Chapter 10
One thing I realized ever since I got transported here in this era is that I no longer dream of that mysterious guy.
Somehow, I found myself feeling so blue about it for I kinda miss him. I know I may sound super pathetic for he is just a pigment of my imagination but still...
Perhaps that's one of my reasons why I want to go back to the present time as soon as possible. So that I can be with him in my dreams again.
It makes me wonder why I no longer dream about him in this era. Is there a science behind this?
Anyways, i'll just see this as nothing but a silver-lining for at least, I get to protect my feelings because I know I am slowly falling in love with that mysterious guy. Heck, I don't even know his face, voice, and his name.
I should've gone to a therapist back then or someone who has the ability to interpret dreams because it just seem weird to dream about the same guy over and over again.
I was on my way to kitchen for I heard from the others that Chef Florentino is in a very foul mood and is demanding all the staffs to help him when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I look up to see Judy, smiling broadly at me. Smiling like she's planning to do something.
I immediately bow before her and was about to formally greet her when she covered her hand to my mouth and said, "No need for that, Clementine."
I replied a slight nod at her, "My husband is upstairs talking to his cousin so come and help me unpack my things," she uttered, her smile still wider than ever.
We proceeded to the huge guest room. The room is majestic as usual, the walls and the ceilings are in color cream. A delicate chandelier and two white cabinets can also be seen.
It was then that I realized that Judy and her husband, Jacob Bennett, Augustus' cousin decided to stay in the same room.
Two huge handbags probably full of their expensive clothes are near the door.
My cheeks immediately turned red as soon as I saw Judy's undergarments lying just around the bed and tell you what, the bed is unmade as well.
Judy didn't seem to care about that for she snatched my hand and tell me to feel at home for I am just standing near the door, blushing as I roam my eyes around the room.
I let out a fake cough and grab the two handbags in the corner. One was color yellow and one is in the color of black. Obviously, Judy owns the yellow one.
Despite that, I readied myself from grabbing the two handbags at once when Judy automatically widened her eyes and rose from her seat.
"Oh, don't bother, my dear. I'll be the one to arrange my husband's clothes," she said.
I look at her in confusion for how come she still want me to arrange her clothes? Then I realize that oh, she must've thought i'll take a look at her husband's underwear.
Nope, am not ready to look at those kind of things.
I slowly let go of the black handbag and still in my hand is the yellow handbag.
Sitting in the floor, my right leg up, I carefully opened the handbag and my eyes widened at what's inside.
I know this may sound crazy for I just saw a dozen of beautiful shoes inside.
How I wish I somehow own like two of them. I know I may sound super whiny but I am kinda tired of wearing this brown oxford shoes and also this maid uniform of mine.
For some reason, I slowly snatched a pair of silky red 2-inch shoes with shaking hands and put them in the side.
I totally did let out a soft gasp when my eyes landed on the second shoes. It is the color of dirty white and has a pattern that totally reminds me of a wallpaper. Still, it is stunning.
Lastly, I badly want to just steal this shoes and run for my live for this shoes right here is just so beautiful. It somehow changed how I look into victorian fashion.
Personally, am no big fan of boots but when I saw this, man, just worth drooling over. The boots is in the color of white, its white laces is all the way up and almost all the portion of the boots are covered in see-through laces.
I stared at the three pairs o victorian shoes at my side and wish I can have them all.
I let out a soft sigh and grabbed the remaining shoes inside the handbag.
"Why do you have so many shoes with you? How long are you planning on staying here by the way?" I asked her as I arranged her shoes in the cabinet, giving a little space for her husband's shoes.
"First of, there's no such thing as too many shoes for a lady and to answer your question, Jacob and I plan on staying here until he fixed everything in his trading business," she replied, shrugging.
"And besides, Jacob still have to talk to Mr. Douglas Bennett, his uncle," Judy added, now staring to the ceiling.
As soon as I heard Douglas Bennett's word, my body is in alert level.
"T-talk about what?" I asked, hoping for an answer that will somehow help me know why I must kill Douglas Bennett.
"To be honest, I have zero clue. My husband won't let me know as well," Judy answered, adjusting her position in the bed.
And since I don't want to sound suspicious, I let my questions slide for this time.
As I stared at the shoes in front of me, that's when I realized that why is there no clothes?
"My dear friend, my clothes are in the three handbags under the bed," she said before I could asked her about it.
I replied a nod at her and quickly duck my head to search for the three yellow handbags under the bed which I hurriedly grabbed by the time I found it.
I cannot help myself from coughing because of the dusts. As soon as I opened the first handbag, my eyes totally widened again for the gown is just so stunning.
One thing i've noticed about all them is that they're all in the shade of yellow. All of them are off-shoulder ball gowns. Well, yellow do suits Judy.
