Therefore, quite cheerfully Laura prepared to
take her mother's place as hostess, and Gerald assumed responsibility
for the amusements on the water.
Birkin had written to Ursula saying he expected to see her at the
party, and Gudrun, although she scorned the patronage of the Criches,
would nevertheless accompany her mother and father if the weather were
fine.
The day came blue and full of sunshine, with little wafts of wind. The
sisters both wore dresses of white crepe, and hats of soft grass. But
Gudrun had a sash of brilliant black and pink and yellow colour wound
broadly round her waist, and she had pink silk stockings, and black and
pink and yellow decoration on the brim of her hat, weighing it down a
little. She carried also a yellow silk coat over her arm, so that she
looked remarkable, like a painting from the Salon. Her appearance was a
sore trial to her father, who said angrily:
'Don't you think you might as well get yourself up for a Christmas
cracker, an'ha' done with it?'
But Gudrun looked handsome and brilliant, and she wore her clothes in
pure defiance.
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