believed his own story just as firmly.
‘Captain Long,’ Eleanor had answered, ‘few males have a firm grip on reality; I
can’t see that it matters. You were telling me the truth as you know it when you
told about your home in the future and you were again telling the truth when you
told me that you love Maureen. Since I love her, too, I hope to earn some portion of
your love. Now, please, if you will let me up – and thank you, sir! you pleasured me
immensely.’
It was immediately after that that we ran into a time conflict: how to get Eleanor’s
wedding dress and Nancy to Eleanor’s sempstress at a time when Justin said that
Jonathan must fetch Nancy and Brian to Justin’s office so that all four could go to
City Hall together to obtain the necessary special licence, both principals being
under age.
Theodore said, ‘Why do we need a sempstress? Eleanor, doesn’t that cabinet over
there conceal a Singer sewing machine? And why do we need Nancy? Mama Maureen,
didn’t you tell me that you and Nancy can wear the same clothes?’
I agreed that Nancy and I could (and did) borrow clothes from each other. I’m an
inch more in the thighs and about the same bigger in the bust. But, Lazarus, we
don’t dare touch Eleanor’s dress – wait till you see it.’
Although Eleanor was taller and bigger than I, her wedding dress was dose to my size
as it had already been cut down once for her daughter Ruth, three inches shorter
than her mother. It was a magnificent gown of white satin, lavishly beaded with seed
pearls. It had a Belgian lace veil and a ten-foot train. It had originally had
mutton-leg sleeves and a derrière cut for a bustle; these had vanished in the
alteration for Ruth.
Ali the money in the world could not produce a wedding dress of that quality in the
few hours until it would be needed; my Nancy was lucky that her Aunt El was willing
to lend it to her.
Eleanor fetched it. Theodore admired it but did not seem intimidated by it.
‘Eleanor, let’s fit it snugly to Mama Maureen, then there will be just room for its
slip under it for Nancy. What other underclothes? Corset? Brassière? Panties?’
I said, ‘I’ve never put a corset on Nancy and she says she’s never going to start.’
‘Good for Nancy!’ agreed Eleanor. ‘I wish I never had. Mau, Nancy doesn’t need a
brassière. What about underpants? Can’t wear bloomers with that dress. Both Emery
Bird and Harzfeld carry sheer underpants… but they will still make lines under
this dress if it is fitted as well as it should be.’
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‘No pants,’ I ruled.
‘Every old biddy there will know she’s not wearing any,’ Eleanor said doubtfully.
I explained in Chaucerian terms my lack of interest in what old biddies thought.
‘I’ll put round garters on her. She can shift to hose supporters when she changes to
leave.’
‘At which time she can put on underpants,’ Theodore added.
I was startled. `Why, Theodore! I’m surprised. What need has a bride for pants?’
‘The tiniest, scantiest, sheerest girl panties that are sold today, I mean – not
bloomers. So Jonny can take them off when he gets her there, darling. Symbolic
defloration, an old pagan rite. It tells her she’s married.’
El and I giggled. ‘I must be sure to tell Nancy about that.’
‘And I’ll tell Jonathan so that he will make it a proper ceremony. Eleanor, let’s
put Maureen up on that low table and start shoving pins into her. Mama Maureen, are
you clean and dry all over? I’m about to turn this dress inside out. Satin shows
water marks something ‘orrible.’
For the next twenty-five minutes Theodore was very busy, while I held still and
Eleanor kept him supplied with pins. Presently El said, ‘Lazarus, where did you
learn women’s clothes?’
‘In Paris, about a hundred years from now.’
‘I wish I hadn’t asked. Are you descended from me? As well as from Maureen?’
‘I wish I were. I’m not. But I’m married to three of your descendants – Tamara,