Only one gown is not in the shade of yellow. The fourth gown made me want to scream forever for I cannot believe I am seeing a masterpiece right now.
The gown is in the color of pale pink with gold details on it. The flowery pattern of it is just so perfect. Plus, It is not off-shoulder.
I guess I was staring too long in the pink gown when I heard Judy let out a soft chuckle.
"What are you waiting for? Strip." Judy said that made me widened my eyes for I cannot believe what she just came out from her mouth.
"W-what?" my brows meeting.
Judy chuckled once again and said, "Come on, try it on,"
"B-but it's yours,"
"So what, kid?" Judy replied as she rose from her seat and shook my shoulders, indicating that I should stand and go change.
I stood from the marbled-floor and slowly snatched the beautiful pink ballgown and was about to go behind the binders to change when Judy laughed. Not a sarcastic laugh though.
I look at her in confusion. "Don't be such a baby, Clementine. Just go change here. We're both girls so malice is absent for tonight, hunny," she uttered, rolling her eyes playfully.
"I'm just not used to seeing other people-"
"Well how can I help you then in buttoning all those behind the gown?" she asked, raising her brow.
"And besides, you need to get used to this feeling. Strange at first, indeed. Don't be like me who almost drowned myself from humiliation in the night of honeymoon," she added, laughing once again which made my blush deepened.
"Remind me to tell you how my first night went. It was a perfect combination of steamy, funny, and awkward," are the words that came out of Judy's mouth.
There's nothing I want right now aside from saying the big 'NO' at her again but that I don't want to piss her because what if she changed her mind? That she doesn't want me to try her beautiful pink ballgown anymore?
I strip myself to my weird victorian era undergarments, they're all white, in case you're wondering. They don't really look like undergarments at all, to be honest.
It looks like the clothes you'll wear when you're feeling super lazy. The alternate for bra is a white chemise and the alternate for panty is a pajama that goes down below your knee. They're made up of cotton.
The beautiful pink ballgown that i'm very, very eager to try on is now literally in the hands of Judy.
I can tell Judy was about to give it to me since I am now finished underessing my maid's uniform when the door flew open.
Before I have time to react to let's say, cover myself or run towards the door to close it, it was already too late for Judy's cousin is now in front of us.
My eyes immediately widened at the sight of a male. I can tell he too was shocked at why i'm doing here. In his lovely cousin's room.
That's why I automatically look down at what i'm wearing. I mean, sure. These are undergarments but it doesn't really show much skin so I guess that's okay? And that all I need to do is to act like this is pretty normal.
Slowly, I stand up straight and stared at Leo. My arms crossed. Leo then look at his cousin then to my face then to what i'm wearing then back to my face. His face turning red.
Leo is now staring at the ceiling, his hands inside his pockets. His face is in the shade of red, his temple and neck are full of sweat. He kept biting his lips and sometimes closing his eyes.
His cousin then immediately covered myself with the gown and said, "Haven't you heard of knocking?"
"I-i didn't thought you'll be with someone right now...c-considering Jacob is with Augustus," Leo replied, still looking at the ceiling.
"Let us just talk later, Jacob, okay?" Judy added, still holding the pink ball gown in front of me.
"O-okay..." Leo answered, somehow I badly want to laugh at him right now for he truly is nervous and awkward.
I want to open my mouth and say, "Relax, i'm barely showing any skin," but sadly, for an unknown reason, I just kept my mouth shut.
"So what are you waiting for, my dear cousin?" Judy asked, her tone close to laughing, I can tell.
Because of that, Leo look at his cousin for a second then his eyes shifted to me for like three seconds then quickly look back at the ceiling, his face redder than ever.
"O-oh, r-right. I'm sorry," he said then quickly faced his back towards us and in just a blink of an eye, he was gone.
Tell you what, he almost tripped himself.
By the time he was gone, Judy let out a soft laugh, "I never seen him like that,"
"What a show. Leo look as if he might faint himself," she murmured.
Judy then stopped laughing and look at me for a minute then smiled broadly. "Let's get you dressed,"
Taking on that ballgown sure is a struggle. Simple because in the first place, I don't know how to. I don't know where to put my whatsoever body parts.
While taking on that ballgown, I cannot help myself from asking her, "what's with your cousin a while ago?"
I can feel Judy's hands behind my back, "what do you mean by that? Shouldn't I be asking what's wrong with you?" she replied.
"E-excuse me?" I uttered, raising my brow. Thanking that she can't see my face.
"I mean, his reaction is pretty much normal because first of, it's inappropriate for a man to see a woman who is in her undies unless they're married and if and only if the woman is a prostitute."
