Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George Page B
Authors: Jessica Day George
Tags: Fiction, General, Juvenile Fiction, Magic, Fantasy & Magic, Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction, Witches, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9), Young Adult Fiction, Princes, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Royalty, princesses, Fairy Tales, Adaptations, Children's & young adult fiction & true stories, Fairy Tales & Folklore - Adaptations
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"Not with that gown, of course," she said. "It will hang down in a long curl. You'll love it, especially with your dark blue gown."
A heavy sigh preceded the maid, Ellen, as she came in. "I wish I had more than one gown," she muttered.
"You do," Poppy said shortly. "I've seen them."
Ellen gave her a baleful look. "Not nice ones."
Poppy gave up and turned her attention to her knitting. Ellen seemed to know that Mrs. Hanks would never fire her, and she used it as an excuse to address Poppy and Marianne like she was a rather depressing social acquaintance. She wasn't stupid, though, and was respectful enough whenever an adult was nearby.
"Her Ladyship says that the dressmaker will be here soon to discuss your new gowns, Lady Marianne," Ellen said. "The princess, too, if she likes." Her sour tone made it clear that she thought Poppy was a fool for not wanting a new ball gown.
Ellen stomped about the room, loudly tidying up and rearranging chairs. "Eavesdropping," Poppy thought, as Marianne
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pored over her collection of magazines, looking for just the right gown.
"I want something spectacular for the masked ball," she said to Poppy. "That's going to be the really grand affair. But you'll need at least one new gown: my birthday ball will be right between the two royal parties.'" She paused. "I hope everyone won't be too busy to come to my birthday."
"Of course I'll come to that," Poppy reassured Marianne. "Everyone will.' I just don't know about the masquerade at the palace."
"You really should attend," Lady Margaret said, coming into the room.
"I'm not even sure that I was invited," Poppy said, looking for an excuse to get out of the royal celebrations once and for all. "If it was for the Seadown family... Invitations have come specifically for me in the past." She smiled inwardly, thinking that she had hit on the perfect answer.
"Actually, what it said was that 'every eligible young lady was invited along with her guardians,'" Lady Margaret gave Poppy a triumphant smile. "You happen to be an eligible young lady."
"And so am I," Ellen said. They turned to look at her.
"I'm an eligible young lady," she said louder. She thrust her chin out. "And you know that I wasn't born a maid."
Poppy gave a low whistle. She had to admire Ellen's bravery. Sullenness was one thing, but coming right out with her grievance in front of her employer was quite another.
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Lady Margaret, however, was not in the least bit nonplussed. She smiled at Ellen and gave a little nod.
"That is true, my dear," she said. "And there is no reason why you should not attend the balls. We will have some gowns--"
"I don't need your charity, thank you," Ellen interrupted, her face turning red. "I'll get my own gowns."
Dropping her knitting, Poppy leveled her gaze at Ellen. "You could be a bit more gracious!"
"It's all right, Poppy," Lady Margaret said gently, handing Poppy her needles and snarl of yarn. "If you do change your mind, Ellen, please tell me. I would be happy to help you find some suitable gowns." She smiled at the young woman.
"I don't need charity," Ellen repeated, her face cloudy.
Ellen stumped out and they could breathe again.
"You'd think she would be a little more grateful," Poppy said. That was as gracious as she could manage.
Lady Margaret shook her head. "Poor child. Life has been hard for her."
"It would be awful to go from having maids to being a maid," Marianne agreed. Then she wrinkled her nose. "But I wish she wouldn't snap at us. We're not responsible for her father's downfall!"
Poppy pursed her lips. "What if you had a ball gown made--supposedly for me--and we gave it to Ellen so it wouldn't go to waste? Since I'm not going to the gala."
"Yes, you are!" Marianne poked Poppy in the ribs.
"An interesting idea, though, Poppy," said Lady Margaret.
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"I don't know where she'll get a gown otherwise. Perhaps I'll have one of Marianne's made over for her, so it doesn't seem too overbearing."
"Just don't let Ellen
A heavy sigh preceded the maid, Ellen, as she came in. "I wish I had more than one gown," she muttered.
"You do," Poppy said shortly. "I've seen them."
Ellen gave her a baleful look. "Not nice ones."
Poppy gave up and turned her attention to her knitting. Ellen seemed to know that Mrs. Hanks would never fire her, and she used it as an excuse to address Poppy and Marianne like she was a rather depressing social acquaintance. She wasn't stupid, though, and was respectful enough whenever an adult was nearby.
"Her Ladyship says that the dressmaker will be here soon to discuss your new gowns, Lady Marianne," Ellen said. "The princess, too, if she likes." Her sour tone made it clear that she thought Poppy was a fool for not wanting a new ball gown.
Ellen stomped about the room, loudly tidying up and rearranging chairs. "Eavesdropping," Poppy thought, as Marianne
71
pored over her collection of magazines, looking for just the right gown.
"I want something spectacular for the masked ball," she said to Poppy. "That's going to be the really grand affair. But you'll need at least one new gown: my birthday ball will be right between the two royal parties.'" She paused. "I hope everyone won't be too busy to come to my birthday."
"Of course I'll come to that," Poppy reassured Marianne. "Everyone will.' I just don't know about the masquerade at the palace."
"You really should attend," Lady Margaret said, coming into the room.
"I'm not even sure that I was invited," Poppy said, looking for an excuse to get out of the royal celebrations once and for all. "If it was for the Seadown family... Invitations have come specifically for me in the past." She smiled inwardly, thinking that she had hit on the perfect answer.
"Actually, what it said was that 'every eligible young lady was invited along with her guardians,'" Lady Margaret gave Poppy a triumphant smile. "You happen to be an eligible young lady."
"And so am I," Ellen said. They turned to look at her.
"I'm an eligible young lady," she said louder. She thrust her chin out. "And you know that I wasn't born a maid."
Poppy gave a low whistle. She had to admire Ellen's bravery. Sullenness was one thing, but coming right out with her grievance in front of her employer was quite another.
72
Lady Margaret, however, was not in the least bit nonplussed. She smiled at Ellen and gave a little nod.
"That is true, my dear," she said. "And there is no reason why you should not attend the balls. We will have some gowns--"
"I don't need your charity, thank you," Ellen interrupted, her face turning red. "I'll get my own gowns."
Dropping her knitting, Poppy leveled her gaze at Ellen. "You could be a bit more gracious!"
"It's all right, Poppy," Lady Margaret said gently, handing Poppy her needles and snarl of yarn. "If you do change your mind, Ellen, please tell me. I would be happy to help you find some suitable gowns." She smiled at the young woman.
"I don't need charity," Ellen repeated, her face cloudy.
Ellen stumped out and they could breathe again.
"You'd think she would be a little more grateful," Poppy said. That was as gracious as she could manage.
Lady Margaret shook her head. "Poor child. Life has been hard for her."
"It would be awful to go from having maids to being a maid," Marianne agreed. Then she wrinkled her nose. "But I wish she wouldn't snap at us. We're not responsible for her father's downfall!"
Poppy pursed her lips. "What if you had a ball gown made--supposedly for me--and we gave it to Ellen so it wouldn't go to waste? Since I'm not going to the gala."
"Yes, you are!" Marianne poked Poppy in the ribs.
"An interesting idea, though, Poppy," said Lady Margaret.
73
"I don't know where she'll get a gown otherwise. Perhaps I'll have one of Marianne's made over for her, so it doesn't seem too overbearing."
"Just don't let Ellen
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