I held up the dress Savannah handed me, exchanging a look between her and the dress.

“You can’t be serious,” I said.

I was a little hurt that she would choose this dress for me. The dresses she had chosen for all the others were beautiful. Tea length, vintage gowns in delicate pastel colours that brought out each woman’s natural beauty. In truth, the dress she handed to me was lovely too, in fact I thought it the most beautiful of the lot, which was the source of my despair. The problem wasn’t the size or the design or the cut, the problem was that it was pink. A delicate, dusky pink that would look horrendous next to my red hair.

“Oh, Priscilla,” Alex gushed, “It’s beautiful.”

Yes, it was… on anyone else.

“Just try it on,” Savannah said.

“But—”

“No buts. Trust me, have I ever steered you wrong? Just try the dress on and then you can have an informed opinion.”

I desperately wanted this dress. It was like a fantasy brought to life, but I knew that my fantasy would be destroyed as soon as I saw the dress against my skin and hair.

“I don’t understand,” Meredith said, “You don’t like it?”

I looked over at the only other red head in the room and rolled my eyes. Why did Meredith get to wear the green dress? It was just so unfair.

“Meredith,” I said like I was explaining the finer points of the universe to a small child, “It’s pink.” I held up the dress for emphasis.

“So?” she said with a shrug. I would’ve thought that if anyone would understand my dilemma it would be Meredith.

“Pink and red don’t exactly go well together,” I tried again.

“So don’t wear any red,” she said.

“So you suggest I wear a wig?”

Her eyes widened in understand and then she laughed. “Oh, I get it now. You don’t want to wear pink because of your hair. That’s ridiculous!”

“Please try the dress on,” Jeanette said, “If you really truly hate it, we’ll change it. I’m sure Savannah has a million and one dresses in her office.”

Savannah humphed and crossed her arms, turning her nose up at me. I sighed and took the dress into the bedroom that we had designated as the changing room.

It wasn’t Savannah’s fault, she didn’t know that I had dreamed of wearing a pink dress all my life but had been told time and again that it just wouldn’t suit my complexion. Knowing that I held the dream in my hands and knowing it was going to shatter like glass before my eyes was painful. It was a silly thing really, logically, but I had so few dreams as a child and this one had stuck out like a beacon. The movie that I had watched time and again with my mother, ‘Pretty in Pink’, the gorgeous pink and white polka dot dress and the secret fantasy that one day I might wear a dress just like it.

I slipped out of the robe I had worn while having my hair and makeup done and slipped the dress up over my hips, holding back tears so that I wouldn’t ruin my makeup. I zipped up the small side zipper under my arm and closed my eyes, relishing the feel of the chiffon and satin against my skin. It really was a beautiful dress. Not a replica of the one from the movie, but close enough to remind me of it. With a deep, fortifying breath, I opened my eyes and walked out into the living area where everyone waited.

A small inhale of breath and a round of gasps met my appearance.

“I told you,” I said, “It looks hideous on me.”

“Did you even look in the mirror?” Savannah said.

“No,” I replied, “I don’t have to. The look of horror on your faces is all the evidence I need.”

“Oh, honey,” Jeanette said, coming over to take my elbow, “That wasn’t horror you saw, that was stunned.”

She pulled me gently over to where a full length mirror had been set up and stood me in front of it. My eyes were down, I couldn’t bear to look and ruin the image in my head, but she tucked a finger under my chin and raised my eyes so that I was looking directly at myself in the mirror. I gasped.

“Priscilla,” Alex said coming to stand beside me, “You are stunning.”

I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. The woman in the mirror looking back at me was stunning and I couldn’t quite reconcile that that woman was me. Never in my wildest imaginings had I thought I would look this good in pink. Whenever I had imagined wearing a pink gown, I had only ever pictured it from the neck down. I could never quite bring myself to visualise my face and my hair next to the beautiful dresses that I conjured. Seeing myself in the mirror wearing this dress took my breath away. I was beautiful, I was stunning and pink was my colour after all.

The other girls lined up with me and we all looked in the mirror. Alyssa wasn’t with us, but the six of us looked like something from a 1950’s magazine or Prom photo. All of us in gorgeous pastel dresses that echoed each other in style and cut. Even little Margaret, who barely ever spoke or stood out in any way, looked glowing in her peach dress.

We hadn’t been friends for all that long, but I knew that our friendship would be strong and steadfast. It was more than I could ever have hoped for when I first came to the Palace. Not only did I have five new sisters, but I also had a man who adored me. I was the luckiest woman alive.

