Song recommendation, "Arrival of the Birds" by The Cinematic Orchestra.
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The next day, around ten in the morning, Mrs Swanson did arrive at the Warburton mansion to pick up Amyra. So that they can head to the Horlicks street for shopping together.
Myra was roaming around restlessly in her room, thinking of a way to refuse accompanying Lady Florence politely.
"Shall I lay down on the bed and pretend to be sick?" she asked herself, fidgeting her hands.
"Or should I just go and say that I don't feel like joining her?", immediately she shook her head dismissing the idea. "No, no!..I can't do that. It'll be rude"
Before she could make her mind up, on what to do. Someone knocked the room door. Exhaling loudly, Myra opened the door. The maid who went by the name Rachel, was standing by the door. She curtsied sightly and said, "Miss, Mrs Swanson is here".
Hearing that Myra's shoulders slumped. 'What to do now?'
If only the lord hadn't agreed to let her accompany the Lady in the first place, she thought. Amyra had no money even to afford a single meal, then how is she going to go around shopping?
Before she could think of an excuse, the maid curtsied once again and left. Myra chewed her inner cheeks, and sat on the bed trying to find a way out.
When a small voice inside her head spoke out.
'Who said, that you will have to buy something?' said the voice 'you can just follow Lady Florence around without buying anything for yourself'.
A small smile crept on her face, why hadn't she thought this way before?. That way she won't disappoint the Lady and she won't be bored staying idle at home.
Feeling reassured, she quickly glanced at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair before walking out to greet Mrs. Swanson.
Florence was waiting for Amyra in the drawing room. When caught sight of the girl entering the room, she stood up.
"Ah.. There you are!", exclaimed lady Florence walking towards her. Her skirts brooming the floor as she walked. "What took you soo long?" she asked with a smile on her face and Myra smiled back sheepishly.
"Let's go, we have a lot to do!" Florence said interlinking her arms with Myra's and Myra gave her a hesitant nod.
"Alvin?" Lady Florence called out and the butler showed up out of nowhere and bowed slightly.
"Alvin! Is our carriage ready?"
"Yes Mrs Swanson" he said, leading both of them out. A carriage was waiting at the door front.
Once they were seated inside, the coachman manoeuvred the carriage around the cupid water feature that was in front of the mansion, riding away.
As they rode through the busy streets of Arcardia, Myra was looking out of the window lost in her own thoughts.
"Ah! Amyra" called Florence out of the blue, which had Amyra snap out of her thoughts to look at her.
Mrs. Swanson pulled something out from her purse. "Theo, informed me to give this to you", she said holding a small rectangular shaped card in her hands.
Myra looked at the card in Florence's hands that was extended towards her, curiously.
"Go on, take it" Lady Florence urged her.
Reluctantly she took the card from her hands, wondering what it might be.
It was Royal blue colored card with black and silver vine like designs near the edges. The Lord's full name was written in the center with bold golden letters.
*THEODORE MAVERICK WARBURTON*
She looked at it with interest as she had never seen a card like this before. On the other side of the card there was a five digit number, inscribed in smaller golden letters.
*59372*
and a small seal at the bottom right corner, that read:
*ISSUED BY THE RESERVE BANK OF ARCARDIA*.
Confused, she looked at Florence. "Lady Florence, What is this? And why did the Lord ask you to give this to me?"
Florence smiled, "This is an all purpose expenditure card".
Myra narrowed her eyes looking at the so called 'Expenditure card'.
"If you like something while we are shopping, just show this card to the shop owner and then you can buy it".
"And they will give me whatever I want? just like that? Without paying anything?" asked myra eagerly.
Florence chuckled shaking her head, "No, that's not how it works. If you show this card, The store keepers will note down the number on the card and then send the bill over to the treasury and the money spent will get deducted from the card owners personal vault".
Myra looked at the card for one last time, before returning it to Lady Florence. "I-I can't take this".
