The Fugitive
The Fugitive
Disclaimer: The Alice books and the 2010 film are not mine. This is only for fun and no money is being made.
Chapter 6: A New Room
Alice fell in love with her new room at once. She had expected it to be white, or mostly white. Instead the dominant colour was blue. The carpet and the hangings of the four poster bed were a deep aquamarine and the walls and ceiling were painted a light powder blue with white piping running round the skirting boards and the frame of the door she had entered, as well as that of another door Alice presumed led to a bath chamber.
Aside from the bed there were various other items of furniture dotted about the room. A wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a small bedside table, along with a large dressing table cluttered with various bottles, boxes and tubes. There was also a full-length cheval glass standing in one corner.
One of the younger maids, she thought it was Katarina, opened the other door and Alice saw that it was indeed a bath chamber, noticing with delight that the bathtub was already filled with steaming hot water.
"We'll just help you out of your clothes, Lady Alice," Elsabeth told her. "Then you can get into that tub."
Alice nodded, feeling too tired just then to speak.
The three maids bustled about her, unfastening the various buttons, ribbons and laces of her clothing. They chattered animatedly while they did so, mostly about people and events she had no knowledge of, but she did catch a few disparaging remarks about the quality of her garments.
She did not bother trying to defend the tailoring of her former world. She was just glad to be free of her heavy gown with its bustle and multiple petticoats, her shoes and stockings and most of all her constricting corset.
After helping her remove her drawers and chemise, Elsabeth led her toward the hot tub and Alice sank into it gratefully.
The hot water felt wonderfully soothing to her tired muscles, but Alice sadly did not get much chance to just luxuriate in it. Drusilla promptly arrived with a sponge and proceeded to clean her thoroughly and then wash her hair. Before Alice had really had a chance to enjoy her bath she was being coaxed out of it and towelled down. After finishing that Katarina handed her another towel, allowing Alice to dry her hair by herself.
"At least they think I'm capable of that!" Alice thought sarcastically. She was starting to rather resent everything being done for her.
Rubbing her hair vigorously, Alice padded back into her new bedchamber and stood in front of the cheval glass, examining her naked form critically. She was the last girl who could be accused of vanity about her appearance but couldn't help feeling rather pleased by what she saw. Although still very slender, she had filled out significantly over the last couple of years with fuller breasts and wider hips. Alice knew she would never have the voluptuous sort of figure most men seemed to prefer but at least she looked like a grown woman now, rather than a scrawny adolescent.
Drusilla them helped her into a fresh chemise and Katarina brought out a ball gown that she held against Alice, nodding in satisfaction that it was a suitable size.
Alice stared at the garment in delight. It was the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. Sky blue and made of a shimmering silk like material it was elegantly simple, with short puffed sleeves and wide bell like skirts. The bodice was cut very low and Alice couldn't help feeling a bit nervous about that, wondering if she had a sufficiently impressive bosom to do it justice. Just then though she noticed something else about the gown, something that turned her delight into dread.
The waist was incredibly small, certainly no more than eighteen inches in circumference. There was no way she would ever manage to fit into that, not unless…
"No!" Alice thought despairingly. "Oh no, surely not?"
"Lady Alice!"
At the sound of Elsabeth's voice Alice turned round and saw the woman advancing towards her, holding out something that at once confirmed her worst fears.
It was a corset.