I stepped into the room and scanned the crowd. Dom stood out, his tall, dark, good looks drawing my eye immediately. He was across the room speaking with Freddie and it gave me a moment to just look at him. Tonight wasn’t a formal affair, but he still wore a suit, sans waistcoat and tie. I’d seen him at enough formal occasions to know how well he filled out a tuxedo, but seeing him in a simple, well-cut suit with his pale pink shirt open at the throat, giving me a glimpse of his tanned neck and the hint of dark hair beneath his shirt was a different experience. One that I’d like to experience more of.

What would it be like to see him at his most casual? What would it be like to curl up in his arms at the end of a long day and just be with him? What would it be like to be his wife and to see him first thing of a morning with his hair rumpled and his eyes soft from sleep? Or for that matter, what would it be like to watch him sleep? To see his eyes closed, his dark lashes brushing the tops of his cheeks, his chin and cheeks darkened by stubble?

I was getting ahead of myself, imagining marrying him, but it was a night for dreams to come true. I was wearing a fantasy dress, why couldn’t I dream about a fantasy future as well?

As if he had felt my eyes on him, he lifted his head to look directly at me and his face broke into a soft smile. Freddie turned to see what had caught his attention and he must have spotted Alex because he wore an almost identical look that Dom did. I wasn’t going to read too much into that, but I did let it warm me. I was not going to ruin the magical element of the night with my ruthless need to see everything in the cold harsh light of reality. I would give myself this night, this short, special fantastical moment. Tomorrow I would reclaim my practicality, but for tonight I would believe in fairytales.

Dom crossed the room to me, his eyes never leaving mine. When he stood mere feet from me he stopped and bowed over my hand, pressing his lips to my knuckles in a soft kiss. When he stood again, his eyes sparkled and a smile twitched at his mouth.

“You are beautiful,” he said, leaning forward to whisper it in my ear and then pressing another kiss on my cheek. His warm breath skittered across my skin and I suppressed a delicious shiver at the feel of it.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I replied, “I like the smart casual look on you. If any man could pull off a pink shirt, it’s you.”

His cheeks flushed and he grinned sheepishly. “I wanted people to know that we were here together. What better way than to wear the same colour.”

“I have to say, I wasn’t impressed when Savannah gave me a pink dress to wear. I was sure it was going to look hideous.”

“But it doesn’t.”

“It doesn’t.”

We gazed at each other, drinking one another in, both of us knowing that we were on the precipice of something but not quite sure what the next steps were. He broke the stare first, lifting his hand to rub his mouth and looking down.

“I have something to confess,” he said.

I wanted to tell him not to say anything, I didn’t want tonight ruined by good intentions gone awry. Before I could stop him, he spoke again.

“I asked Savannah to find a pink dress for you.”

Relief swept over me, then curiosity and puzzlement. “You suggested a pink dress?”

“You talked about always wanting to wear one and not believing that it would ever suit you. I didn’t have any worries that you wouldn’t look absolutely stunning in pink and I didn’t think you should have to go through life never having the one thing you wanted. I went to Savannah and I told her about ‘Pretty in Pink’ and I asked her if she could make it happen.”

I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that Dom had remembered that long ago conversation and I couldn’t quite believe that he would go out of his way to give me this small dream. No one had ever been that thoughtful, no one had ever wanted to please me or spoil me the way Dom had done with this dress. I don’t even think he had any idea of the magnitude of what he’d done.

“I hope you’re not mad,” he said, looking at me cautiously.

I threw my arms around him and kissed him squarely on the lips not caring when was around to see it.

“You. Are. Amazing,” I said, punctuating the words with kisses.

His arms held me tight. “Anything for you,” he whispered in my ear.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered back, “I never expected anything like this.”

“You should,” he said, his voice sombre as he looked me in the eye. “You should expect this and more. It breaks my heart to know what you’ve been through, the way you’ve been treated. You are precious, Priscilla, priceless and it’s about time someone started treating you that way.”

I fingered the small velvet box in my pocket. All night I had been reassuring myself that it was still there and waiting for the right moment to draw Priscilla aside. I knew it seemed sudden, but nearly losing her had a way of crystallising my feelings. I was in love with her and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, so why wait?

Dinner had seemed to crawl. I had barely been able to keep track of the conversation as I worried about what I would say and what she would say in return. Each time I looked at her, my mouth dried and my mind blanked and I just knew I was going to make a hash of the whole thing. Why is it that at the most important times of your life, you tend to screw up? I didn’t want that to happen tonight, I wanted everything to be perfect.

