[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/sbufiQm.jpg[/img][/center][center][h1][color=f6989d] Alexis [/color][/h1][/center]

Over the next few days Alexis was almost constantly in her underclothes as tailors constantly were measuring and fitting her for new dresses in varying degrees of purposes. There were morning dresses, day dresses, evening dresses, riding attire and ball gowns. Dresses were arriving for her every couple of days for the next two weeks. Her Aunt Jean said that she should not worry about the cost as it was her money too.

She informed Alexis that her parents left her a lot of money when they died. Alexis was basically rich and everyone seemed to know this but her. She escaped from the tailors and put on her hunting pants and snuck out to the barn. She had to tuck her hair under a cap and disguise herself as much as she could. Women weren't allowed to do the things she was used to doing, like wearing pants. She missed Merle a lot. 

Alexis had been so busy with tailors that she hadn't seen Elias either. Missing him was a bigger problem. She could see the way he took in all of the ladies' appearances and it was making her jealous.

Peter the stable boy came in and saw her in her pants and blushed furiously. [color=8dc73f]"Miss Alexis? Miss Jean wanted to see you. Some of your dresses have arrived and she needs you to come inside and try them on right away."[/color]

Alexis sighed unhappily and closed the door to the stable of the horse she had just taken out and slowly headed back inside to change, again.

While she was being poked and prodded and stuffed into her new dress she looked at herself in the mirror. [color=ed145b]"I don't even look like me."[/color] She murmured. Her Aunt looked at her in the mirror and smiled. 

[color=f7941d]"Yes you do. This is the new you. We have company coming for dinner in a couple of hours. They'll be here in an hour so don't get wrinkled. I'll send Mrs. Baker in to do your hair and help with your makeup. I'll send up a late snack in a few moments. The Turners are coming and Elias will be at dinner as well I believe."[/color]

After Aunt Jean left she turned to her maid, [color=ed145b]"Who are the Turners?" [/color]Her maid became very animated and described the widow Turner and her son who was in his mid thirties. [color=fff79a]"They are nice and wealthy enough but the man is average looking and he is quite attached at his mother's skirts if you know what I mean."[/color]

[color=ed145b]"Thank you Beth. Oh, can you take this note to Mr. Elias for me?"[/color] She handed her maid a sealed letter and the young woman nodded and left the room.

The note read,

Elias, 
I'll see you at dinner tonight. The Turners are coming. It's a formal occasion. Please meet me tonight so we can train. 
Alexis

[hr]

The knocking at the front door stirred up the chaos in the house. The servants were on their very best behavior. The most polite and respectful staff one had ever seen. Aunt Jean was alerted to their presence immediately and she came down the grand staircase is a swish of skirts. The company was shown into the parlor. After a few moments she was supposed to enter the room. That way all eyes would be on her Aunt Jean had said.

Sighing as she took one more look at herself in the mirror she still couldn't believe it was her. There was a beutiful, mature looking woman staring back at her with more cleavage showing than she had ever shown in her life. She wanted to cover up with a shawl and her maid wouldn't let her. Her hair was up in a fashionable style that complimented her. All trussed up for her first social meeting she walked carefully down the hallway as her heels were also higher than she was used to wearing. Down the stairs she went and when she heard her name in conversation she entered the room. Her eyes immediately searched for Elias.

[@December]