"It appears you've been summoned to the seamstress," Ella said over breakfast a few days later, as she read through her letters. Emily was sullenly picking at her porridge next to me while Rosanna was humming to herself as she stirred yet more sugar into her tea.

"Is that so?" I asked, trying not to pause the fork on its way to my mouth. Ella was frowning at me as she re-read the note.

"I think I shall accompany you, I need one of my day dresses adjusted," she said, neatly folding the note and dabbing her lips with her napkin, "Shall we?"

Rosanna and Emily hastened to rise, but I was still attempting to shovel down what I could of the half eaten breakfast on my plate. I very much resented Ella for tearing me away from the most delicious stack of griddle cakes I'd ever tasted.

"Which dress?" Rosanna asked, confused.

"The...pink one," Ella said, "And the lilac one, now that I think of it,"

Rosanna furrowed her brow as she left to go fetch the dresses.

"I don't recall there being a probl-" Rosanna started, only for Ella to cut her off.

"I should very much enjoy not being kept waiting," my cousin snapped, checking her appearance in the full length mirror in the corner. I took Rosanna's delay as an opportunity to take another bite of griddle cakes as Emily scowled at me from across the room.

"Libby you lead the way, after all you are so familiar with the seamstress' quarters," Ella said when Rosanna had finally emerged and dumped the dresses into my arms. I was still chewing on the mouthful I'd managed to sneak in, so I simply nodded. Emily made a disgusted noise in her throat, but I barely had to glance at her to cause her to turn away, still cowed from our conversation a few nights ago outside the library.

Ella followed me along the empty hallways, all the other debutantes still lounging in their suites before the queen was to take them all out for a walk in the gardens later that morning. We walked in silence until Ella cleared her throat.

"If I discover that this note from the 'seamstress' was anything but a summons for a fitting, you know I'll be forced to send you home" she said, her voice low as we made our way through the entrance hall. I was just as confused as she was, since I had nowhere to sneak off to this morning. Since our encounter in the library, I'd only seen Andrew from afar, most of the evening events being exclusive for the debutantes only. I hadn't even been able to sneak down to the library while Ella was away as it seemed she'd commanded Rosanna to keep a watchful eye on me whenever she was out.

"Ella I honestly have no idea what's going on," I said. She shot me a look.

"Then I'll have you know that whatever dress she's fitting you for, it won't be paid for on my account. I have no intention of indulging in your opulence, you're a lady in waiting and not a debutante," she sniffed.

I tried my best to hold in a snort. Not a single one of my dresses could be considered opulent, especially not next to hers. But I could understand where she was coming from, especially since Edward had likely made it abundantly clear that I was not to spend another shilling of the family money.

When we arrived at the seamstress' quarters, Audra was waiting for us outside the door to her workshop. Her eyes widened as she took in my cousin walking beside me, but she recovered well, plastering on a smile and looking not at all as flustered as I guessed she was.

"Good morning, my lady," Audra said, dipping a low curtsey. I tried to catch her eye to discover what was going on, but she simply held open the door to her workshop. I sent up a quick prayer that we wouldn't walk inside to find the prince standing among the gowns and fabrics.

Ella swept in before me, only to stop dead in her tracks a few paces into the room. I nearly trampled her, my stomach lurching until I noticed what had caused her reaction. Displayed on the pedestal between Audra's trio of angled mirrors was a deep blue dress so magnificent it had rendered me near speechless.

"Whose is that?" Ella demanded, running her eyes over the royal blue silk and golden piping.

"A foreign dignitary's daughter, my lady," Audra said. Ella sniffed, approaching to feel the dress, touching the lace that lined the neckline and caressing her hand over the cascading skirt. It glittered in the morning light spilling in through Audra's open window, shimmering as Ella ran her hand over it.

"For the masquerade?" Ella continued, circling the dress to take in the back. I shot the seamstress a look, but Audra was watching Ella as if she was afraid she'd rip a piece off the dress.

"Yes, my lady," Audra replied, "But I see that you've brought some dresses to be adjusted as well?"

Ella finally tore her gaze from the dress and nodded for me to hand her own dresses to Audra. In comparison, they seemed like potato sacks.

"You summoned Libby here. Why?" Ella asked, as Audra held up the dresses to inspect them.

"She has a fitting for a ball gown for the second night of the Midsummer masquerade," Audra said, finding the tear in the hem that Ella had wanted repaired. Ella shot me a dark look before she continued.

"And who exactly is covering the cost of such a dress?" she demanded. Audra looked up at her, then at me, her eyebrows raised. I was racking my brain for a lie, taking Audra's shock to mean she didn't know, but she spoke first.

"Why, her sister-in-law of course," Audra said, "Lady Edith Marks-Whelan ordered a dress to be made so Libby wouldn't miss the Season's most important event. The second night of the masquerade is the highlight of the Season for most of the ladies-in-waiting since it's the only night they're invited to, as I'm sure you're well aware my lady,"

I fought to keep my eyebrows from crashing down. Audra was proving herself to be a phenomenal liar as I'd believed every word as it came out of her mouth, but I knew my sister-in-law better. Edith would throw herself from a cliff before spending a penny so I could attend a masquerade ball.

