Sweetheart Wife are free to read — start from the beginning, then unlock the rest with coins in the app.
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