The Prince and the Dressmaker

Chapter 11 opens with half of a back pattern piece as its frontispiece.

A wide view of Trippley’s shows the store adorned with flags for its opening. Carriages and people flock to its doors. Excited crowds push into the decorated atrium and peruse the wares. George and Peter Trippley watch in satisfaction, while Frances brushes her hair at a dressing table. Peter enters to tell her the refined, subdued collection is exactly what he’d hoped, and credits his own “guidance” (240) as the reason it turned out so well. He notices Frances’s melancholy, but she brushes it off, thanking Peter for making her dreams a reality. Peter seems unconvinced but it’s time for the show. Frances watches as men carry away the dress mannequins.

George Trippley welcomes everyone to his store’s opening day show. The band strikes up and models strut onto a catwalk jutting into the crowd. Backstage, Frances pins a bustle. Crystallia’s wig sits next to her. A hand takes the wig, and Frances chases the hooded figure holding it behind some curtains. She discovers Sebastian, holding a finger to his lips, but yells his name anyway. The backstage models point Peter Trippley toward the curtains. Sebastian explains he heard the news of the fashion show from Emile and wanted to come see Frances’s debut. The two embrace. Sebastian looks out the crack in the curtains at the women wearing Frances’s collection. Frances follows his gaze and tells him that Peter feels the designs are perfect. Sebastian asks how Frances feels, pointing out the dresses aren’t her style. She protests that she’s different now. Gently, Sebastian observes that he too thought he could change, but Frances tells him she’s in charge now and she’s made this choice. They stand in silence. Sebastian gives Frances the wig back and wishes her luck, before walking away. Frances holds the wig, looking shaken. She stops Sebastian by telling him she still has the trunk full of clothes she made to show Madame Aurelia. She invites Sebastian to help her swap out the models’ dresses. He puts his hand over hers, which is still holding the wig.

As they race to get the trunk, Peter appears with the King, Queen, Emile, and royal guards, directing them to Sebastian. The Queen sobs as she rushes to embrace her child. Peter reminds Frances the show begins in half an hour and leaves. Sebastian apologizes that he never confided in his mother that he’s “a prince who likes dresses” (252). He tells his father that he will agree to return home after the fashion show—he wants to help Frances. King Leroy tells his men to assist the pair however they need and suggests everyone hurry.

From the catwalk, George Trippley introduces Frances’s collection. The band begins and one of the King’s men walks out wearing a yellow-spotted dress and ornate hat. The audience and Trippley are aghast. Another man emerges, wearing a foamy blue dress and sailboat hat. The crowd roars with appreciation but Trippley is furious and rushes backstage to find Frances and a cloaked Crystallia. He recognizes the latter, and directs his employees to seize Crystallia. The King, crowned with horns and a band of makeup across his eyes, wears high heels and a resplendent red robe that reveals his chest hair and shoulders. He commands that his child be released. Trippley objects until Leroy states he is King. He offers Crystallia his hand to get up. After insisting the show go just as Frances and Crystallia wish, King Leroy walks out on the catwalk. To the crowd’s amazement, he strikes a pose to show off his dress. Frances and Sebastian watch with joyful astonishment. Afterward, Frances finds the King backstage and asks why he is helping. Leroy reflects that royalty will soon be irrelevant in a modern world. He tells Frances she helped him realize Sebastian’s dresses weren’t a crisis because she loves the Prince just as he is. Frances kisses Crystallia. She gets Crystallia’s lipstick on her mouth, which makes them both laugh. They kiss again.

Lady Crystallia emerges onto the catwalk. Flinging the cloak aside, Crystallia wears a full-skirted ice blue and yellow gown decorated with a flock of butterflies, hair entwined with gems. People gasp in admiration, and Crystallia twirls freely. After all the models come back out, Lady Crystallia introduces Frances as the designer. Customers flock to place orders. Peter congratulates Frances, despite the show differing from his vision, and compliments Crystallia. Peter and Frances shake hands. Madame Aurelia appears, recognizing Frances and declaring the show wonderful. Frances finally gets to introduce herself to Madame Aurelia, surrounded by people wearing her designs.

The final chapter shows two pattern pieces aligned, one half of the back and the other half of the front.

In a library-esque room, Sebastian sits, writing in a book at a desk. Emile delivers a message to the Prince from his parents, saying they miss their child and asking when he will visit. Sebastian replies that things are going well and he will visit Belgonia for the Queen’s birthday. He says he misses his parents as well.

An aerial view of Paris shows the Seine with its many bridges. A woman at a busy cafe outside Trippley’s wears the same dress the King modeled in the fashion show. At Aurelia’s atelier (artist studio), Frances and Madame Aurelia work on designs. Frances hears something and goes to the window to see Crystallia waving outside. Frances rushes down the stairs and into Crystallia’s arms, knocking off Crystallia’s flowered hat. The two look into each other’s eyes, and Frances says she has “some new designs [she] want[s] to show” (277) Lady Crystallia. An illustration of clothing designs in progress and flowers with the word “Fin” (end) completes the page.