Riverbreeze: Part 3 Read Online Free PDF

high price.
    Elizabeth could no longer be irritated with Robert. After that last gesture, she had wanted to test him; she had wanted to act like the spoiled Helen Boyle, picking out anything and everything she wanted. But how could she act like that when he had been more than generous, arranging for her to purchase material and one piece of Delftware for their home, especially since she knew he didn’t like this way of doing business even if it was common practice.
    Both girls had mixed feelings about descending into the body of the ship, even if it was only one deck below. They didn’t want to be reminded of their horrible journey to Virginia, but once they saw the crates and barrels that covered the floor, all opened and items spilled out everywhere, their discomfort vanished.
    The entire deck had been cleaned up as much as possible and wasn’t as foul as the ‘tween deck had been on the ship they had arrived on. Sunlight poured in through the hatch and six small windows, three on either side that had been opened to let in light and fresh air. Otherwise the place would have been awfully dark and smelly and not conducive to a pleasant shopping experience. Of course it was nothing like shopping in London’s fancy fabric shops or dressmaker’s shops, but it was far better than no shopping at all!
    Like children in a sweet shop, they rushed to each crate, fingering the wide assortment of fabrics. They were thrilled to see finely woven wool broadcloth in tawny brown, olive green and indigo. There were bolts of various linens, beautiful pure white cambric, course buckram, and fine Holland linen that was not quite pure white. There were expensive silks, jonquil brocade, crimson sarcenet and a gorgeous sky blue satin they went mad over, but put back with a sigh. And the laces! The girls nearly fainted at the selection.
    But they knew they had to be practical. For skirts and bodices they chose ten ells each of the olive green and indigo broadcloth. For chemises they chose the fine Holland linen and for hose, drawers and shirts for the men of the house including Robin, they selected twenty ells of the coarse buckram. Four ells of canvas for breeches and a new jacket for Robin, red flannel for winter petticoats and underwear for all, and finally a length of Vandyke lace which neither of the girls could resist. Besides, lace was almost a necessity if one wanted to be in fashion. Surely, their husbands wouldn’t deny them one small length of lace! Along with three rolls of ribbon to match the broadcloth. And five large spools of thread. And two packages of straight pins and one package of the finest needles. And three parcels of buttons made from brass, leather and silver-plate.
    The list could have been longer, but the girls stopped there. While two kindly, and not so smelly, seamen helped bundle everything up, a third kept a tally. The three men were quite proficient; it was obvious they were used to the routine.
    Just then, the first mate called out to the girls to take them back up to the main deck, but surprisingly, Evelyn stopped their progress by putting a hand on Elizabeth’s arm and saying sweetly to the first mate, “I’m sorry, could we have another minute, please? I think I missed something in that crate over there.”
    Elizabeth looked at her curiously, but said nothing. The first mate hesitated a moment—he had been given the task of moving things along and they had already heard several sets of footsteps above them and knew others were waiting for their turn—but in the end, he consented. “One minute, Mistress.” He said.
    Evelyn grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and towed her towards the last crate.
    “What are you doing?” Elizabeth whispered.
    “I wanted to talk to you before we go up and this is the only time we’ll be alone.” She said, peeking back at the first mate waiting for them at the foot of the ladder. She started looking through the fabric again, pretending to be interested in one particular