The lord had been nothing but generous towards her by rescuing her and by providing her food, shelter and clothings, making her feel special and she was more than just thankful. Myra was already starting to feel guilty about staying in his mansion. Even though she was a guest, everyone treated her as if she was the Lady of the house. She didn't want all these luxury lifestyle get into her head, as she had no intention of misusing the lord's kindness towards her.
Florence shook her head, refusing to take the card from Myra. "You can't refuse this" she said firmly, "Theo has strictly instructed me to hand this over to you. And you are using it".
Myra was still hesitant, "C'mon Amyra. Don't worry. Theo has lots of money that is rotting in his vaults. He won't mind if you spend a little out of it. He is the Arcardian Lord after all", reassured Florence. "Buy whatever you feel like, without any hesitation".
Sighing, Amyra clutched the card in her hands determined not to use it anywhere. Telling herself that she would return it to the Lord once she gets back home. A while later, the carriage stopped near a store. Lady Florence instructed the coachman to wait for them.
Grabbing Myra's hands, Florence led her through the crowded horlicks street excitedly.
Florence went from store after store, buying everything that caught her eye and Myra just followed her around everywhere, not buying anything for herself.
After about an hour or so, both the ladies stood in front of a three-storied clothing store. That had many Mannequin dolls dressed in designer garments, displayed around the store to attract costumers.
"Amyra, you are buying a dress for yourself from here" stated Florence as they entered the store, "I'll not allow you to walk out empty handed out of this shop".
Myra sighed and followed Florence inside. A young woman dressed in a grey coloured uniform, greeted them with a bow. "Welcome to sheldon's clothings".
Lady Florence nodded walking further inside, "What kind of dresses are you both looking for?" asked the sales girl politely looking at Amyra with a smile.
"We are looking for ball gowns", Florence answered.
"Please come this way" said the girl leading them inside the store.
The sales girl pulled out a couple of dresses and laid it down on the long marble slab one by one. Myra couldn't help gawking at the clothes at this particular store. Every cloth that was pulled out was made up of expensive fabrics. Especially the silk ones felt so soft on her skin.
Florence set aside three gowns for trial and then turned towards Myra, "Found anything to your liking?", she asked and Amyra shook her head. Even though she did like the dresses, she didn't want to buy anything with the lord's money.
Florence, narrowed her eyes at her. "Look Amyra, you better select a dress for yourself before I come back after trying out these clothes, otherwise I'll pick out a dress for you myself", that said she went towards the trial room along with the sales girl, leaving Myra alone.
Amyra exhaled softly and started walking around the store, touching every random fabric longingly. Suddenly she heard a faint whispery voice calling her name out.
"Amyra!"
Myra turned around, wondering who might have called her out, but there was no one particularly looking at her. Everybody inside the store were doing their work as if they hadn't heard any voice. Shaking her head, she resumed admiring the dresses displayed thinking that she might have imagined things.
"Amyra!" called out the voice again, this time sounding a little louder. "Amyra! come to me!"
Frowning Myra headed in the direction, the voice was coming from. She walked towards the store's stair case that led to the next floor. As she got nearer the voice sounded louder.
"Come here! Amyra..", said a whispery feminine voice.
Slowly she climbed the stairs and went up. In the far corner of the store, that was isolated from the main hall, stood a headless Mannequin clad in the most beautiful gown she had ever laid her eyes upon.
The whispery voice was coming out from the headless mannequin. With wide eyes she went and stood before it.
It was a beautiful sky blue colored gown made of silk and satin. It had high neck and long sleeves. Sliver flowers were embroidered on the top half of the dress including the sleeves along with sparkly stones struck here and there.
The skirt was stunningly plain with a hue of darkish blue shade at the bottom. The fabric was tailored to fit tightly near the waist, giving a slim look on the Mannequin, while the skirt flared below.
Myra simply couldn't take her eyes off the dress. It was grand and probably too expensive. After a lot of mental battle she sighed and reluctantly forced herself to turn away. She was about to walk away when she felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
Her eyes widened with horror when she tilted her head and saw five wooden fingers gripping her right shoulder tightly.