The ladies saw this as the perfect occasion to bring out the cloth fans they had been desperately waiting to flaunt since after summer. The striking paintings of lands unknown on their fans notwithstanding, their eyes still wore the glint of envy as they observed with awe the handiwork of different tailors on other women. The richer among them had come in gowns embroidered with sequins and accessorised with rows of gold necklaces encrusted with coral or pearl.
