RetroXotique

Elaine was delighted to find that this was Indeed so. She rushed upstairs to her room.  After a palpitating moment she opened the letter.  Lady Ellings wished tier to come for tea out the following Wednesday.  The invitation promised that she would meet some interest­ing people.

Elaine was in a flutter of pleasure.  She had four days in which to reduce her waist to smaller measurement and to practice walking on her five-inch heels.  She wanted

 to please her hostess by surprising her with a tinier waist than Lady Ellings' would think it possible to obtain in so brief a time and wanted to be able to walk gracefully in her new, smart shoes.

After time four days of training, which she found excitingly pleasant, she arrived in London laced almost to the limit in her red satin corset with the eighteen-inch waist.  By measurement her waist was now eighteen and a half inches, almost six inches smaller than it had been two weeks before.  When she got out of the taxi at Lady Ellings door she had some trouble keeping her balance on her five-inch heels.  She found the pavement a bit rougher the floor of a room.  By taking little steps only four inches long she reached the iron handrail in safety.

The house   steps lay ahead of her.  For the first time she was to attempt walking up steps in very high heels.  She wished she had worn ordinary shoes and had brought the high heels in a bag.  Four or five trials proved to her that she was going to have a difficult time. She felt her posture would look ridiculous to a unsympathetic eye.  If nobody was looking she might slip off her shoes until she reached the top.  A man was approaching.  She waited for him to pass.    But he turned towards her to ascend the steps.  She was confused and became very pink of face, all the more so when she law the gentleman was Herbert Ainsworth, Phyllis Throckmorton's aristocratic beau.

     He looked very handsome and embarrassingly competent.  He lifted his hat with what Elaine thought might be intended as mockery of her plain face and shy manners.  She saw  him observe her from head to foot. “May I help you ?”, he smiled.

She could not believe he meant to be kind.  No handsome man had ever troubled himself on her account.

He was looking at her figure. Her coat was open and he had been arrested by a glimpse of her corseted form.

Suddenly he said.  “You have a lovely little waist.'' The next moment she found herself assisted by his strong arms up the steps.

They rang and were admitted.  When Elaine removed her coat inside, Mr. Ainsworth gazed fixedly at her corsetted torso.  She was embarrassed at the intensity of his look, but presently when lady Ellings greeted her she was relieved because her hostess was laced to smaller dimensions than herself.  Lady Ellings led her into a charming white and gold room where several people were gathered.

Elaine saw immediately that she need not fear being  conspicuously corsetted.  In fact, every thought of fear vanished at the sight of the fascinating figure’s before her.  She was introduced to a Mrs. Burton, a naturally slim Young woman in shimmering white that fitted her wasp waist like a glove.  She, too, was a devotee of the tight corset.  Her natural thinness made it possible for her to achieve a sixteen-inch waist.  She looked like a slim tall figure in white in one of Whistler's paintings.

A third lady interested Elaine still more. This one was most incredibly laced in.  Elaine guessed the measurement must he near fifteen.  This woman's eyes shone with a wide, starry look on whomsoever she turned her attention.  Her whole bust seemed to curve up graciously from her unbelievable waist.  Her name was Mrs. Delard.  What fascinated Elaine most was the lovely hue of her dark-rose dress flowing over the corsetted figure.  If such remarkable results could he obtained in this instance, thought Elaine, what can I do myself eventually if I persevere?

There was a suggestion of corsets among the men too. Their coats interfered with a clear view of their figures, but not enough to prevent wide virile shoulders from contrasting with tapering waists.  Elaine thought they were a handsome, manly group  Sir William Ellings, In his sixties, was a fine elderly type, a man of breeding and culture, clean-shaven and broad-chested, who made an ideal husband for Lady Hortense.  The two other men were younger and in military uniforms. Their handsome erect figures may have been assisted by military girdles."

Elaine's first impression of these people was all ex­tremely happy one. Their smiles made her feel that she was at last among congenial Friends.  She was shocked then, to see Phyllis Throckmorton come into the room on the arm of Herbert Ainsworth.  Could it possibly be that they were joining the party?  Elaine had supposed that Herbert was calling to take Phyllis out.