Dinner finally came to an end and Alyssa announced that there would be dancing. The Queen and her entourage seemed to travel as a pack tonight and I could barely get any alone time with Priscilla and now they were all heading out onto the dance floor as the DJ that had been hired for the night started playing some classic eighties songs. A hand clapped down on my back followed by a keen observation.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Louis said, “Let’s head out onto the terrace and get you some fresh air and a bit of liquid courage before you pass out.”

I followed dumbly behind him. Louis walked over to the bar and ordered drinks while I stood meekly by. This was so not like me, but I was frozen with uncertainty. I did not want to stuff this up and I really didn’t want her to turn me down.

Louis nudged my elbow and we continued out onto the terrace where the sky was blanketed with pinpricks of light and the breeze held the delicate fragrance of the rose garden. He pushed a glass into my hand and I took a sip of the amber liquid, relishing the first burn of the alcohol as I swallowed. It warmed my belly and helped to settle the disconnect I’d been feeling. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this nervous, not even when I proposed to my first wife.

“So tonight’s the night?” Louis said.

“What?” I asked, not sure if I’d heard him right.

“Tonight. You’re going to ask Priscilla to marry you.” It wasn’t a question.

“Where did you get that idea?” I asked, dumbfounded.

Louis shrugged. “I know you and there is something definitely off about you tonight. After our little chat the other day, I figured you’d be asking her sometime soon and with the way you’ve been acting tonight…” he shrugged again, “I just put two and two together.”

I glared at him and then raised the glass to my lips, drinking a solid mouthful. “And just how is it that you know me so well? You never listen to me and when I need you to do something for me, you’re no where to be found.”

Louis grinned. “What can I say. I know things.”

I shook my head. The alcohol was doing the trick and loosening the muscles that had tightened into hard knots in my shoulders and neck. I rolled my head around, stretching out the muscles and taking a moment to breathe and relax.

“So I think you owe me,” Louis said, his eyes sparkling.

“I owe you?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. He was scheming, I just didn’t know why or what for.

“Without me, you and Priscilla would never have gotten past your hostility towards one another.”

“Excuse me? Without you? I can’t remember you having anything to do with it.”

“No?” he asked, his face a picture of innocence as he shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked lightly on his toes.

“No,” I said, firmly.

“So the little deal we struck? That had nothing to do with you and Priscilla getting together?”

“What deal?”

“Oh come on, Dom,” Louis said, “That first movie you went to with her. You only went because I bribed you. You didn’t even like Priscilla and if I hadn’t forced you into that first date, then the two of you would never have gotten together, so yeah, you owe me.”

A gasp from the doorway sliced through me.

“You only went out with me because of a bribe?” Priscilla said as she walked out onto the terrace.

The colour had drained from her face and she looked like she might faint at any moment.

“It’s not like that…”

“It’s a simple question, Lord Chancellor,” she said, her voice cold, her body stiff and her luscious mouth thinned into a pale pink slash. “Were you bribed to go out with me.”

I sighed and hung my head. How could I answer that question? The truth was, Louis had bribed me.

“Yes, but—”

She held up her hand to forestall any excuse I might have made.

“And what was a date with me worth?” she asked, “What did you get out of the deal, Lord Chancellor.”

“Priscilla, please—”

“That’s Lady Beaumonde, Lord Chancellor.”

“Lady Beaumonde,” Louis tried but she cut him off as well.

“I am not talking to you, Mr Furore, I am asking the Lord Chancellor what reward he received for the arduous task of spending time with me.”

“Louis’ cooperation in the office,” I said with resignation. “He promised that he would give me his attention and time instead of behaving like a college kid on spring break.”

Priscilla turned her cold eyes on Louis, looking him up and down before looking back at me. “I think you should have held out for more,” she said before spinning on her heel and walking away.

I made to go after her, but her friend Lady Jeanette stood in the doorway and shook her head.

“Let her go,” Jeanette said, “She needs time to cool down. She won’t listen to you when she is this angry.”

I hung my head. “You understand that it’s not what it looks like, right?” I looked up at her, pleading with my eyes that she understand.

She nodded, “I know. But Priscilla has just found out that her own father tried to sell her, and now she finds out that you had to be bribed to go out with her? She will need time to work through it all.”

Lady Jeanette turned and followed Priscilla into the room and I turned and walked to the balustrade, gripping the cold railing with my hands. So much for nothing going wrong.