Shades of Earl Grey

Chapter 21

Clip clop, clip clop. Two great gray Belgian draft horses dipped their noble heads and shuddered to a halt on Meeting Street. Behind them, sitting in the brightly painted red and yellow carriage, visitors perked up and listened with rapt attention as their guide began a slightly theatrical narration about two of Charleston’s so-called “haunted” houses.

Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, was tomorrow night and the various carriage tours that plied the lanes and cobbled streets of the historic district were making the most of the spooky legends and ghostly sightings that were so much a part of Charleston folklore.

Theodosia was out with Earl Grey this Saturday morning. Together they were enjoying the fine cool weather and stretching their collective legs. Today, however, Theodosia had opted not to jog, but rather to stroll leisurely through the historic district as she pondered what events might possibly transpire tonight at the Heritage Society’s public opening of the Treasures Show.

She was both dreading and looking forward to tonight. Hoping they’d be able to smoke this cat burglar out of his lair, of course, but nervous about the possibility of putting anyone in harm’s way.

Cutting through Gateway Walk back to Church Street, Theodosia passed by St. Phillips’s Cemetery. Tomorrow night children would dare each other to run through here, she thought. As if these poor departed souls could cause anyone harm. No, she decided, it was the living that threw a wrench into things. It was the living you had to watch out for.

“You be a good boy and wait here,” Theodosia told Earl Grey as she clipped his leash to the wrought iron fence next to the building that housed Cotton Duck, Delaine Dish’s clothing store. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes.”

Earl Grey plopped himself down on the sunny sidewalk and gazed up at Theodosia as if to say, No problem, I could use a break anyway.

“Well, lookie who’s come to call,” sang out Delaine as Theodosia entered the store. “Miz Theodosia Browning.”

“Hi, Delaine,” said Theodosia as she gazed about at the funkiness and opulence that characterized Cotton Duck. Racks overflowed with casual cotton outfits as well as elegant silks. Antique cupboards, their doors flung open, were filled with a luxurious array of cashmere sweaters, silk scarves, beaded bags, and sparkling costume jewelry. Delaine might be a little over the top, Theodosia decided, but she was utterly brilliant when it came to fashion merchandising. On every buying trip that Delaine made, she focused on a specific palette of colors. Sometimes the clothes and accessories she brought back featured brilliant jewel colors such as emerald, purple, and hot pink. Sometimes they were more subdued shades such as persimmon and mulberry and loden green. But whenever you shopped in Delaine’s store, you were guaranteed to find fabulous outfits and accessories that matched and blended beautifully. It was quite a talent, Theodosia had to admit.

“I was just reading the Post & Courier,” said Delaine. “Sheldon Tibbits gave tonight’s Treasures Show another nice write-up.”

“Oh, did he?” said Theodosia with as much innocence as she could muster.

“I certainly had no idea Drayton’s stamp collection was so... elaborate,” said Delaine.

Theodosia decided elaborate was Delaine’s code word for valuable.

“Drayton’s been collecting for an awfully long time,” said Theodosia.

Delaine reached out and straightened a display of leather handbags. “A Z grill stamp. Now that’s something you don’t see every day. Nice of Drayton to allow it to be shown tonight.”

Theodosia turned her attention to a rack of skirts and grabbed a black skirt in an attempt to stifle a giggle. She was quite sure Delaine had never even heard of a Z grill stamp until this morning’s article.

“Oh, no, not that one, dear,” Delaine suddenly protested. “A long black skirt is far too somber for someone like you.” She hurried to Theodosia’s side, snatched the offending black skirt from Theodosia’s hands, and pawed hastily through the rest of the rack.

“This is what you need,” she declared triumphantly as she held up a long, elegant silver skirt cut from thin crinkley cloth. “Très elegant?” she asked.

“It is gorgeous,” Theodosia admitted as she gazed at the shimmery skirt.

“Perfect for tonight,” declared Delaine. “If you pair it with . . .” Her eyes roamed across the stack of sweaters. “Ah, here’s the perfect match,” she said as she pulled a sweater out. “A perfect pearl gray cashmere. Cool and understated, but still delivering a hearty dose of va-voom.”

Theodosia stood back and appraised the outfit. It was gorgeous. Silver and pearl gray. Very ice maidenish. Or Swarthmore ’sixty-two. She could accent the clothing with what? A colored gemstone pin? Maybe her garnet earrings?

Delaine held the clothes out enticingly. “Want to try them on?” Then, without waiting for an answer, Delaine spun on her heel. “Janine,” she shrilled loudly to her perpetually harried assistant. “Put Theodosia in the large dressing room, will you?”

Minutes later Theodosia was out of the dressing room and doing a pirouette in front of the three-way mirror.

“Lovely,” declared Delaine.

“Lovely,” parroted Janine, who was perennially red-faced from rushing around trying to follow Delaine’s often contradictory directives.

Theodosia smiled at herself in the mirror. Never had she once heard poor Janine express an opinion of her own. Then again, Delaine was opinionated enough for an entire room full of people. Oh well. She peered in the mirror again. Hmm... the outfit did look good. The long silver skirt gave her a nice, lean silhouette and the pearl gray cashmere sweater, which was baby-bunny soft, made her auburn hair shine. Yes, she decided, she’d wear the garnet earrings Aunt Libby had given her. Definitely.

“You’ll wear it tonight?” asked Delaine, vastly confident in her recommendation.

“Why not,” said Theodosia, throwing up her arms in mock defeat.

“Janine, be sure to let Theo take the skirt on a hanger,” Delaine told her. “Don’t go folding it or anything,” she cautioned.

“Yes, ma’am,” said Janine.

“I imagine you’re looking forward to tonight as well,” said Theodosia, catching Delaine’s eyes in the mirror.

“A lot of us have worked very hard on this exhibition,” said Delaine who, Theodosia knew, had headed ticket sales. “So yes, I am. As long as there are no unusual surprises.”

“Coop will be there with you tonight?” asked Theodosia.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Delaine declared breezily.