Chapter 4
Lacinda Fogg woke early, not remembering where or when she was. Then it came back to her in a flood of images and confusion. What act of God or fate put us into this mess?
Will it be permanent?
Will we ever get back?
Getting up, she stepped into the pretty lace slippers and wrapped herself in the gauzy robe that went with the gown she had picked out last night. Great grandfather Phileas had said his cousin used this room on visits. The lady must visit often for her to keep the room stocked with such a full wardrobe.
After making use of the old-fashioned water closet on the far end of the room, Lacy looked at the beautiful gowns she had to choose from. A morning dress would be in order. Do I know what a morning dress is? A deep green dress caught her eye, a more somber green than the ball gown she had found. She took it down, shook it out. My, the skirt is full. Now, what would a lady of this time wear with a morning dress? Would she have to get into a corset? How many petticoats? Yes, petticoats would be required for a dress this full.
Poking through drawers, she found Victorian linen, knee length knickers, some lawn chemises, stockings, garters, and petticoats. She put those things on first, and then tried to put the gown on over it all. It didn't work. The dress seemed a size small. With some frustration, she took the dress off and pulled a corset out of a drawer, looking at it as if it were an enemy. I wear cinchers back home, but this is something else. I have no idea how to wear the thing or how to get it on. There were laces up the back, hooks up the front and a shorter row of laces along both sides of the back. It was long enough to reach from armpits to hips. Do I step into it or unhook the front? One thing is for sure; I will have to take the petticoats off before doing anything.
A few minutes later, a knock sounded at her door. It was Loren. "Good morning sis," he said cheerily on the other side of the door. "You dressed?"
"Fully dressed no, decent, yes." She opened the door and showed him in.
Loren grinned. Lacy had a thin white sleeveless summer dress and stockings on. In their time, all Lacey would have had to do was put on shoes.
He had been done up in a three-piece suit Phileas Fogg's valet had brought to him. It seemed a bit formal, but he didn't know what his great grandfather had in store for him today. He had watched how the valet handled the detached shirt collar. So, that's how they did that. The valet had been called away before finishing him off. He had stood there for a while, staring at the cravat in his hand. I have no idea how to tie this. Remembering that his sister might; He went across the hall for help.
Loren took in the petticoats piled on the floor and the dark green dress on the bed. It had a long row of buttons down the back. "If those buttons are what's keeping you, I can help," he said.
"I wish that were all," Lacey said. "The dress won't fit without that thing," she said pointing to a real boned corset.
Downstairs, Phileas was up much earlier than expected. He had company. Before his visitors from the future woke, he had sent Passepartout to bring Rebecca to him first thing this morning.
"I don't think they know what brought them here," Phileas was saying. "They were running out of the attic storeroom without any idea they weren't in their own time."
"Are you sure they are family?" Rebecca said.
"Undeniably family," Phileas said. "Loren Fogg could be me at university age. His sister is what I imagine Elizabeth might have looked like, had she lived."
Rebecca looked up at that. Phileas never mentioned the sister he had lost when his mother had died. She wasn't sure she ever knew that the lost child had been named. "How old are they?"
"Twenty-one maybe twenty-three," Phileas said.
"And they look that much like you?"
Phileas nodded and then looked over his teacup to see his cousin smirking at him. It took a moment to figure out what she was alluding to. When he did, his expression went from shock to a shudder at the likelihood of someone else coming to the same idea. Why couldn't they have been closer to thirty? Resetting his reserve, Phileas set down his cup. "I suppose some cover story will be needed to keep gossip of that sort at bay. I was thinking of saying they were visiting from India."
Rebecca's smirk faced her morning tea. "That might work. Were you by chance in India twenty-one years ago?"
"No," he said curtly.
"I think we should go see them," she suggested. "Are they up yet?"
"Yes," Phileas said. "I heard Lacinda, or Lacey, as her brother calls her, stirring as I came down. Passepartout has given clothing to Loren for the day. I gave her leave to avail herself of your wardrobe. They should have been down by now."
"Perhaps they are talking over their situation," Rebecca said. "We should call them down."
Phileas and Rebecca headed upstairs. A few steps from Rebecca's room they heard voices.
"Ok, ready," a masculine voice said.
"Yes," Lacey said. A moment later a grunt sounded, then a whimper. "Not so hard!"
"Sorry, but force seems to be necessary," Loren apologized. "Brace yourself. One more time should do it."
"Aghh!" Lacy cried. "That hurts!"
"Get used to it." Loren said without sympathy. "Now let's get on with the rest of it."
Rebecca and Phileas just stood in the hall with appalled expressions, wondering what was going on. There was a good bit of rustling about and an admonishment from Loren for his sister to hold still so he could finish. Then the door opened on them unexpectedly. Loren and Lacey appeared in the doorway fully dressed.
"Good morning," they said, almost in unison. Two Victorians were standing in the hall. One they hadn't met yet.
"You must be Rebecca," Lacey said, greeting the lady. "Gra… Phileas said I could borrow some clothing." She smoothed out her skirt. "You have such beautiful things."
"Ah… thank you," Rebecca said finding her voice. "We were just coming to get you for breakfast."
"Thank you," Lacey said. She walked by them, heading for the stairs, all smiles. Rebecca joined her at her side leaving the men to come down after them. "I wish you could have would have been here five minutes ago," Lacey said in a low whisper. "I would have hated to impose on you, but women in my time don't wear fashions like this anymore. I had to get my brother to help me with the corset and dress buttons. I hope we put it all together properly."
Rebecca ground her teeth together to keep from laughing. "I'm sure you did fine. After breakfast if you like, I'll go back up with you and show you how it can be done without help."
"Thank you, that would be wonderful," Lacey said. "Loren makes a rough lady's maid."
