A new day began, and Hope was happier than ever. Although she had not yet decided what she would ask Drake to do today, the mere fact that she had him at her discretion was more than enough to fill her with excitement.
Hope got dressed in her old clothes because they made her feel more like herself, and left the room smiling. As she descended the stairs, she glanced out the window and saw him. Drake was riding a gorgeous black horse. Hope could not decide which of the two looked more majestic. She could have an honest debate with herself on this subject, and she didn't think she could choose.
Hope stared at the beautiful black stallion in ecstasy. The massive elongated neck with a beautiful curve merged into a well-built body. The gigantic thick legs ended with long hair and large hooves, giving his look originality. The fluffy tail reached to the horse's hooves.
Indeed, the rider was breathtaking also. The imposing outfit and the way his body adjusted to control the horse made Hope sigh. Together they seemed a single well-oiled mechanism that worked with astonishing precision. They complemented each other, emphasizing the beauty of the other.
Hope sat and watched the show for a long time until Drake gave the horse to the caretaker and headed for the entrance to the living area. Hope hurried down another flight of stairs and came out in front of him. The man was a little amazed by her exuberance, not being accustomed to people being so enthusiastic in his presence or approaching him with such detachment.
"Are you ready for what's next?" Hope asked, wanting to see his reaction, though she still didn't know what was to come.
Drake gave a detached shrug. "I don't know what you mean, but I already know what you're going to do today. In the living room, Bernard, the teacher of etiquette and manners, is waiting. What he has prepared for you will most likely occupy your whole day."
"But today is my day, according to the deal with which you have already agreed. I decide what to do today," Hope grumbled, trying to get a grip and not smack him in the face.
Drake wasn't impressed. "That's the punishment for what you did last night. I would be happy if I were you because it could have been much worse. Besides, the show you put on now proves that you need Bernard if you want to have the slightest chance of training this beast," he said, smiling, pointing nonchalantly at his body.
Hope clenched her fists, refraining from slapping him in that arrogant mug. Oh, this man annoyed her much more than he should. She managed to calm down, promising herself to get her payback.
-----
Bernard was a 50-year-old man with a well-kept figure, but Hope didn't like his gestures and attitude at all. Everything he did and the way he spoke seemed too calculated and unnatural, and these were always alarm signals.
"The term lady has a classy and elegant connotation, and being a woman does not necessarily turn you into a lady," Bernard began.
Hope snorted disapprovingly. "I never even pretended to be a lady ..."
"It's also not nice to interrupt people while they're talking!" Bernard exhaled emphatically and continued. "Being a lady depends on refinement, grace, movement, and a chosen education that will allow you to behave properly in any situation. So, a real lady knows the code of good manners. Before I move on, I want to make sure you know at least the basics when it comes to good manners. Show me how you greet someone."
"As I greeted you when I entered this room," Hope said, yawning. She still couldn't understand the point of all this, and she wasn't going to go along with it just to entertain some strangers.
Bernard threw a disapproving glare. "A woman should always greet with a smile on her face. She must also wait for the man to greet her first. And if two women meet, then the youngest greets first."
"And how do I know I'm the youngest? What if the other person looks younger than they really are? What if she is a hundred-year-old witch who looks like a child?"
Bernard froze. He had never received such questions in this part of his course. It was clear that this girl was going to make problems, but, nevertheless, he continued. "When you have a conversation with someone, it is absolutely necessary for the other person to finish talking before you start. You should never start talking while the other is still at it."
"Even if everything he says is completely uninteresting and boring, and the whole conversation is actually just a monologue meant to make the interlocutor feel inferior?"
Bernard blushed and decided to become more stinging. "The outfit completes a lady's appearance. To be elegant does not mean to worry about the price and number of clothes, but about the quality, the cut, the possibility of harmonizing the outfit with the accessories, and choosing them so that you never look old-fashioned. A person with good taste does not wear bright colors and applies the basic laws of aesthetics."
Hope knew that now he had begun to strike even more directly at her tastes. Her yellow T-shirt and red knotted shirt tied under her bust were clearly Bernard's new target. The girl's answer came naturally. "I don't like you at all. I find you unsightly, and your presence turns my stomach upside down. Now you should feel very well, knowing the level of good taste I possess."
His stunned face was the icing on the cake for Hope and especially the moments that followed when Bernard began to understand the meaning and then tried to find a thoughtful reply. When he realized that he was left without the right words to throw back at her face, the man resumed his elegant attitude and perfect posture and left the room.
Hope laughed out loud. "It seems that this course did not last all day. Drake almost got me good here, so I must give him something of at least an equal value. Now, let's see how I can get my revenge on Drake ..."