Lizzie tightened the corset, leaving me gasping for breath.
"Lizzie! Not so tight!"
"Are you sure, miss? See the difference?"
She pointed towards the mirror with her spare hand. After staring at my reflection for a moment, I had to admit that it had stripped some weight off. Or it seemed to have stripped it off – I couldn't help wondering what damage it was doing to my body.
"Well...alright then. It has made a difference, I suppose."
She finished tying it up, before stepping back admiringly. "Which dress tonight, miss?"
I turned and looked at the dresses which I had already pulled out in preparation. I couldn't decide between them – they were all so beautiful and elegant. Will would like any of them – after all, he chose them for me. It was just that they weren't made for someone like me. These dresses were made with beautiful, rich young women in mind – and while I would never consider myself unattractive, I wasn't like that. I was a working class woman from New Zealand who should really have married years ago and have two or three children at least by now. I was just relieved that no one had picked up on that fact already – I would be mortified if any of the women publicly questioned my marital status.
I made up my mind. "I think I'll wear the lavender one."
Lizzie's smile widened as she picked it up. "It's beautiful, miss!"
"Really, Lizzie, you must stop calling me 'miss'!"
"Now, miss, that wouldn't be proper!"
"Lizzie, please. Just call me Ada," I smiled, feeling extremely uncomfortable in my corset.
"Well...alright, miss. Ada," she giggled. "Here, I just need to pull this down here..."
Eventually the dress was on. I sighed and started rummaging for some jewellery.
"What about your hair, Ada?"
My hair. God, I was sick of this already. A whole lot of fuss over one meal! I sighed and sat down awkwardly, as Lizzie produced a comb. She spent the next ten minutes forcing my hair to stay in place, holding it down firmly with the comb and a little tiara.
"It's lovely, Lizzie," I stated as I continued my search for jewellery. It was true, everything was lovely – but I couldn't help feeling like a fraud.
"What about the little gold earrings?" Lizzie suggested brightly.
I pulled them out and clipped them in, then picked up my beautiful little locket that Will had given me the day he proposed. I smiled – it had been the perfect day. We had been writing to eachother since we met on board the Medic, and I had felt myself falling for him with every letter. Eventually I travelled back to England to meet him again. We spent a wonderful day in Liverpool, strolling by the sea and dining in a small, cosy inn. We didn't need mounds of money or anything like that – it had been simply perfect just talking. He walked me back to my hotel that evening, and that was when he asked me to marry him. He gave me the locket because, he said, he couldn't afford a ring I deserved. I laughed it off, telling him I didn't need a ring – I would treasure anything he gave me. Of course, the next week we went to Dalbeattie, where his mother insisted on me wearing her own engagement ring. I smiled at the memory – I had a beautiful ring and this locket, which contained a small portrait of Will. He said he would have another portrait done of me when we returned to Southampton – and then my locket would be complete.
I tried to fix it around my neck, but the corset restricted my movements. Lizzie hurried to fix the clasp for me, then she stepped back admiringly.
"You're beautiful, miss."
"Lizzie, it's Ada!"
I surveyed my reflection thoughtfully. Well, at least I looked decent. There was a knock at my door, and Lizzie ran to answer it. She was a lovely girl, if just a bit nervous and shy. Will walked in, in a spotless, pressed uniform. A grin spread across his face as soon as he saw me.
"Where's my fiancée?"
"Will! Be serious!"
"Serious? Lovvie, you really do get more beautiful every time I see you."
He stepped towards me, put his hands on my waist and kissed my nose. I laughed softly.
"Whose uniform did you steal, Will?"
"I didn't steal it! This, my darling, is my uniform which I keep for special occasions! Shall we go to dinner?"
I smiled and nodded, taking his arm which he offered to me.
"Now, lovvie, the trick here is to avoid anyone who might be influential in the White Star Line," Will whispered as we descended down the grand staircase. "If the Ismays see us, for instance, I will be forced to spend the evening describing the engines to everyone."
I laughed, and he glanced around the room.
"I think we're safe, lovvie. We should also avoid the captain and Mr Andrews."
"Avoid, Mr Murdoch?"
Will nearly jumped out of his skin, before turning to see Andrews. I started laughing – Andrews looked highly amused.
"I apologise, sir. I don't mean to infer that I would not like to dine with you personally. On the contrary, I fear that you may have to sit with certain passengers, and they are the ones I wish to avoid."
"Hm...so you intend to leave me to face them alone? I can't allow that to happen, I'm afraid."
"But sir!"
"Do you not want your lovely fiancée to experience the true wonders of first class?" He looked at me. "I must apologise, good evening Miss Ada."
"Good evening, Mr Andrews," I smiled in response.
Will tried to gently tug me away, but Andrews spoke too quickly for him.
"Mr Murdoch, would you and Miss Banks like to accompany me to dinner?"
Andrews winked at him mischievously, but Will did not look one bit amused. Andrews had spoken too loudly and refusing his offer would have seemed incredibly rude.
"Very well, Mr Andrews," he replied after a pause.
As soon as Andrews turned to lead the way, Will leant his head towards my ear.
"You think we should leave early, lovvie?"
"Now, Will, we don't know what it'll be like yet," I murmured reproachfully. "And besides, you told me I had to experience everything!"