"But this undergarments barely even show any skin at all," I replied.
"But still, my dear, an undergarment is still an undergarment. It's intimate," Judy replied.
All I can reply is a shrug and a nod. My mind then began thinking about Leo's strange reaction. I cannot help myself from blushing for he just saw me in my undergarments despite the fact that this stupid undergarments showed only my arms and my ankles.
After finally really taking on the gorgeous pink ballgown, Judy stared at me for a minute, smile is never taking her face off. I badly want to see myself wearing this gown but there seem to be zero mirrors in the room.
"Too bad it's highly inappropriate for victorian ladies like us to wear make-up although with that face of yours, you pretty much don't need it." Judy stated, her arms crossed.
I cannot help myself from raising my brow and asked, "Why is that?"
"Well, wearing make-up is for prostitutes only, my dear and do you know lipsticks are considered by some as a witchcraft for they have the ability to seduce men," Judy answered, shrugging.
I seriously want to laugh really hard from what i'm hearing right now. First of, how dare they view make-up like this?
To be honest, I don't wear make-up at all but that doesn't mean I hate them. I have nothing against men and women who wear make-up. It's your own face, you can do anything you want with it.
"That's why I can only suggest biting your lips and pinching your cheeks to add more red to them, honey," Judy suggested which I did. I was hesitant at first but since like I said, I am trying to pleased Judy.
Before I have time to react, she snatched my wrist and in just one snap, we are now in the garden and sitting in front of us is Judy's cousin.
While on our way to the garden, the housemaids especially Martha eyed me and Judy carefully, their brow raising. But Martha was torn between being angry for I am not doing my job as a housemaid and being happy for I guess, she can't believe i'm wearing such an elegant gown.
As soon as Leo saw us, he immediately rose from his seat and slightly tip his hat then took of his white gloves.
"Good day, ladies," he greeted.
Remembering what just happened a while ago, him seeing me in victorian undergarments, I can't seem to look at him straight in the eyes even though I know it is considered rude especially in the victorian times to not stare at a person in the eyes.
I know this may sound weird and very assuming of me but I swear, in the corner of my eyes, I can see him staring at me. Can he please just look at somewhere? Anywhere except me.
There was a long pause. I'm just looking at the red roses in the corner and him looking at me from head to toe.
"What do you think, Leo?" Judy asked, breaking the ice. Judy's hands are snaked around my arms.
I shifted my eyes to the floor, I can still feel Leo's stares.
Leo faked a coughed and what happened next almost made me lost my balance.
Leo took a step towards me then slowly raised his bare right hand, then removed the tie in my hair, making my hair tie-free. Obviously. My dark hair immediately fell.
To make things more confusing, he slid my hair behind my ears. Leo then nod.
Judy seemed to be surprised at what her cousin acted for her jaw dropped as she alternates her eyes between me and her cousin.
"Much better," Leo uttered, his smile broad as he studied my face. He perhaps isn't used to seeing women with their hair not tied-up, that's why he saw me as nothing but a lab-rat.
I continued to stare at the floor for I just can't believe what's happening. I can feel my face blushing. Ugh.
"Anyways, Clementine, do you remember what we've talked about last night?" Judy asked which made me look up from the floor at stare at her.
I caught a glimpse of Leo who is still looking at me like I don't know, like I am a lab-rat. His eyes kept roaming around me.
"About what?" I silently asked Judy, biting my lips.
"About the gentleman that kept asking me about you." she replied, her arms crossed.
I raised my brow at her for I can't seem to remember the guy's name she told me last night.
"Who? Raymond? Tsss, we all know he views women as trophies," Leo suddenly exclaimed, snorting.
That made me look at him, Judy too. "What's happening to you? It isn't proper for a Victorian man to talk like that about someone," Judy stated, her head shaking.
Leo seem to realized his mistake for he slowly shifted his gaze to the floor. I seriously want to laugh right now for he do look like a stubborn kid who just broke a vase.
"Anyways, the very reason why I decided to dress you up today, Clementine is because we're going to Raymond's party tonight," Judy revealed that made me want to run towards my room and just sleep for like a month.
"Don't worry, hunny. I'll smoothen your hair later and let you borrow my jewelries. And relax, Clementine. It's going to be fun since my husband and I along with his cousin Augustus and my cousin here are coming as well." Judy added that made me more sick. Me? Together with Augustus and this awkward fella? Oh my God.
I can tell in the corner of my eyes that Leo was about to say something when Judy let out a soft giggle and there in her side is her husband who now has his arms around his wife's neck.
In his side is his cousin, his hands inside his pockets and as soon as he laid my eyes on me, he let out a soft whistle and said, "Those looks are enough for men to go raging about,"
And with that, my face turned red.