Effie had opened her mouth again to ask about what the woman’s wedding dress had been like, but she stopped at the question about bridesmaids. No, no indeed she had not – she was clearly doing this all wrong. She ought to have asked her mother about the proper order of things, only she scarcely saw her muggle mother more than a few times a year: she was more likely to ask the landlady of her boarding house or Annie’s mother, frankly.
But since she had not yet asked her friends to be bridesmaids – Annie and Hanna, of course; who else? – she couldn’t have picked their gowns. But she supposed it made sense, to settle on all the details in combination, and not shop for herself alone.
“Oh, well – no, not yet,” Effie admitted, embarrassed of how impractical she had been by coming here at all, as if she were so fanciful as to be swept up by the whole affair of the wedding (more than the mere prospect of being married in itself). She wanted, suddenly rather desperately, to get out of the sample dress, but she glanced about and the assistant was – nowhere in sight to help her out of it. She cleared her throat, a little uncomfortable. “But it will only be a small affair,” and she could absolutely not afford the expense this woman had evidently gone to, with embroidered silks and heaven-knew-what-else, “so they will be – simple, I’m sure.” Annie liked soft colours, pinks and purples. Hanna liked brighter yellows and blues. Perhaps a light blue, then, or a lilac, would suit them both well? Oh, what did it matter: Effie would rather let them choose, themselves. Whatever they did, she supposed it would not go at all with this dress. “But that is good advice – thank you, Mrs. ...?”
But since she had not yet asked her friends to be bridesmaids – Annie and Hanna, of course; who else? – she couldn’t have picked their gowns. But she supposed it made sense, to settle on all the details in combination, and not shop for herself alone.
“Oh, well – no, not yet,” Effie admitted, embarrassed of how impractical she had been by coming here at all, as if she were so fanciful as to be swept up by the whole affair of the wedding (more than the mere prospect of being married in itself). She wanted, suddenly rather desperately, to get out of the sample dress, but she glanced about and the assistant was – nowhere in sight to help her out of it. She cleared her throat, a little uncomfortable. “But it will only be a small affair,” and she could absolutely not afford the expense this woman had evidently gone to, with embroidered silks and heaven-knew-what-else, “so they will be – simple, I’m sure.” Annie liked soft colours, pinks and purples. Hanna liked brighter yellows and blues. Perhaps a light blue, then, or a lilac, would suit them both well? Oh, what did it matter: Effie would rather let them choose, themselves. Whatever they did, she supposed it would not go at all with this dress. “But that is good advice – thank you, Mrs. ...?”
