Hyacinth (Suitors of Seattle) Read Online Free PDF Page A

that sending flour to a woman was a gentlemanly thing?  I think?  It didn't make much sense to me.  He's a confusing man sometimes."  Hyacinth shrugged, wishing she knew what was going on in the man's head.
    Mary shook her head.  "That makes no sense at all. Someone must have told him to send flowers to a woman , and he took it to mean flour.  It's the only thing that makes sense."
    Hyacinth nodded.  "That really must be it."  She looked at her mother, knowing she had something planned for their day together, because she always did.  "What are we going to do today?"   Please don't say shopping.  Please don't say shopping!
    Mary smiled, taking Hyacinth's hand in hers.  "I think we're going to spend today shopping!  You need some new dresses now that you're going out more, and you really need a new hat."
    Hyacinth sighed.  "Why don't you ask Rose to shop with you?  You know I don't enjoy shopping."  She'd never enjoyed shopping the way Rose and her mother had.  None of her sisters had to her knowledge, but since Rose and Mary loved it, Mary assumed all women did.
    "Nonsense.  All women enjoy shopping."  Mary got to her feet.  "We'll have lunch at the diner while we're out.  It'll be a good day."
    Hyacinth knew better than to argue when her mother had her mind set to something.  "Yes, Mama."   She kept her face straight, trying hard not to let her disappointment show.  She loved her mother and if showing her love meant shopping, she could do it.
    *****
     
    They spent the entire day shopping for dresses and hats.  Hyacinth stood still while the seamstress measured her for several gowns.  Finally, when they were just about to leave, Mary said, "We'd like to see some wedding dresses as well please.  My daughter is convinced she's going to be an old maid, but I think she's going to need a dress much sooner than she realizes."   Mary's eyes twinkled as she smiled at the seamstress.
    "Mama, I'm not getting married!"   Hyacinth was mortified that her mother was even suggesting buying a wedding dress. 
    The seamstress looked between them, but she easily recognized Mary as the dominant personality and brought out her book of wedding dress designs.  There weren't many available with Seattle not being a huge city yet and there being so few women around.  Mary flipped through the book quickly.  "Would you be able to customize a dress for her?  Hyacinth is rather wide in the hips, so she'd need something like this one for the bottom, but she doesn't have much of a bust, so I think this one would be perfect for her top half.  Could you make that work?"  Mary pointed out two different gowns as she talked.
    The seamstress nodded eagerly, recognizing the amount of money she could make from such an order.  "I'd be happy to do that, Mrs. Sullivan.  Would you like me to have that done before the other dresses or after?  Your daughters don't tend to give you much notice when they marry."
    Mary frowned.  "Hyacinth is going to be different, aren't you, dear?  She's going to give me a perfectly respectable six months after she's engaged before she marries.  She knows that her mother needs that from her."  She glared at Hyacinth, obviously trying to shame her into agreeing.
    Hyacinth ignored the entire discussion, knowing she wouldn't be marrying anytime soon anyway.  Instead she looked around the small shop, cataloguing each detail in her mind for inclusion in a later book.  She would be certain to describe the counter in detail as well as the ignominy of being forced to stand on a chair in her underwear, while some strange woman put her hands all over her, measuring every last part of her, clucking over her small bosom.  She couldn't help that God had given her a bit less on top than the average girl!
    Hyacinth plopped down in a chair, pulling out her notebook and scribbling some details of the experience while her mother ironed out the details with the seamstress.  She'd been going to the same shop since