Edwina the Exquisite

Her name was Edwina Francis Small, but everyone had come to know her as Edwina the Exquisite. She was of a slender, but sturdy frame. And though she didn’t necessarily have an unpleasant face, her chiseled features and slightly upturned nose gave her an air of superiority, of which she did nothing to convince people otherwise. Every day Edwina dressed in an assortment of magnificent gowns of brightly colored silk and cashmere. No dress was ever the same as the day before. With her broad rimmed hats of crushed velvet, topped with feathers from a wide variety of exotic birds, Edwina commanded the attention of all who saw her. It certainly helped that she stood a head taller than most men.

Contrary to popular belief, Edwina the Exquisite hadn’t always been so exquisite. In fact, life for Edwina had at one time been quite ordinary. The seventh of eleven children born to Harold and Henrietta Small, Edwina had quite a typical childhood. She lacked for nothing, and shared many delightful experiences with her six brothers and four sisters. And most importantly, she was deeply loved by her parents. But much to Edwina’s particular dislike, hers was also a very simple childhood. Raising eleven children did not leave much room for any extras. And so it came to pass that Edwina felt she needed to make a place for herself in the world, a place without hand-me-downs and a bedroom shared with ten siblings. And so, she did. It was during the height of the fashion revolution sweeping across Europe. Edwina had become the most cutting edge pioneer of women’s fashion, taking the countryside by storm. She had even been appointed as the Queen’s official dress designer.

Not surprisingly, Edwina had become quite a public figure. Every morning the townspeople lined the cobblestone to watch Edwina make her way to the boutique. The men openly gaped, while the women quietly whispered to one another, speculating about the type of material her dress was made of, and how high her hat was. Children clung to their mother’s skirts, uncertain of what to make of such an ordeal.

Edwina loved the attention. She would occasionally pause to model some hidden aspect of the latest gown she was wearing, perhaps some shiny layer of silk lining. On brisk days, she stopped to demonstrate the reversible nature of her decadent overcoat. Other times she would simply pose for her admirers. The hushed sound of “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” from her devotees was sheer delight to her wanting ears.

But then, one day, it happened. It was on a morning unlike any other. Edwina had just left the palace, and was making her way to her boutique, when much to the surprise of everyone present, one very small, but very bold little girl casually broke through the gawking crowd. Eyes full of wonder, the little girl skipped right up alongside Edwina.

Completely taken aback by the presence of this small child so near her, Edwina stopped mid-stride. Slowly pivoting on her pointed heels, Edwina looked over the girl with an appraising eye. Still smiling, the tiny girl gently placed a small bouquet of the most beautiful red and yellow dahlias ever grown into Edwina’s hand.