Marigold Heather Manheim (most important books to read .TXT) 📖

“They want to throw off people who may try to come out and see you. We need to get you to the Palace quietly. You’re big news these days, you know. Also, I mean, you were kidnapped! We have to make sure nothing happens to you.”

Davis had known she was on the news alerts that ran on video consoles in the town squares and the Pod libraries. Duffy told her about all the stories they were doing regarding her kidnapping, heroic rescuing, and engagement to President Everett. As predicted by Ringo, the publicity was too good to pass up. The official government even gave daily updates on how she had been doing in quarantine, which was funny to her because nobody besides Duffy ever asked her how she was doing. So, that didn’t surprise Davis when Fontanella brought it up. But what did perk her ears was how Fontanella had emphasized that Davis got kidnapped; it made her wonder if she was onto the plan. She started to feel a nervous sweat on top of her upper lip and around her hairline. She felt hot and uncomfortable. After a few minutes of silence, Fontanella chimed in again.

“I’m sorry if I upset you about the kidnapping thing. That must have been traumatic. I was just making conversation.”

“No, it’s okay, of course, I got a little nervous thinking about it, but I’m fine. Everything is okay.”

Whew, Davis thought to herself. She decided that Fontanella hadn’t some sixth sense of the plan; she was just cordial. The rest of the bus ride went smoothly, with Fontanella making polite conversation and Davis trying to keep her end of the banal exchange.

Before Davis knew it, they arrived at the back entrance to the Palace. She had seen the front in pictures, with its elaborate marble statues and fountains, but the back was more subtle. She could just see a peek of the stained-glass dome ceiling on top of the large white building that was flanked by green shrubbery on the sides of the long stone driveway. They passed a simple guard tower, and at an ornate golden gate in a filigree pattern, Fontanella had to swipe her ID and enter a passcode on a keypad. Then, to a second armed security tower where they took both Fontanella’s and Davis’s names. Finally, after a guard took a picture of both of them and the transport bus, they followed an armed vehicle up a long, curved marble driveway. After Davis got off the bus, Fontanella was thanked so quickly and dismissed by the guards that Davis didn’t even have a second to thank her before she drove off. The guards then hastily escorted Davis into the Everett Palace.

At first glance, Davis was a little surprised. She was in a bare white foyer with clean gray walls that looked like they could be from a Pod. Very quickly, a tall woman joined her. She had dingy blonde hair and squinty eyes, her sharp features giving her an almost masculine look. “I’m Cox,” she said by way of introduction, then added the common saying followed by, “I’ll be helping you get dressed out of your civilian outfit before we reach the room. President Everett will be waiting for you in the Wives’ Common Room Two. That’s your group.”

Davis didn’t expect things to happen as quickly as they did, and Cox’s harsh tone and look didn’t give her much time to feel adjusted or welcomed. She couldn’t even muster a greeting back to Cox. She just gave a slight smile and nodded her head, the whole time wondering why she would need help getting dressed.

~

Cox showed Davis into a side room; it must have been some sort of bedroom, maybe belonging to a maid or other Palace worker. Cox asked her if she needed to use the restroom first, and Davis shook her head no. She had no idea why this would be important but noticed a large dress bag hanging from a hook on the wall. There were multiple layers of fabric, and the overall effect was that the dress was quite voluminous.

“Is that my wedding dress?” Davis ventured to ask.

“No, this is your everyday dress. You’ll get three for the week. Then you’ll have three sets of official presidential wife tunics and jodhpurs as well as one causal dress and seven nightgowns. You get two sets of casual boots, one set of formal. You also get a set of winter clothing that comes in on November first, so soon. President Everett requests you always wear an everyday dress when he sees you. If he is not seeing you on any given day, you’re free to wear a tunic or your casual dress. I have a calendar in your room to make sure you ladies always know what to wear on a given day.”

Davis stood in shock and was quiet as Cox demanded sharply that she disrobe, and even though Davis’s discomfort was at an all-time high, she felt like she had no choice but to comply. She peeled off the jodhpurs and tunic before dressing in her new outfit. Her brain swam with confusion, fatigue, and sadness as Cox tied a corset around her and tightened it to where Davis almost could not breathe. She had seen items like what she was wearing in books and old movies she had watched, but she never imagined having to wear them. After the corset, Cox had her put on a wide-skirted petticoat. Then a tight-fitting bustier and bodice laced up the back tightened her waist. Everything felt squeezed. Her breasts pushed up and almost out of the top of the dress. The skirt that went over the petticoat was layers and layers of beaded dark ivory tulle, masterfully detailed with cream-colored lace, emerald green embroidery, and luminescent pearls. It was beautiful, albeit heavy, and incredibly uncomfortable. Then, Davis’s feet got shoved into high heels that felt two sizes too small. They were dainty and pretty, in a