Phyllis did not see Elaine at first.  She talked with two of the guests on the other side of the room. throwing a snobbish glance at the wasp-like figures of Mrs. Burton and Mrs. Delard now and then.  Plainly she was being polite only because they were her aunt's guests.  Present­ly she crossed the room and saw Elaine for the first time.

“Horror !”,  she murmured to herself at the sight if Elaine's tightly-compressed figure.  Elaine caught the word.

It was nice of you to come," said Elaine, being ironical for the first time in society.

What an absurd gathering! " retaliated Phyllis.

Everything is absurd to you except what you specially like," ventured Elaine.

It seems to me you are exceeding yourself to-day Phyllis sneered.

How unfortunate that your figure cannot always turn most eyes ! " Elaine countered.

It was true the gentlemen were hardly looking at Phyllis in the presence of the irresistible corsetted figures. Phyllis turned to Herbert Ainsworth, who had always been a dependable support for her, and who was besides one of  the  most  eligible men in London. He was looking  at  the contour of  Elaine's form.

At this moment Mrs. Delard was being assisted to her feet by the two military officers.   She  was  laced so relentlessly and shod with such  high heels she could not rise  alone.  Once on  her feet, clad  in  high  buttoned boots of  shining black that reflected  light  dazzingly she had to take particular care to gain a standing  position as the  heels were so high.

Having attained her balance, Mrs.  Delard gazed at her  assistants  with  her starry  brown  eyes  and  said. “I love too walk in  high  heels and tight corsets. my dear  friends ,  but that cannot today without your  help.   Wont you aid me ?".

The gentlemen  were only too pleased to help.   They smiled benignly as they took  places on either  side of her. Then began a promenade  such as Elaine had before.

I must ask you,  Mrs. Delard   the measure of your lovely waist ?   gasped Elaine

"   Fourteen inches,”   replied Mrs. Delard.

" Adorable,   I wish I  had one as small."

"  Perhaps you  will in time.''

" Oh that I may !”   exclaimed Elaine . “Do tell me how you obtained your tiny,   tiny waist ! "

Mrs.  Delard smiled at Elaine's enthusiasm and patted her kindly on the arm. They sat down.   Mrs. Delard narrated her experiences with a score  of  corsetierres, and named the experts who knew all the secrets of the tight lacing.  She ended with    " And it is such  a great joy to  walk with such  gallant assistants."

At this she held out her hands again to the military gentlemen and resumed her majestic stroll. "  I think Miss Warren would like escorts,  too," she suggested.

Immediately Sir William   Ellings and Mr. Ainsworth stepped forward to lift, Elaine to her feet.   When they aided her to rise Elaine was thrilled.   Walking on five­-inch heels she had not quite mastered, therefore when she felt their strong arms half-bear her along she knew for the first time the joy of perfect balance. Meeting Mrs. Delard in the centre of the room she looked into her face with them an emotion of exaltation.   All the company smiled kindly at the two ladies, except Phyllis

"How silly !”  whispered  Phyllis  to   Herbert  Ains­worth.     "Let's go on now to the Leslie's."   She left the room.

Mr.  Ainsworth  remained  for  a  moment.  Phyllis returning to the door with her coat  on was indignant to see him whispering to Elaine alone.

What he was saying to Elaine was :'I must see you again.   I am overwhelmed by the beauty of your little waist  !"

" Do you mean it ?” asked Elaine.

" Indeed I do."

Elaine, hardly believing, felt tears come to  her eyes. " If you  really mean it,  you may come to see me.''

" Many,  many thanks,”   he murmured gently.

Elaine saw Phyllis   looking at her with amazement and shock.   A fine scorn came into I Phyllis's eyes. Elaine thought another woman would have returned that scorn with mockery, but Elaine could not do this.   Her life had been too full of sorrow to desire another  person to feel grief. Enough  if she had gained  so regard from a  man like Herbert Ainsworth.

The event was to be the beginning of life for Elaine.   Not only had Herbert  Ainsworth  uttered words that cheered her, but the other guests displayed a desire to  see her again. She prayed  that their  sympathies,   their kind expressions of  interest, would be lasting. For the first time  in years her mind felt something better than hope.