***
"Marie."
After changing my clothes, I went to the private room where Countess Bellafleur was, and found her wearing a green and brown dress. The natural colors were calming, but her golden hair brightened the dark tones.
"You look really beautiful," I murmured in awe as I drew towards her.
"Really?" Countess Bellafleur said with a smile, and Madame Reavoir agreed with me.
"As expected, Lady Maristella has an eye for quality. I knew you would like it," she said.
Countess Bellafleur looked immensely pleased. "Since my daughter also likes it, I will buy it right away."
When Countess Bellafleur expressed her willingness to buy the dress, Madame Reavoir smiled brightly and nodded. "After I make the proper alterations, I will send the dress to Bellafleur mansion."
"Thank you, Madame."
Countess Bellafleur went into the dressing room to change her clothes once more, and I drank the sweet milk tea that the boutique's employee brought me. As expected, I liked a sweet drink like this better than a bitter herbal or black tea.
As I wondered whether I would ever get used to such aristocratic tea, Madame Reavoir approached me where I was relaxing on the couch.
"Lady Maristella, does the tea suit your taste?"
I gave a light smile. "It is wonderful, Madame Reavoir. I like sweet things."
"Oh dear, is that so? I thought you didn't like sweetness very much."
"…"
Ah, damn it. I hastily made up an excuse.
"I suppose my appetite is changing these days. Recently I craved something that I usually don't eat."
"Oh my, I see. That's possible. I was like that too when I was around your age. I started eating foods that I didn't really like when I was young…"
"I guess it's happening to me too."
Madame Reavoir then changed the subject. "Do you like the dress?" she asked.
"Of course, Madame," I said with a nod, as if it were obvious. "The dress is stunning. It makes me want to try it once again when I go home."
"I'm glad you like it. It pleases me that my eyes weren't wrong." Then, Madame Reavoir hesitated for a moment and then spoke again. "Lady Dorothea is a little childish, isn't she?"
"Pardon?"
"How surprised you must have been when she asked you to give up the dress…"
"Ah…haha." An awkward laugh tripped out of my lips. Anyone could tell there was no excuse for Dorothea's behavior. But she had always been like that, not just today.
"That always happens. I'm used to it," I said with a shrug.
"I think you're amazing in that aspect. How can you befriend someone like Lady Dorothea…" A look of alarm suddenly crossed Madame Reavoir's face, as if she just realized what she just said. "Ah, I'm sorry, Lady Maristella. I misspoke."
"Not at all, Madame Reavoir. It's possible to think like that," I said. Because I also thought the same thing. "Anyway, Lady Dorothea is my friend."
That was a whopping great lie, of course, but I said that just in case our conversation would be distorted into bad rumors. It wasn't that I distrusted Madame Reavoir, but I didn't know for sure what she was like. She was not a character introduced in the novel.
Madame Reavoir gave me a warm smile. "You have an angelic heart. Come to think of it, you're like an angel inside and out."
"You flatter me, Madame Reavoir."
"But I'm quite curious. Why is a person like you always with Lady Cornohen… We sometimes joke that Lady Dorothea is holding something over you."
"Hahahaha."
An involuntary laugh left my mouth at Madame Reavoir's witty remarks, but inwardly I was thinking, 'That's quite possible.'
But I couldn't find out the truth now. I couldn't just grab Dorothea and ask, "Do you have anything on me?" If that was true, it would be a secret between the two, and she would be suspicious that I didn't remember it.
'And she would doubt if I really am Maristella.'
For better or for worse, Dorothea was very close to Maristella. In fact, it was incredible that Dorothea had not yet noticed that I was behaving significantly different from the original Maristella. There was no need to risk anything more here.
'Whatever the reason is, it has nothing to do with me.'
She was not going to be my friend again anyway. She wasn't even my friend from the beginning. It was no longer important whether or not I knew the reason. And even if she had anything on me, Dorothea had never threatened me with it. If Maristella did have a fatal weakness, Dorothea would not have remained quiet on it so far. Such was her personality.
'Let's stop thinking about that.'
I wasn't going to rile myself up by constantly thinking about Dorothea. I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts of the other girl.
Thankfully, Countess Bellafleur came out of the dressing room at that moment and I could easily turn my attention to other things.
***
Dorothea was not the only one interested in the new dress.
Martina also showed great enthusiasm when she saw the beautiful clothing I bought from Madame Reavoir's boutique. If there was any difference in her reaction from Dorothea's, it was that she didn't stubbornly want to take it away from me.
Martina studied it with twinkling eyes, saying it would look better on me with my black hair rather than her own blonde. She also said she was looking forward to seeing me dancing in the Duke's mansion while wearing the dress.
I was about to tell her about what happened with Dorothea, but in the end I kept my mouth shut. Martina would swear at Dorothea anyway and nothing would change. I already knew she would only get angry.
The next day, I passed my time by reading a book as usual, when a voice spoke from beyond the door.
"My Lady, may I come in?"
It was Florinda. I answered without lifting my eyes from the book. "You may."
I thought she had brought refreshments, but that was not the reason she was here.
"You have a guest," she said.
"…Guest?" Was anyone supposed to come today? It was only then did I raise my eyes off the book. "Who?"
"From Thurman Palace. It is Sir Dilton," she informed me.
"Ah." I had a rough idea why he came to Bellafleur mansion.
I jumped out of my seat and went straight out of my room. It was fortunate that I was wearing something proper enough to receive a guest.