Chapter 26
~Chapter 26~
“You need to pick out an evening dress quickly. It takes quite a bit of time to make one.”
The clerk flipped open the style book for her once again.
Even Harriet, who had been waving her hands in protest that it was too much, found her gaze naturally drawn to the intricate dress illustrations.
“You know, this is the style all the young ladies are loving these days. The pleated style with multiple layers of chiffon.”
“Oh, that dress? It takes a lot of work, so the price is a bit high, but it’s so glamorous when you wear it—definitely eye-catching.”
“Let’s take a look at that design. A girl should try trendy clothes at least once while she’s young.”
“You’re absolutely right. She should wear it while she’s at her prettiest.”
Mrs. Luba hurriedly turned to the page with that design, as if worried Trisha might change her mind.
“This one’s the best. The soft pink would suit her perfectly.”
“An excellent choice. But if you’re getting a bright dress, it’s good to have something with more weight too. The moment I saw Miss Harriet, this dress came to mind. We just got this beautiful green fabric.”
Mrs. Luba quietly closed the style book. Her subtle skill at encouraging additional purchases was impressive.
‘No way my great-aunt would fall for a sales tactic like that, right?’
Just as Harriet was about to force an awkward smile, Trisha nodded.
“Hm, not bad. But could you make the ruffles a slightly deeper shade of green than the fabric?”
“We’ll adjust it that way. It’ll go great with gold or emerald accessories, and adding a pink corsage will really brighten up her complexion.”
“Then add the corsage too.”
“Of course!”
There was a hint of a nasal twang in Mrs. Luba’s response. The clerk standing nearby was busily jotting down the item list.
Harriet, who had been staring blankly at the scene in a daze, finally snapped out of it and shook her head.
“Great-Aunt! This is too much! Do you even know how many dresses we’ve picked out already?”
Six day dresses, two evening dresses, extra bodices, and now a corsage. It was more than enough to cost a whole carriage.
But Trisha seemed frustrated by Harriet’s reaction.
“Do you think succeeding in high society comes cheap? Think about it. Who would pay attention to a girl who shows up in the same dress every time?”
“Th-that’s not what I mean, but…”
“You said you wanted to succeed and stand out, didn’t you? And you wanted the freedom to live without caring about others’ stares, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then to succeed as a lady in this world, you need to be bold. We’re just getting ready to start at the starting line—do you think you can afford to hesitate over this?”
She felt guilty and hesitant about spending someone else’s money, but Trisha was right. To re-enter high society and succeed, a significant investment was necessary.
‘I’ve been too complacent. Thinking I could manage with the money from selling a few jewels.’
Harriet shoved aside the psychological barrier holding her back. If you’re going to bet big, bet big. ‘I feel like I’m turning into a gambler.’
She clenched her fists tightly and said,
“Thank you. I’ll gladly accept your help, Great-Aunt. I’ll repay this kindness someday.”
She spoke with resolve, but Trisha snorted as if it were amusing.
“Save the empty words. I didn’t expect anything from you to begin with.”
“Still…”
“Anyone with as much money as me could do this. Dressing you up like a doll is fun—it’s been a while.”
Trisha seemed a bit embarrassed by her own words and let out a few fake coughs at the end.
Seeing that, Mrs. Luba smiled subtly and chimed in.
“Our shop’s clothes for doll play—Miss Harriet, you’re so lucky. Even ladies from decent families rarely enjoy such luxury.”
“Enough nonsense. Hurry up and take her measurements. We have mountains of places to go.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
She flashed a bright smile and helped Harriet to her feet.
“You’re coming to today’s tea party, right?”
Astor’s voice carried the soft accent unique to the imperial family. Cedric always felt his mother’s royal bloodline in these little details.
“Of course.”
His own pronunciation was just as she had taught him. Neither rolling the tongue excessively nor with a heavy accent—a gentle, precise way of speaking, almost like a whisper.
Sometimes it was amusing how these moments clearly showed they were still family.
‘Aside from things like this, there’s hardly any trace we ever lived together.’
She had once passionately loved his father, but around the time Cedric turned ten, she began taking lovers. By fifteen, she spent more days away from home than in it.
It was only after Loen died that she started spending more time at the ducal mansion.
‘And she even started bringing her lovers openly.’
It disgusted him, but he didn’t interfere. How could he oppose a life his father had tolerated?
It bothered him, but he didn’t meddle. His father had accepted her lifestyle in the end—what right did Cedric have to object?
Now, all he did was make an appearance at the parties she hosted, fulfilling his duty as a son.
“Take good care of your mother, Cedric.”
Those were his father’s last words before closing his eyes forever, but Cedric didn’t know what more he could do, nor did he want to improve their relationship.
Today’s tea party was mainly attended by noblewomen from the imperial family’s collateral branches.
Their interests and ages varied widely, but gathering like this regularly was beneficial for maintaining the imperial faction’s influence.
For Cedric, it was usually a place where he had to endure nagging, so it wasn’t particularly welcome.
“Jeremiah, when do you plan to marry off your son? I can’t believe a perfect groom like him doesn’t have a woman.”
“It’s hard to believe, but Aunt, that unbelievable thing has happened. This boy still doesn’t even have a girlfriend.”
“Is it true, Cedric? Well, there was the war and Loen’s matter, so no time for romance, I suppose. But now it’s time to start considering proposals. Shall I set something up for you?”
As expected, the marriage talk came up.
He couldn’t understand why everyone acted like the family head being unmarried would cause the house to collapse, but he didn’t feel the need to get angry.
Everyone here knew full well no one could force the Duke of Kailas anyway.
He replied as usual—politely and indifferently.
“I couldn’t trouble you, Aunt. I’ve been looking into it a little myself, but I’d like to stay quiet until I find someone I truly like.”
“You have to spread rumors for illnesses and proposals to get more information. I suppose I should…”
“You know what happens when rumors spread. There are already more women aggressively pursuing me than I can handle.”
Feeling like she might become one of those ‘aggressive’ ones herself, she backed off slyly.
And so Cedric passed the time with light conversation, enduring the boredom.
Only toward the end of tea time did he spot an interesting figure.
‘Oh, that lady’s here too.’
The person he’d heard recent news about was quietly sipping tea at the end of the table. It was surprising news, and he’d been curious about the background.
As tea time ended and guests began strolling freely in the garden, he slowly approached her.
She was heading to a quiet spot, making it a perfect timing to speak.
“It’s been a while, Countess Pellon.”
“Duke of Kailas?”
She seemed a little surprised but quickly composed herself and greeted him.
“It has. I hope you’ve been well?”
Trisha Pellon had become the head of the Pellon family after her husband’s death, per his will.
It didn’t seem widely announced yet, but according to his information, she had recently taken on someone’s guardianship.
It was an unexpected decision for a woman on strained terms with her relatives. Especially since the person she took in was someone often mocked in high society.
“I heard you have a guest at the Pellon Mansion.”
“How did you know?”
“I heard it by chance.”
Trisha clicked her tongue, displeased that the rumor had spread faster than expected.
Yet she didn’t bother denying or hiding it.
“My cousin’s daughter came to stay. Her circumstances are pitiful, and I owed her parents during their lifetime, so I became her guardian. It’s nothing for the duke to concern himself with.”
Cedric gave a faint smile.
Of course it wasn’t worth his concern. He had already cleared his lingering sense of debt by sending the scarf after she refused his offer of help.
Talking to Trisha now was just to pass the time.
“I was glad to hear that a lady who’s lived alone so long now has family.”
“Well. The guardianship is for about two years, so we’ll see how it goes.”
“What does Miss Harriet plan to do after those two years?”
