Chapter 25.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Harriet. Let me show you to your room.”
“Thank you.”
“Please, speak informally with me. Would you like your meal brought to your room, or would you prefer to dine in the dining hall?”
“Could you bring it to my roo…… oh?”
“Understood. I shall take your bags.”
The diligent maid picked up the luggage left on the floor and led the way.
Though I had peeked around while following the butler earlier, the House of Count Felon was far grander in scale than the House of Listerwell. It wasn’t just the vastness of the estate; the furnishings that filled the interior were incomparably magnificent.
‘To think I’d be living in a place like this…….’
I was still mulling over how well I had done to gather the courage to write to Trisha, when Esther, who was walking ahead, glanced back and started a conversation.
“Everyone was surprised to see it was a young lady. We were curious about who might be coming. And to think you are the great-niece of the mistress…….”
“Among so many relatives, weren’t they surprised that someone they’d never seen before arrived?”
“More than that, it was just fascinating that someone was coming to live here. We have guests who stay for a day or two occasionally, but you are the first person to come and stay with the mistress.”
Now that I thought about it, the mansion felt somewhat empty for its size. I suppose it was because there were so few people.
‘Then does that mean Great-Aunt has been living alone for thirteen years?’
Alone in this vast house. Had she not been lonely?
Just then, Esther stopped in front of a door.
“This is the room where you will be staying, Miss. That over there is the mistress’s bedchamber, and that is her study. I will show you the other areas gradually.”
After finishing her brief explanation, Esther smiled brightly at Harriet and swung the door wide open.
For a moment, Harriet doubted her own eyes.
“This is…… my room……?”
“Yes! I decorated it diligently according to the mistress’s instructions. Do you like it?”
Harriet stood with her mouth agape, carefully looking around.
The walls, curtains, and bed canopy were unified in a low-saturation sky blue, while the vanity and fireplace were pristine white. The sofa, chaise longue, and chairs were embroidered with delicate blue paisley patterns, and the heavy walnut wardrobe and table added a sense of gravity to the space.
An expensive-looking carpet was spread across the floor, and the china cabinet next to the fireplace displayed polished teacups and pots.
The last place her gaze rested was the vase on the table. It was filled with fresh pink flowers—a luxury that had been denied to Harriet since she was twelve.
“Do you like it?”
Of course, she did. Enough to bring tears to her eyes.
* * *
Clop, clop.
A carriage crossed the bustling streets of Genoa with a rhythmic sound of hooves. Naturally, pedestrians and other carriages that spotted the crest of the House of Felon engraved on the vehicle promptly cleared the way.
As the carriage stopped in front of Ashley Louvard’s boutique on Payton Street, the owner hurried out to greet her guest.
“Welcome, Countess Felon! It’s been a long time.”
“Indeed. It has been a while, Ashley.”
“I was surprised when you booked the entire morning business hours. Are you planning to refresh your wardrobe?”
Her question was natural. While Trisha was a regular at the boutique, she wasn’t the type to splurge on many items at once. However, the fact that she had requested the shop be closed to other customers for three hours signaled a significant order.
“What would an old woman do with so many clothes? You aren’t the one you need to worry about today, Ashley.”
Trisha sent a sidelong glance over her shoulder.
“Harriet. Introduce yourself. This is the owner of the boutique I’ve frequented for a long time, Madam Ashley Louvard.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Harriet Listerwell.”
Harriet curtsied slightly toward Madam Louvard, who looked visibly surprised. I wondered how she would react, as she surely knew of my name. However, Madam Louvard was not just a fashion designer, but a seasoned merchant. She immediately greeted Harriet with a warm, professional smile.
“Nice to meet you! My heart is already racing at the thought of crafting clothes for such a pretty young lady. Ho ho ho!”
The words might have been flattery, but Harriet’s heart truly was racing.
The sophisticated, luxurious garments displayed in the show window, the stylish exterior, the disciplined demeanor of the staff…….
The shops I used to visit with my parents when I was young were just like this. I had taken it for granted then, but looking back now, I realized I had enjoyed a very affluent childhood.
