Chapter 79
Chapter 79
The next morning, the maids arrived early to attend to us. My throat was raw from reading aloud all night. I stretched my stiff and weary limbs, covering my mouth with my hand as I yawned.
A knowing look caught my attention. It was Delphina, entering with a basin and a sponge, an expression on her face that suggested she knew exactly what had transpired.
A wave of mortification washed over me. I wanted to explain that my exhaustion wasn’t what she thought, but with so many eyes upon me, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
Cesar had already left, slipping out at dawn, leaving me alone.
Two older maids entered and meticulously examined our bed linens. It was their duty, and though I had taken care to disarrange the sheets beforehand, their scrutiny was intensely uncomfortable.
“Just as we suspected.” I had no idea what they suspected, but they exchanged knowing glances and carried the linens away.
A strange, withering sensation settled in my chest. I needed a distraction.
I pictured a tranquil lakeshore, imagining ducklings frolicking in the peaceful waters—fluffy yellow ducklings, and among them, a single, dark, ugly duckling.
Perhaps that was it. That duckling was both him and me.
I wanted to embrace the outcast, the unwanted, to offer comfort and solace. If only I could somehow heal their wounds. To whisper words of comfort, to ask how much they had suffered, why others were so cruel. I longed to hold them close in a warm embrace.
I looked out the window. The spring sunshine was exceptionally bright that day.
***
Holy Week had ended. With the period of solemnity passed, and the restrictions on elaborate attire lifted, spring had truly arrived in the capital. In other words, the social season had begun.
As if waiting for this very moment, people’s clothing blossomed with the vibrant colors of spring flowers. Dressmaking establishments throughout the capital experienced unprecedented prosperity. And among them, one atelier reigned supreme: Madam Clementine’s.
The Empire looked to the Kingdom of Etreux for the latest trends in fashion, and Clementine, a native of Etreux, had taken the capital’s social scene by storm a few years prior. Her designs, always innovative and fresh, had naturally risen to the forefront of fashion.
The previous season, Etreux’s king’s cousin had worn one of Clementine’s creations, further solidifying the designer’s reputation. Now, securing a place in high society practically depended on wearing one of her coveted gowns.
Consequently, appointments at her atelier were notoriously difficult to obtain. The establishment operated on a strictly by-appointment basis.
A mother and daughter arrived at the atelier: Duchess Celestina Flores and her daughter, Giovinetta Flores. They had come to commission new dresses for the start of the social season. However, Clementine’s assistants were already in a state of high anxiety.
“Dull. This is dull, too… It’s all so dreadfully uninspired. I came here expecting the latest fashions. Don’t you have anything else?” Giovinetta flipped through the design books with an air of disdain.
Her lips, perpetually pursed in a pout, betrayed her impatience as she snapped at Clementine’s assistants. The assistants, heads bowed, catered to the beautiful, haughty young woman, terrified she might splash her tea in their faces.
Dozens of designs had already been rejected. For clients of this stature, Madam Clementine herself typically handled the consultations.
With years of experience in customer service, she had assessed the mother and daughter the moment they entered.
There are just some people whose character reveals itself instantly—in their gait, their expressions, their attire, their gestures, their gaze. They don’t need to utter a word.
Anticipating a challenging encounter, Clementine recalled the pair’s reputation. Hailing from one of the most prominent noble families, they were known for their icy demeanor. They were not going to be easy customers.
While her assistants struggled to appease Giovinetta, Clementine, her lips curved into a practiced, ingratiating smile, attended to the true source of their patronage.
“What a lovely daughter you have.” The noblewoman, possessing a grace beyond her years, glanced at her daughter before elegantly lifting her teacup.
“You are truly blessed, Duchess. Not only do you have such a charming eldest daughter, but your younger daughter is now the Crown Princess, is she not?”
“Hmm.” The atmosphere instantly shifted.
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