Lady Felice’s Secret Class - Chapter 43

Madame Rose sat elegantly on the sofa with her legs crossed, her shoes tapping as she surveyed the Racliffe reception room.

The sun poured in brightly, illuminating the room adorned with floral-patterned wallpaper and sophisticated designs, while the paintings hanging here and there were framed in gold leaf.

“Better than I expected…”

She murmured with a slight tilt, raising one eyebrow coyly.

The floral patterns on the wallpaper were intricate, and even a glance at the decorations on the walls revealed genuine antiques.

She knew that the Racliffe family had recently risen to prominence as a new wealthy family, but she had wondered whether it was worth her while to visit personally.

Still, since Madam Depende had asked her to come, she had no choice—and after she arrived, she confirmed that everything the noblewomen spoke of was true.

“And to be the woman of the famous Baron Racliffe.”

Madame Rose rested her chin on her hand.

The Baron was a man plagued by strange rumors for never having met a woman by age thirty. If he had simply avoided women, people might have pitied and forgotten him, but his appearance was so stunning it could belong in a masterpiece.

Because of that, he was incredibly popular among the opposite s*x.

Many noblewomen had confessed to Madame Rose that they had once snuck into the Baron’s house as children.

Now the Baron had summoned her to buy clothes.

If news of this spread, Trouville would surely be in uproar for some time.

A knock sounded at the door, and Madame Rose turned to stare at it.

Who could be the culprit behind this upcoming commotion?

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Felice dismissed the butler and opened the door.

“My goodness. Felice…?”

A familiar voice came from a woman dressed in fine tailored clothing, who immediately got up from her seat.

She stared at Felice as if unable to believe it was really her.

Felice, equally surprised, opened her eyes wide but then smiled brightly and approached her.

“I heard they called the boutique madam, so I wondered if they meant Madame Rose—and indeed, there you are.”

“Oh, Felice! What am I going to do?”

Rose stepped toward Felice and hugged her tightly. As she walked, she muttered to herself how relieved she was that finally a good man recognized Felice.

“Really… I’m so glad, Felice!”

Felice parted her lips slightly but stayed quietly in Rose’s warm embrace.

Rose seemed to have a big misunderstanding, but for now, Felice let herself be comforted by her warmth.

“I thought, ever since I came into the reception room, that you had a good eye for things.”

Rose released Felice and said, visibly excited, leading her to the table.

“Baron Racliffe does have an eye. If it’s Felice’s clothes, I can give

you an extra set as a favor. Let’s start by looking at the catalog.”

Rose opened the catalog at once excitedly. Her fingers were already pointing to pieces that might suit Felice.

“Rose, calm down. Rather than the catalog, I think you have a big misunderstanding right now… I’m not in that kind of relationship with the Baron.”

“He’s asking me to make clothes for you?”

Rose frowned then smiled knowingly, her raised lips saying she didn’t believe Felice’s denial.

Felice sighed and shook her head with a laugh at Rose’s reaction.

“Really.”

Felice closed the catalog on the table and smiled at her. Rose frowned again.

“As far as I know, Baron Racliffe is unmarried. Does…he have a hidden lover or something?”

“No. The Baron simply stained my clothes and said he’d compensate me for it. That’s all. But I don’t intend to accept it.”

“Oh, Felice.”

Rose’s smile remained the same as before.

“No man would buy clothes from Madame Rose just because of a little stain. Though it’s my pride, I can’t actually just give clothes away. You know that, right? My appointment list is full for the next three years. I’m not someone who can be bought with money.”

Felice, knowing the Baron was a prince in disguise, could only smile silently.

“And Felice, even if you aren’t involved with him, why refuse compensation? You should take it!”

“Accepting your clothes would be far too generous a compensation.”

Felice politely declined.

“It’s not like it has to be money. I wonder why someone who should know better is acting this way. Besides, this isn’t my boutique—it’s his reception room!”