The next morning, preparations started early at dawn. The calendar marked just one missing day to the ball.
When Shirlyn woke up, both her sisters were already awake.
A wonderful smell entered her room, of chocolate and biscuits. It had been years since she smelled freshly baked biscuits and heard the noises of the pan hitting the edges while it was removed from the oven.
She walked to the kitchen to find all her family, including maids baking dozens of biscuits. Some biscuits were filled with chocolate, others with jams, the last ones weren't filled.
"Hmmm," Shirlyn said, smiling and checking the vast variety of biscuits, trying to figure out which one to pick and taste.
"Don't dare!" Abigail threatened, pointing her finger, after understanding her intentions.
"But there is enough for an army!" Shirlyn complained.
"Just one," Sharon commented, who was fitting the biscuits inside the baskets.
Shirlyn smiled at her, showing her a 32 teeth smile reaching for the table and picking the one with chocolate filling. She took a bite and tasted it, nodding at how good it was.
Abigail laughed, rolling her eyes. "Those are for the King. From the whole Walton family so join us in fitting them in baskets."
"I will just if I can take another one after," Shirlyn raised her eyebrow and joined them behind the table to work.
"There is a precise order, before the normal ones, then the chocolate and then the jam ones. Shaping them circulated."
Shirlyn nodded, taking the last bite and then proceeding.
With her precious help, they took about an hour to pack everything and tie the baskets with colorful bows and tailors with their family names sewed on them.
"We already went to the seamstress, and she said she will complete her work in a few hours so I guess she will bring our dresses anytime," Abigail stated, taking one basket by side and writing a note upon it. "So we will give her a basket of biscuits so that she would be grateful enough to tell us who went to buy new fabrics beside us." She proudly smiled, staring at the basket.
Shirlyn opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. Instead, she said nothing and shook her head. The thought that afflicted her mind was that they were being way too obsessed about the invite from the Prince. Then she remembered not everyone would agree with her statement, on the contrary, they would think she was the silly one not to care enough.
"Good idea!" Shirlyn lied deliberately while she went to dress up.
She stood in front of her mirror while Kathy fixed her corset. As usual, Shirlyn had to lean over slightly to allow the corset to be perfectly shaped around her waist. This time she was wearing a white corset because it matched perfectly her skirt which fell to her knees.
Then Kathy brushed her long hair and proceeded on curling it around a flower crown that she wore as a band.
"She's here!" Sharon exclaimed, who was watching through the window.
"Hurry!" They proceeded on taking away all the baskets to just leave out the one reserved to the seamless so that she could believe they cooked the biscuits in honor of her visit.
When Kathy went to open the front door, all the three sisters bowed when she stepped in, the seamstress smiled returning the bow.
"Here are all the tailored dresses. I gave each one unique and matched your styles," she said, taking the dresses out of her bag and laying them on the table.
Shirlyn went to take her dress and hold it in front of her to see how it would fit without wearing it.
It was flawless, not too simple, not too exaggerated. With just a few details on the waist and around the neck.
"Pure perfection," Shirlyn whispered, receiving a friendly smile from the seamstress.
Abigail and Sharon's dresses looked flawless, with a meticulous seek for perfection and heed in details.
It was such a pity that every lady in Yorkshire went to the same seamstress so they couldn't stand out for their apparel.
Abigail went to get the gift they prepared for her and placed it inside a little purse that contained the payment.
"We wanted to thank you for your rare dedication during the years so we woke up early on purpose to make you some biscuits." Abigail lifted the corner of the cloth which covered the filling of the basket to show her the biscuits.
The seamstress' eyes sparkled with happiness.
"My!" she shouted when she saw all those biscuits reserved to none but herself. "What a kind thought of you!"
She took it harshly as if it could disappear at any moment and then she repeated, "thank you!" to each one of them.
Her excitement made obvious the fact that probably nobody ever thought of giving her gifts or thanking her for her extreme dedication before. Shirlyn felt sad for her and even sadder to know that the gesture was not coming from the heart, at all.
Just like a beast ready to ambush when the prey is vulnerable enough, Sharon casts the second stone. "Since we put a lot of trust in you. We feel the urge to share something we hope you will keep for yourself."
The seamstress nodded, leaning closer, and tilted her head to hear better.
"We have a special event to attend," Sharon whispered close to her ear.
The seamstress' eyes flashed in curiosity but before she could ask anything Abigail intervened. "There's just a little problem. We know some ladies got our same invitation, but we do not know who they are."
"Oh... Well," the worker vociferted, both Shirlyn's sisters held their breath as they waited for the disclosure.
"I got around twenty ladies. They all seemed excited...."