fell. She could almost envision herself ascending a castle turret , and stopped before an aged wooden door .
“ Allow me. It’s stubborn, ” he said, and reached past her to close his fingers around the brown marble knob. He pushed the door open , hinges creaking slightly. “Need to oil those.”
Eager to explore , she walked into the spacious room overhung wit h broad rafters. Tiny dust motes floated in the light streaming through the dormer windows. S he cast her eyes over the array of trunks , some leather-bound, others wooden with inlaid tops, and all fastened with iron locks . Drop cloths shielded other intriguing shapes .
What a thrill to be among the relics hidden away up here , laden with a musty scent of bygone days and the faint spiciness of the dried herbs hanging in bunches from the darkened beams overhead . “Will, it’s splendid ! Who knows what we’ll discover. Have you the keys to these trunks? ”
He smiled. “Of cou rse I know where the keys are. What kind of lord of the manor would I be without them?”
“Actually, I believe the lady of the manor wore them at her waist on a chatelaine.”
“Trust you to know that. And she wasn’t the only one with access to the keys.” He directed h er searching eyes to one corner of the treasure trove . “Try that rack of costumes first.”
Dodging trunks and boxes, Julia darted to the spot he indic ated and snatched away the dusty shroud. A collec tion of period costumes emerged. A pale blue muslin dress with a high waist, square-necked bodice edged in lace , and capped sleeves caught her eye. “This frock is like something out of Jane Auste n , the early Regency period.” She glanced up at him in sudden realization. “The time of Julia Maury.”
He arched an eyeb row at her. “Have you studied nineteenth century fashion plates , as well ?”
“No. But I’ve seen Pride and Prejudice . ”
“Can’t say as I caught that flick .”
S he returned her spellbound attention to the velvet jacket hanging beside the gown. The waistline also met just bene ath the bust and was styled with a smooth front, fairl y high neck, and long sleeves. “I believe this is a spencer.”
Next in line was a ladies cloak of green velvet, with bishop's sleeves, trimmed with black lace . “Wha t a lovely pelisse.” She fingered the green mantle. “And so beautifully made. Are all of these clothes reproductions?”
“Not all. A few are vintage.”
“Marvelous.” Her eyes fell on a gorgeous white muslin ball gown with a high waist, capped sleeves , and embroidered white on white train. It resembled a bridal gown . Mor e frocks followed like a stream of colorful leaves.
“This is a walking dress. ” She nodded at a dress of cambric muslin overhung with an embroidered mantle . Touching a simple white frock paire d with a plum-colored spencer, she said, “And t his is a day dress.”
“Couldn’t you walk in either?”
She smile d and shifted her admiration to a lavender gown of luxurious silken sarsenet with a long train, trimmed down the front and round the bottom in point lace , paired with a violet silk shawl . “ Now this is f ull evening dress.”
On the shelf below the rack were an assortment of v elvet bonnets sporting exotic f eather s and st raw hats trimmed with ribbons, satin slippers and kid boots that laced up to the ankle, gloves of all hues and winter m uff s . “I wish it were cold so I could wear this swansdown muff.”
“ Sw ansdown ? How can you be certain it’s not the underbelly of a goose ?”
A giggle escaped her, but she was too distracted for a witty retort . “Oh Will, look!” She pointed at a stunning men’s double breasted dark blue tailcoat. The patter ned waistcoat coordinated wonderfully , as did the ivory breeches. The white shirt had an airy cravat that knotted at the neck and the sleeves draped below the cuff of the coat . It was the sort of outfit Cole would have worn.
She tugged at
“ Allow me. It’s stubborn, ” he said, and reached past her to close his fingers around the brown marble knob. He pushed the door open , hinges creaking slightly. “Need to oil those.”
Eager to explore , she walked into the spacious room overhung wit h broad rafters. Tiny dust motes floated in the light streaming through the dormer windows. S he cast her eyes over the array of trunks , some leather-bound, others wooden with inlaid tops, and all fastened with iron locks . Drop cloths shielded other intriguing shapes .
What a thrill to be among the relics hidden away up here , laden with a musty scent of bygone days and the faint spiciness of the dried herbs hanging in bunches from the darkened beams overhead . “Will, it’s splendid ! Who knows what we’ll discover. Have you the keys to these trunks? ”
He smiled. “Of cou rse I know where the keys are. What kind of lord of the manor would I be without them?”
“Actually, I believe the lady of the manor wore them at her waist on a chatelaine.”
“Trust you to know that. And she wasn’t the only one with access to the keys.” He directed h er searching eyes to one corner of the treasure trove . “Try that rack of costumes first.”
Dodging trunks and boxes, Julia darted to the spot he indic ated and snatched away the dusty shroud. A collec tion of period costumes emerged. A pale blue muslin dress with a high waist, square-necked bodice edged in lace , and capped sleeves caught her eye. “This frock is like something out of Jane Auste n , the early Regency period.” She glanced up at him in sudden realization. “The time of Julia Maury.”
He arched an eyeb row at her. “Have you studied nineteenth century fashion plates , as well ?”
“No. But I’ve seen Pride and Prejudice . ”
“Can’t say as I caught that flick .”
S he returned her spellbound attention to the velvet jacket hanging beside the gown. The waistline also met just bene ath the bust and was styled with a smooth front, fairl y high neck, and long sleeves. “I believe this is a spencer.”
Next in line was a ladies cloak of green velvet, with bishop's sleeves, trimmed with black lace . “Wha t a lovely pelisse.” She fingered the green mantle. “And so beautifully made. Are all of these clothes reproductions?”
“Not all. A few are vintage.”
“Marvelous.” Her eyes fell on a gorgeous white muslin ball gown with a high waist, capped sleeves , and embroidered white on white train. It resembled a bridal gown . Mor e frocks followed like a stream of colorful leaves.
“This is a walking dress. ” She nodded at a dress of cambric muslin overhung with an embroidered mantle . Touching a simple white frock paire d with a plum-colored spencer, she said, “And t his is a day dress.”
“Couldn’t you walk in either?”
She smile d and shifted her admiration to a lavender gown of luxurious silken sarsenet with a long train, trimmed down the front and round the bottom in point lace , paired with a violet silk shawl . “ Now this is f ull evening dress.”
On the shelf below the rack were an assortment of v elvet bonnets sporting exotic f eather s and st raw hats trimmed with ribbons, satin slippers and kid boots that laced up to the ankle, gloves of all hues and winter m uff s . “I wish it were cold so I could wear this swansdown muff.”
“ Sw ansdown ? How can you be certain it’s not the underbelly of a goose ?”
A giggle escaped her, but she was too distracted for a witty retort . “Oh Will, look!” She pointed at a stunning men’s double breasted dark blue tailcoat. The patter ned waistcoat coordinated wonderfully , as did the ivory breeches. The white shirt had an airy cravat that knotted at the neck and the sleeves draped below the cuff of the coat . It was the sort of outfit Cole would have worn.
She tugged at
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