Jennie walked around the parlor, modeling the dress she planned to wear to Mrs. Kim Tae Yon's garden party. "Will this do?" she asked.

Jisoo looked her over appraisingly. "I think so. I'd like to have Chungha take a look at it, just to be sure I'm not overlooking anything." She looked over at Joy. "You're welcome to come along if you like, or you can stay here with Suyeon, or you can go to the news agent's - it's just a couple of blocks from Chungha's shop."

"Why doesn't Joy have to have her dress inspected before the party?" Jennie asked petulantly.

"Because she has all her clothes done up in Seoul," Jisoo said. "Anything she wears that's different from the current Busan fashion will be attributed to her being more au courant than we are here. You, on the other hand - all my friends know that you came from the academy I went to, which was out in the country, so if you're behind the style, it will reflect badly on Madame Park and then on me." Jisoo paused for a moment. "But what's really bothering you? It's not like you to get all worked up over matters of fashion."

Jennie shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "It's just. . . this mission just has me on edge." She waved her hands dismissively. "It's nothing. I'm sure it will pass."

Jisoo nodded. She was pretty sure that it wasn't the mission that had Jennie on edge, but she was also pretty sure that if she brought it up, rather than waiting for Jennie to say something about it, it would make matters worse.

Just then Suyeon walked in from the kitchen. "Excuse me, ma'am," Suyeon said. "I was wondering what time I should have lunch ready."

Jisoo thought for a second, looking from Jennie to Joy and back again. "I think we'll eat lunch out today," she said. "So after you've finished the morning cleaning, fix yourself lunch, then after you eat, I want you to gather up all your dresses and take them to Chungha's shop - do you know where that is?" When Suyeon had nodded that she did, Jisoo continued. "I'll leave instructions with her while I'm at her shop this morning. She's to examine all your dresses, remake those that need it, make sure they're all as flattering as possible, as well as having some other features that I'm going to describe to her. Additionally, I'll have her compare your wardrobe to your duties and make any additional dresses that you might need." Jisoo looked at Joy. "Am I forgetting anything?"

Joy looked up from the magazine she was reading. "You should also have her bring a list of all her accessories and unmentionables so that Chungha can remedy any shortcomings in that area."

Jisoo nodded, then turned back to Suyeon. "You heard that. Be sure to bring that inventory when you go."

"Ma'am, this really isn't necessary," Suyeon protested. "I'm sure my clothes are fine."

Jisoo fixed Suyeon with her sternest stare. "I'm sure they were fine for your previous positions," she said, "but now that you're working for me, your appearance reflects on me, and I don't wish to leave anything to chance, especially as the Captain and I have ambitions of moving up in the world, and I'd like to bring you with me, which I can't do if you're wearing threadbare dresses. When I was wearing your dress last night, I noticed that it was missing two buttons. From what I know of you, I feel confident in saying that that wasn't a result of slovenliness on your part, but instead as result of you scrimping on your wardrobe in order to help provide for your family. While that's an admirable sentiment, I'm afraid it has left your clothes in something of a state of disrepair, which we must remedy at once."

Suyeon's eyes were welling up, with tears about to spill over. "Thank you, ma'am," she said. "That's most kind of you. No one has ever taken such an interest in me before."

Jisoo smiled at Suyeon, then reached out and took her hand. "That only shows a lack of judgment on their part," she said. "It's obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that you're a young woman who's destined for greater things than this." Just then the clock struck the quarter hour; Jisoo looked up and noticed the time. "But greater things will have to wait. For now, you've got chores to do, and Jennie and I must get to Chungha's shop. Joy, are you coming with us?"

Joy set aside the magazine she had been reading and stood up. "I'll walk with you," she said. "Once I know where Chungha's shop is, I'd like to go to the news agent's, then I'll meet you back at Chungha's and we can go to lunch."

Jisoo nodded decisively. "Very well then, let's go."

After a brief flurry of gathering reticules and parasols, Jisoo, Jennie, and Joy put on their bonnets and headed out. Suyeon watched them go, aspiring to someday be as fine as lady as they. Then she shook her head. "Stop your daydreaming, Suyeon," she scolded herself. "Nothing good will come from getting idea above your station. For now, there are chores to do, then after lunch the trip to Chungha's; that should be quite enough for you for today." Mentally running through her list of chores, she decided to start with the dusting and soon was hard at work.

Chungha's assessment of Jennie's dress revealed that very little needed to be done to it - a little adjustment in the shape of the sleeves and a new collar were all that would be required. While Jennie was getting back into her regular dress, Jisoo talked to Chungha and explained what she needed done to Suyeon's wardrobe. Chungha made careful notes in her memorandum book of all the things Jisoo wanted done.

"That's quite the list," Chungha said when Jisoo had finished. "If word gets out that you're dressing your servant this way, it's liable to cause a rush as the other fashionable ladies hurry to catch up."

Jisoo smiled inwardly at Chungha's description of her as a "fashionable lady" - Madame Park would certainly be pleased to have heard it. "And, of course, at least some of that business is likely to come your way," Jisoo said, "thus giving you incentive to see to it that word gets out." She thought for a moment. "I've certainly no objection to servants being better-dressed, but I'd prefer not to have the others blame me for the added expense."

Chungha smiled. "I can understand that. 'Based on the orders I've been receiving, the new fashion for dressing one's servants seems to be. . . '" Chungha acted as if she was addressing another customer. "'No, of course I can't say who - you know very well that I'd never betray a customer's confidence. . ."

"That sounds very good," Jisoo said.

Just then Jennie returned from the dressing room and handed the party dress to Chungha.

"I see Miss Joy hasn't returned yet," Chungha said. "If you'd like to wait in my anteroom for her return, I can have my girl fix you a pot of tea and I can get started on this dress."

"That'd be very nice," Jisoo said, taking her leave of Chungha. She led Jennie to the anteroom, where they sat and waited for Chungha's girl to bring the promised pot of tea. As it happened, they didn't have to wait long. Obviously there is a certain minimum amount of time required to prepare a pot of tea, but Chungha's girl brought the tea quite soon after that, speaking well of the efficiency of Chungha's establishment.

"Will there be anything else, ma'am?" the girl asked after putting the tray with the tea things at the table in front of Jennie and Jisoo.

Jisoo looked up at the girl - quite a way up. She imagined that even if she were standing, this girl would still be several inches taller than her. "I've seen you around the shop," Jisoo said, "but I don't believe we've ever been properly introd