"How very fortunate for you, Libby. It seems you'll be able to attend the second night after all," Ella said, fixing me with a glare, "May I have a look at the dress?"

I felt my stomach drop once again, but Audra was ready for the question. She didn't hesitate for a second before she reached into her work pile and fished out a garish harlequin patterned dress. It was black and white and hideous, clearly meant to be a brazen choice for a themed masquerade. Audra handed it to me and I stared down at it with barely veiled horror. Perhaps she hadn't been lying and Edith had gone to all this trouble just to humiliate me...

"Very well, I'll let you get on with it then," Ella said, unable to keep her lip from curling with distaste as she looked at the harlequin dress. But when she looked back up at me, her eyes were dancing and I realized she was doing her best not to laugh at me.

"I expect you'll be back in time to join the queen on her walk?" she asked.

"Of course," I replied, before Ella slipped from the room. As the door closed behind her, I rushed at Audra, a million questions crowding to the front of my mind. But before I could open my mouth, she reached over clapped a hand over it, nodding towards the door.

"Go put the dress on, please," she said a little louder than necessary. I looked down at the harlequin dress again.

"You can't be serious," I mumbled through her hand. She nodded her head towards the door again, this time more urgently before she released my mouth.

"Yes, just over there behind the screen. I'll go fetch some pins," she said, shooing me behind the changing screen as she made her way to the door. I took my time in ducking behind the screen, looking back when there was a little yelp from the other side of the door as Audra opened it.

"Oh my goodness! My lady, please forgive me!" Audra gasped. Behind her, Ella was straightening, massaging her forehead. I frowned before ducking behind the screen.

"I was just...adjusting my slipper," Ella said. I sagged against the wall as I realized that Audra had suspected my cousin would stay to eavesdrop. Audra shut the door behind her as she continued to apologize profusely to my cousin, offering to escort Ella back to the debutantes' quarters. As their voices faded down the hall, I looked down at the monstrosity in my hands. With a sigh, I pulled off my day dress and struggled into the harlequin one.

Audra re-entered a few minutes later with a pincushion, bursting into laughter as I emerged from behind the screen. The harlequin dress was at least three sizes too large all over and at least five too large in the bust. I was holding it up, pressing the bodice against my chest so it wouldn't fall right off.

"It seems you have your work cut out for you," I said, looking down at it with a grimace. Audra nearly doubled over with laugher against her work table.

"Take that ridiculous thing off," she managed as her giggles slowed, "And explain to me why I just had to lie through my teeth to a debutante,"

"Audra I honestly have no idea what's going on. I thought you would know the answer to why I was summoned down here," I said, shaking my head in confusion. Her giggles calmed and she fixed me with a knowing grin.

"So you honestly had no idea that prince Andrew ordered you a masquerade dress and came up with that whole lie about a foreign dignitary's daughter?"

I was so shocked I let go of the dress I'd been holding up. It tumbled off me into a puddle of harlequin satin on the ground. Audra laughed anew.

"Careful! That's Hattie Hensley's," she said, gesturing for me to step out of the black and white dress as she collected it and laid it back out on her table, "Let's not make more work for me than necessary,"

"Andrew ordered me a dress?" I repeated, dumbstruck as I stood before her in my corset and bloomers.

"Yes and I'm under strict instructions to smuggle you down here the night of the first masquerade to get you all done up in it," Audra said, tilting her head towards the magnificent royal blue dress on the pedestal. I reached out to brace myself on her table, feeling faint for the first time in my life.

"Audra..." I started weakly, turning to face the dress on the pedestal.

"I know, I fear I may have out done myself," she said, coming to stand beside me. I stared in wonder at the dress for a few moments, before Audra clapped her hands to snap me from her reverie.

"Well it isn't going to alter itself now, is it?" she said, shooing me towards the dress. She pulled it lovingly off the dress form, freeing up the pedestal so she could pull it on and tie it into place around me. It fit as closely as I could have expected, the dress so glamorous that even in with the simple braid in my hair and utter lack of makeup, I still looked ready to attend a ball.

"It needs some work," Audra said, a fist to her mouth as she circled me to inspect it. I was too busy staring at myself in the mirror, my hands running over the bodice in disbelief. I'd never worn anything so fine in my life and the thought that it had been custom made for me made me feel dizzy.

"I'm having a mask fashioned with bluebird feathers to go with it. Blue, pink, and black, just like the real thing," Audra continued, as she started pinning and adjusting the dress, "And the prince has asked me to acquire a wig. Would you care to be blonde or brunette for your grande soirée?"

I was still staring at myself in disbelief, barely registering her words.

"Halloo in there!" Audra called, giving my waist a little pinch as she tightened the bodice. I blinked away my stupor.

"A brunette I suppose?" I answered, shaking my head, "This is...this is too much..."

Audra smiled at me in the mirror.

"I disagree. I've met every one of the debutantes and they're dreadful. You've treated me more kindly than anyone in the four years I've been here," she said. I looked over at her, still bewildered.

"You're my friend, of course I'll treat you kindly," I said. She kept smiling as she resumed her adjustments.

"Which is exactly why this is not too much, not by far," she said.

I resumed staring at myself in the mirror, realizing that this was the reason for Andrew asking Audra's name in the library. But instead of feeling the giddy joy that I should have felt, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was all careening too wildly beyond my control.