Alex was relieved to finally step down carefully from the carriage at home. He realised that he managed it without a thought – he was getting used to these petticoats now. He felt a little ill.
In the dining room he found Alice reading a book in the reflected room. “How was your trip?” she asked, closing the book and going over to the mirror. “That Reverend Dodgson is very peculiar!” Alex opined. “Who are ya tellin!” Alice responded and was again surprised by her modern tongue.
“These petticoats are such a nuisance!” Alex complained. Alice laughed. “Just wait until you see your Sunday dress!” Alex looked up with concern. “Please switch back. This is crazy!” Alice backed off from the mirror. “No way, Jose! This is a real eye opener for me! It should be for you too. Have fun at church tomorrow”, she left the room to make it quite clear that he was staying in his petticoats.
That night Alex found his Sunday dress had been already hung on the back of the door by a maid. He cringed. It was bright pink with a lacey collar and hem, puffed sleeves and several layers of frills on the skirt. The layers of stiff petticoats stood on their own on the floor! A pair of silky white stockings had been laid over the back of a chair and a pair of bloomers with five rows of pink lace across the seat lay beside them.
He had heard earlier that they would be going to church as a family. He could understand why a girl might be expected wear her prettiest dress to church on Sunday but what was the point in wearing especially frilly bloomers?! Who was going to know?
As he stood in front of his bedroom mirror in the morning he couldn’t believe the weight of the petticoats and layers of thick lace as he held them up in order to tie his pink garters. It was awkward as the ribbons kept getting tangled in the long lace trim on his bloomers. This is the lowest of the low he thought.
But he was ordered down to the kitchen where a maid was waiting in front of the fire with an iron rod, lots of short pink ribbons and a slab of butter. He wondered what medieval torture awaited him! By the time she was finished dozens of ringlets dangled on Alex’s shoulders and a big pink bow had been pinned to the back of his head with the ends of the ribbons running down his back.
He was mortified walking down the centre isle of the church in his pink dress, seven layers of petticoats, white stockings, ringlets and pink bow. He was sure everyone was staring at him but he forgot about that when he saw Reverend Dodgson grinning at him from the pulpit. Alex cringed. His petticoats barely fitted between the rows of pews and it took him ages to get them arranged comfortably under him. His sisters had to move away either side to make room for them.
Leaving the church, Alex had become so accomplished going up and down steps in his petticoats that he had stopped thinking about it. Unfortunately Edith distracted him at a key moment pointing out some pretty flowers in the church yard and Alex stumbled. He fell forward on to the ground. He could feel that his heavy petticoats rested on his back as he tried to get up. A hand appeared before him. He accepted the help gratefully, got up and desperately pushed his petticoats down at the back before realising it was the Reverend Dodgson who had stood over him and offered his hand.
As the mortified Alex rejoined the family, Lorina tittered “lucky you were wearing your Sunday bloomers!” Alex blushed thoroughly as he noted all the smirks on the faces of the congregation. He desperately wanted to get away but his mother seemed determined to chat with everyone.
Sunday afternoon the family relaxed in the garden. Edith came up to him. “Will we play with my dolls?” she asked Alex, sweating in his layers of lace and petticoats. Alex winced. “Oh do play with your sister Alice”, her mother urged. Alex trudged over to the doll’s table while Edith scampered off to get the toy tea set.
Monday morning Alex was back under instruction from Miss Prickett. It was a sewing class. Alex was somehow able to make a reasonable stab at sewing but of course it wasn’t good enough for his governess. After an hour of stern instruction Alex complained that sewing was pointless. This annoyed Miss Prickett and Alex found himself bent over the table, holding his petticoats up to expose his lace-trimmed bloomers. The angry governess applied six strokes of her stick.
Alex sniffled as he lowered his petticoats again and straightened his pinafore. “Now you can take a break and think about your attitude young lady!” “Yes Pr …. eh, Miss Prickett” Alex curtsied and minced out of the room as best he could.
In the dining room he found Alice waiting in the modern room. “So we’re off!” she declared. “What?” “We are leaving your grandparents’ and heading back to your home.” “Wait! No! You can’t do that! You can’t leave me here!” “Can’t I?”
Alex pleaded for her not to leave him there in his dresses, pinafores, petticoats, stockings and ringlets under the instruction of Miss Prickett. “If you think I’m going to choose that over the freedom I have here, you have another think coming!”
Alex heard Miss Prickett approach the room. “Please! I beg you.” But Alice just watched with a grin as his governess entered the room brandishing her stick. Alex curtsied, anxious to avoid another caning. “Miss Prickett.” “Come along now. Your lessons are resuming.”
Alex felt sick. He was clearly stuck here. He couldn’t afford to stoke his governess’ ire. “Yes Miss Prickett” he curtsied again. He gave a final glance to the resolute Alice before mincing out of the room, his hands held daintily over his petticoats. As she closed the door behind him his fate was sealed. Alex swallowed hard.
Alice joined Alex’s parents in the library. “You know the history of that dining room, do you?” his mother asked. “No?” Alice played innocent. “The Liddell family used to live here. You know, Alice Liddell was the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. “Really? I didn’t know that”. Alice feigned disinterest. The mirror in the room is thought to have been the inspiration for the book Alice Through the Looking Glass. “Mmm” Alice pretended not to know.
“They have first editions of both books here I think. Oh yes, here is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Alex’s mother flicked through the precious book. “You know, I’ve never noticed before … the drawings in the book … Alice looks kind of boyish, like a boy in a dress!” “Really?” Alice smirked.
Betty Pearl's Sissy Stories 20.1
Topic: Alex's Adventures in Wonderland (Read 8323 times)
