"Thank you."
They resumed their search through the clothes, until Samantha found something she thought wouldn't be too big for Prudence. In the candlelight it was hard to tell what color it was, but it looked like a light color. Samantha found another dress that was darker to give Prudence more of a choice.
She knew better than to take Rebecca into the other room, with all the bones Pryde had left of his victims. When Rebecca asked what had become of all the women to whom the clothes belonged, Samantha lied and said she didn't know. "Come on, let's go upstairs."
In the light, Samantha saw the light dress was a pastel green while the darker dress was a burgundy. Both would look gorgeous on Prudence, or so she hoped. She desperately wanted her friend to cheer up, then Samantha could ask her to go to the mainland.
"Those are nice," Rebecca said. "Do all women on the mainland dress like that?"
"Not all. A lot of them dress more like me."
"Oh. I don't think I'd like that."
"You just need to get used to it," Samantha said. Then they set out for home.
***
Prudence sat on the front steps of the church, one fist resting below her chin as if she were in deep thought. They still had not found a stick to work as Wendell's lever, so they would have to search the rubble for something. First, Samantha hoped to surprise her friend with something pretty to wear.
She held the dresses behind her back as she walked up to the church. "Hi!" she called out. "Where's everyone else?"
"Miss Brigham took them to get a bath."
"I see. You didn't go with them?"
"I took a bath last night."
"That's true." Finally Samantha couldn't contain herself anymore. She thrust the dresses towards her friend. "Look at these! Aren't they beautiful?"
Prudence reeled back as if the dresses were poisonous serpents. "Those are…colored."
"Of course they are. Don't you think they're pretty?"
"I…I don't know."
"Prudence, please. The reverend is dead. So is the Way. You can wear pretty clothes now." She shoved the dresses at her friend again. "Why don't you at least try them on?"
Prudence reached out to touch the burgundy dress, her body still tensed as if the dress would bite her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try them on."
"They're better than that old robe."
"Yes, I suppose."
Samantha knew better than to follow Prudence inside the church. Her friend had to make up her own mind about whether to violate Reverend Crane's strict dress code or not. While she waited, Samantha went over to the dormitory, where Rebecca was sifting through the rubble.