“You should try this Georgia.” said Mary as she placed the dress on Georgia’s shoulders. After looking at how Malee looked in the black dress, Georgia seemed to have a second thought about wearing it to the ball. It is one thing to wear it on the beach but another to wear it with as the daughter of one of the most important men in the country in front of all the guests. She abhored wearing dress that made her looks like a princess in children picture books but she might have no choice. In any case, her father would not have approved it. With a long sigh, she took the white dress, which looked like a brida gown, from Mary and left for the changing room. Two of the staff followed her as the rest of them stayed behind to assist with Mary.

“I should try this too.” said Mary to herself as she took a blue dress from the display and went into another changing room, leaving Malee in black dress surrounded by 3 staff and the manager. The manager came forward very slowly to Malee.

“Anything you want, mdm?” The manager whispered in a very soft and polite voice. Malee wondered if he thought she was one of the family too so she tried to correct him.

“No, I am not from the family. I am just a servant of George. I mean the young master.” laughed Malee which seemed to make the situation worse for the Manager. He shivered and whispered a few words to himself and bowed towards Malee. Malee tried to call him back but it was just as well for the manager that Mary came out of the changing room. She had changed to a blue dress which complemented her tanned skin tone perfectly.

“You looked great Mary.” said Malee. Mary turned around with the smile in her face. Then Georgia came out of the dressing room followed by two of the staff. Malee thought Georgia looked like a princess in that dress as she walked gracefully towards Mary without a smile on her face.

“You looked like a princess, Georgia.” gushed Mary which made Georgia smiled a little bit. She was a once-in-a-century genius, not a doll to be sold to the highest bidder but still a little girl. She hated balls and dances and having to converse with people who were more stupid than they thought they were but she had resigned to her fate a long time back. She was the daughter of her father meant that there was no escape but to accept the reality that one day she would have to marry someone who was more stupid than her brother. She let out an another long sigh at the thought of the future.

“Can you bring some cofee or tea? And some cakes? And bring down the blinds.” ordered Mary to which the manager duly nodded and went about bringing down the blinds and brought 3 chairs and a table for them to sit. Malee chuckled at the thought of having tea inside a clothing shop but she no longer felt surprised by it all. Georgia, and her brother George, could seem to be able to get anything they wanted and could do no wrongs. So after a while, three of them, in a 3 new dresses, sat comfortably in chairs having tea and cakes. And the day had not even started.

“How is the arrangement for the sightseeing, Mary?” asked Georgia suddenly.

“It has all been arranged by master himself.” replied Mary after taking a sip from the hot coffee.

“I see. He is taking no chance this time.” smiled Georgia.

“Yes. He loves George.” continued Mary.

“No. He is doing it because George is the only hope he has.” smirked Georgia. She wondered if they would worry that much if she was the one and not George. She doubted it.

“Well, Lets go look for some accessories and heels, shall we? I brought a few shoes from France but I am still not happy.” said Georgia as she stood up from the chair and walked towards the door in the dress without changing back.

Malee wondered how many clothes and shoes Georgia had to have before she could feel happy. She herself had never bought any before. They were either shoes thrown away by other children or found on the roadside. But then she was no longer the same girl pushing the cart, Malee reminded herself.

“So we just walked out without paying?” asked Malee.

“Yes. You don’t have to pay if you own everything in it.” replied Mary with a smile.

“The shop?” asked Malee.

No. The building.” replied Mary as she too followed Georgia towards the door, leaving Malee with an unlady-liked opened mouth.