Chapter 57
Before the fourth lesson, Felice found herself absentmindedly gazing up at the canopy set up in the Racliffe estate’s garden. The weather was perfectly clear and sunny, but thanks to the canopy, it was a pleasant spot to admire the flowers in the garden.
Felice blinked, trying to clear her increasingly tangled thoughts. She jumped slightly when a maid poured her some water, then shifted her gaze to the table. Looking at the neatly arranged tableware atop the spotless tablecloth, she couldn’t help but frown.
She knew the thoughts swirling in her mind were nothing but presumptuous worries.
Claude’s looks were exceptional, he was a prince, and even if he hadn’t been royalty, his position as Baron Racliffe—and head of the railway company—was impressive on its own.
More than anything, he was clearly interested in Lady Elise, someone Felice could never hope to compare herself to.
So these worries she had were truly… groundless and arrogant.
Even so, she couldn’t help but wonder why she had to attend a tea time so elaborately arranged in the garden. An uneasy premonition crept over her, and she desperately hoped it was just her imagination.
“Um… Butler…?”
“The master will be down shortly.”
Felice tried to ask for an explanation, but Butler Ben quickly cut her off. The maid quietly filled her glass and stepped away, determined not to give Felice any chance to ask further questions.
Still, nothing seemed outwardly strange.
In the end, they both left before she could say anything, leaving her sitting alone under the canopy with the dazzling garden before her. Felice let out a long, quiet sigh.
“Why… why am I here…?”
Her mind was filled with nothing but that one question, but there was no one around to answer it, so she had no choice but to sit there and worry.
As she wrestled with her unresolved questions, Claude appeared—immaculately dressed in a navy suit, his shoes polished to a mirror shine and gleaming in the sunlight.
The sight only added to Felice’s confusion.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting. I was delayed with some last-minute matters.”
Claude said with a polite apology, sitting down across from her and offering a gentle smile.
“Oh—no, it’s all right.”
“I heard from the butler you had something you wanted to discuss before today’s lesson?”
“Yes!”
Felice nodded quickly. She had just received a letter the previous evening from Duchess Vanessa, informing her that alternative accommodations had been arranged.
“Let’s have the table set first.”
Claude said, ringing the bell.
The maids returned, pushing a trolley laden with colorful desserts toward the table. Felice blinked at the array of sweets, then took a sip of tea to steady herself as nerves began to creep in again.
“Um… Claude.”
She started the moment the maids had gone.
She tried to convince herself that her unease was pointless, but she’d seen this sort of situation too many times before. More than a few people had invited her to tea or a meal in their gardens right before confessing their feelings. They’d always insist that entertaining her indoors felt improper, what with all the prying eyes.
The whole setup felt ominous. It was exactly the sort of scenario Duchess Vanessa had warned her about.
If things played out that way, Felice would have no choice but to walk away from her ten thousand francs. People would say she’d seduced the prince, rather than being hired as his tutor for love.
Just imagining it sent a chill down her spine.
Right then, Claude let out a long sigh.
“Ah… Miss Felice, actually, there’s something I need to discuss with you too.”
He pressed his fingers to his temple.
“What is it…?”
But, thankfully, Claude’s words took a different turn than she’d feared.
His expression wasn’t full of nervous anticipation, as it might have been before a confession. Instead, he just looked troubled.
“It’s about the lessons. There’s something important I need to clarify before we begin. It concerns the woman I like.”
Felice tensed and nodded.
Could it be…? No, surely not.
Even so, she found herself gripping her skirt tightly under the table, unable to fully let go of her nerves.
“The woman I’m interested in is Elise Robert.”
“Ah…”
Felice nearly broke into a relieved smile and burst into applause.
But instead, she quickly tamped down her delight and managed only a subtle frown in Claude’s direction.
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