Ashley felt shocked. Wear a corset? That would be the final straw. Before he could pursue the matter, Erin urged him to complete his dressing. The pants were knee-length knickerbockers of white taffeta with a drawstring waist. At his knees were deep turned-up cuffs, trimmed with a blue satin bow.
Instead of a blouse, there was a thigh-length tunic with a wide sailor collar. This was decorated with three lines of the same blue ribbon. The same ribbon was on the long, tight, four-buttoned cuffs of the puffed sleeves. He slid his feet into the white glace kid mid-heeled boots. They were ankle-length and it took a few minutes' work with a button hook to complete the fastening.
Ashley was at a loss with the makeup box. In the nick of time, Alyce came to his aid. Quickly, she began making up his eyes and applying just the right amount of lipstick and blusher to his face. The white satin tied in his hair and Alyce stood in front of him. She lightly grasped his chin with her fingers and gently turned his face from side to side and said, "My, my, brother dear, you look so pretty. These clothes make you more feminine than any of us."