“Come, come inside.”
Madam Louvard personally guided Trisha and Harriet into the showroom. As they entered, a staff member turned the sign hanging on the door. From now until 1:00 PM, no one else could use the facility.
Trisha sat on the sofa in the center of the boutique and leaned back comfortably.
“There is much to do, Ashley. Let’s start with dresses for going out.”
“I haven’t even served tea yet, Countess.”
“I didn’t come here to drink tea, so hurry.”
“Oh my, you are still as impatient as ever.”
Although she pouted as if troubled, the corners of Madam Louvard’s mouth remained honest. She signaled toward the back, and a staff member promptly brought over a style book.
Trisha took it and thrust it toward Harriet.
“First, you choose.”
Harriet took the book in a daze and carefully turned the pages.
‘Wow, it’s beautiful.’
From the very first page, it was filled with exquisite designs.
When I lived at the House of Listerwell, I couldn’t have ordered clothes from a boutique of this level. Bella had her dresses made at expensive shops, but the places allowed for Harriet were only slightly better than a commoner’s tailor. John would act as if they were “quite expensive,” but I knew they were worlds apart from the clothes I wore as a child. Even the fabric touching my skin was always coarse.
‘This place seems even more expensive than the boutiques I went to when I was little.’
I could tell just by looking at the tailoring on Madam Louvard’s staff. The designs didn’t lean heavily on passing trends, but the delicate details made them stand out from the ordinary.
Harriet tried not to get too excited as she scanned the pages. She pointed to a modest and neat design.
“I think this would be good. It won’t show dirt easily, and it’s versatile enough to wear anywhere.”
I chose it to please Trisha, who seemed conservative. Besides, a dark gray dress was economical; one could change the look just by swapping the shawl worn over it.
Trisha glanced at the design and furrowed her brows.
“Are you picking out mourning clothes?”
“Pardon?”
“Since you are young, wear something bright. That’s how you stand out, and by standing out, you create connections. You aren’t bad-looking, so why are you so lacking in confidence?”
At those words, Harriet touched her own face, stunned.
Considering Trisha’s cranky temperament, saying “You aren’t bad-looking” was as good as a high compliment. Having been told I was ugly for nearly ten years, the admission that I was pretty made me feel shy and strangely overwhelmed. To have someone look at me with genuine appreciation was a sensation I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
My depleted self-confidence seemed to fill up ever so slightly.
Harriet hesitated before turning a few more pages. Then, she pointed to a design she had only kept in her eyes because it was so lovely.
“Then, how about…… this one?”
It was a dress made of gray striped fabric, decorated with yellow ribbons. I was nervous I would be scolded for still lingering on the color gray, but Trisha nodded readily.
“That would suit you well. Your taste isn’t bad.”
My heart raced at the small acknowledgment. Just as Harriet was basking in the pride of the moment, Trisha continued.
“Besides that, in my opinion, something like this would also look good on you.”
Trisha began flipping through the pages herself. What she chose was closer to the latest trends than what Harriet had picked: a white dress with black accents, a bright yellow number, a purple monochrome gown, and a plaid dress that seemed perfect for autumn.
“Hmm, I wonder if we should prepare an empire dress or a muslin dress as well…….”
Muttering to herself, Trisha called Madam Louvard and pointed them out without hesitation.
“This, this, and this one, and this too.”
“Oh my, look at your sharp eye for detail. It will look truly wonderful on Miss Harriet. As for this striped dress that Miss Harriet chose, we could tailor a jacket to wear over it separately; shall I make it in a different color as well?”
“Ah, that would be good. Make one more in a slightly darker color than the stripes.”
Trisha and Madam Louvard were animated, while Harriet stood beside them, taken aback, her eyes widening.
“Gr, Great-Aunt. I think you are buying too much.”
“We’ve barely chosen your outdoor clothes, so what are you talking about? The production time is tight, so we couldn’t even pick out winter clothes. Ashley, now let’s look at evening dresses.”