Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

“One more stitch. It is a work of art, is it not? You will not find better in Paris, Madame daVinci.” She shook out the skirt then stood.

Flo and I were speechless.

“Only see how we used layers of fabric to make the sleeves puff.” Jolie held one out to show us. “Madame Clotilde says that in Paris, the larger the sleeve, the more consequence the wearer has. The queen herself needs two footmen to carry her arms!”

I tried to picture that and had to hide my smile. “It is very unusual.” I tried to imagine tiny Flo in the dress. Each sleeve was the size of one of Colin’s hounds. Perhaps it could be used as a weapon.

“You must try it on! Jolie, help her out of her dress.” Clotilde pulled up her lorgnette. “What you have on is quite pretty, Madame daVinci. I saw one similar in Milan last season. Surely you don’t keep your clothes year after year.”

“If you please me, I will have a new wardrobe this year. But I do not throw away a good dress. I have my favorites and don’t mind wearing them again and again.” Flo had read my mind and was trying not to laugh as Jolie hurried her out of her dress. “Are you sure these sleeves aren’t too, um, large?”

“There is no such thing!” Madame Clotilde had picked up Flo’s fan from her work table. “This is une très belle pièce. Where did you get it? I would like to find some of these and sell them to my clients.”

“They are not for sell.” Flo’s voice was muffled as the dress was lowered over her head. When it finally came to rest on her shoulders, she and Jolie began to work her arms into those enormous sleeves. The bodice was cut low as Flo had requested for all her gowns. There was the problem. The weight of the sleeves pulled the dress off her shoulders and exposed her breasts. No matter how Jolie tried to adjust it, there was no solution. Big sleeves, big problem.

“Stupid girl. You made them too heavy.” Clotilde slapped Jolie. The sound was a harsh echo in the room.

Flo turned on the seamstress. “It is your design that is stupid. How could anyone move in these sleeves?” She grabbed the scissors from the table and slashed at the material.

“No! What are you doing?” Clotilde lunged for the scissors. “My beautiful sleeves.”

Flo stared at her, for a moment showing fangs.

“Mon Dieu! What are you?” Clotilde fainted and fell to the floor.

Jolie didn’t faint. In fact, she walked up to Flo, calmly took the scissors and began to cut the sleeves off the dress.

“The beading really is beautiful. What do you think, Madame daVinci?” Jolie smiled. “I did all the work myself. I just love the way the silver compliments the lavender, don’t you?”

“You are not afraid?” Flo stood still while the assistant used what must be very sharp scissors to trim the terrible sleeves off the dress.

“Not of you, madame. I have seen vampires before.” She shrugged. “Working all night, sleeping the day away? Madame Clotilde is too stupid to ask why. I have found a lover here. He let me know how things are. I don’t mind it.” She efficiently threw the huge sleeves away. The dress immediately looked better.

Flo stared at what was left. “This is what I like. I can move and look like a woman now, not like a misshaped freak.”

“Exactly, madame.” Jolie nodded. “I want to enhance your beauty, not cover it up.”

“Ohhh.” Clotilde moaned and sat up. “What happened?”

Flo leaned down and stared into her eyes. “You fell. I think you must have forgotten to eat your supper. You have been working too hard.”

I offered the seamstress my hand. “Go to the great hall. I think I smell last meal being served right now.”

“Wait!” She stopped and stared at the dress on Flo. “What has that lazy slut done to your beautiful dress? I swear I will send her back to Edinburgh first thing in the morning. I’m so sorry, Madame daVinci.” She raised her hand as if to slap Jolie again.

“No.” Flo grabbed her hand. “I like my dress this way. You are the one on your way to Edinburgh tomorrow. Now go eat. You will need your strength for the long drive.”

“You cannot do that. I haven’t finished my work!” Clotilde looked around the workroom at the piles of fabrics. She’d actually done very little.

“You will be paid in the morning. I will see to it.” I took her by the elbow and guided her out of the room before Flo could hit her with her fan. I could see that she’d picked it up and was tapping it on her palm.

“I am never taking a job in the wilds of Scotland again!” Clotilde sniffed. “And you, Jolie, will not work for me or any of the other modistes in France once I spread the word of your insolence.”

“Thank you, madame. I have no desire to be a servant to one such as you ever again.” Jolie threw one of those awful sleeves at her. “I would be very happy if I could make clothes on my own. Clothes that flatter a woman, not flatter the pride of the woman who makes them.”

Clotilde’s face turned red and she sputtered. “You dare! Why I picked you out of the gutter. Gave you lessons until you could sew a straight seam. This is how you repay me?”

“No, madame.” Jolie walked up to her. “This is how I repay you.” She pulled back her arm and delivered a resounding slap to the woman’s cheek. “I have done your work long enough. Made you look good and hidden your love for brandy and long naps in the afternoons.” Jolie turned to Flo. “May I stay here and try to finish the dresses you wanted?”

Flo clapped her hands. “I would love for you to, Jolie.” She waved her fan. “If this beading is any