From the way even the servants dressed, Louisa decided to put on her 'nice dress' to dinner with the Crawfords. As soon as she put it on, she looked at herself in the vanity mirror. It was simple, however, it wasn't just cotton, it had a blue satin bow at the waist, which matched Louisa's eyes, as they highlighted the gray color of them. On the hem of the skirt, Eva sewed lace that Mrs. Judith didn't want any more. The fabric was not noble, but it was very well sewn and looked beautiful on Louisa.
Mindy knocked on the door to let her know that lunch was served. Louisa thanked her and went downstairs. She had no idea where the dining room was.
"This way, Miss Crawford." Randolf spoke, startling Louisa. Unlike the other time, he wasn't being rude, but polite and kind. Louisa didn't like that as it meant he only saw status. When she thought she was a mere servant, he treated her with contempt.
"Thanks." She replied, following him. "But my last name isn't Crawford, it's Dubois." She said and felt his shoulders tense slightly. She wondered if he would treat her differently, knowing that. Maybe not, because she was a guest of his employers.
Louisa caould hear chatter and a chair being dragged. Randolf stopped before entering the dining room and stood there. Louisa thanked him again. He bowed his head and left.
"Oh, Louisa! Come, sit here!" Emmeline motioned for the girl to sit beside her. Louisa did. "I loved your dress. Was it Eva who sewed?"
"Yes, it was mama." Louisa answered and looked down at her dress.
"Eva has always been a great seamstress. She embroidered wonderfully as well." Emmeline said. She realized that the fabric was not noble, but Eva, with her talent, had managed to make it almost like the dressmakers. Perhaps if she had accepted the shop, or the bakery Roger offered her, as a wedding gift, today they would all be close to each other and her sister wouldn't have to put up with insults, Emmeline thought.
The table was full of different dishes and Louisa didn't understand why, since only the three of them would eat there. Pork, wild boar, chicken, salads, rice, mashed potatoes, mashed something orange that could be pumpkin or carrots, among other things.
"We didn't know what you would like to eat, so we need diversity." Roger said, helping himself to asparagus and peas. He didn't like the servants to put food in his plate. At least at home, he would give freedon to his family in this aspect.
"Oh, I eat pretty much everything." She said. "Except those weird snails." Louisa made a disgusted face.
"Oh, escargot! And caviar, honey? Well, we'll have time to learn what you like to eat and what you don't." Emmeline said, then. "Make yourself comfortable, help yourself!"
"I never ate caviar."
"It's all right. I will see to it that you prove it."
Louisa took a boar rib. She'd tasted a Dankworth leftover at one of the parties. They didn't let servants eat that sort of thing. She was craving wanting more, but she didn't get another chance. Until that exact moment.
Louisa tried a little of everything, until her belly couldn't hold anything else. The dessert was some kind of biscuits with a white cream in the middle, both delicious and very funny to look at, too. She couldn't explain. But they were cute: small, round. She didn't know, but those were macarons, a french sweet, meringue-based.
"Uncles, I would like to ask you something." Louisa announced, while the uncles were still eating.
"Continue." Roger said, putting down the muffin he had in his hand to pay attention to what Louisa had to say.
"I'm finding everything great, but I don't know where I'm going to go yet."
She looks at Emmeline and Roger, who look at each other, confused.
"Go where, dear?" Emmeline asked.
"Mom said I would come here to work. We talked and I'm hoping I can be a chambermaid, like Mindy. I know I can learn things fast an-"
"Darling, enough. You will not work anywhere. You are here to live with us, like our niece. Because that's what you are." Emmeline explained, placing her hand over Louisa's.
"But mam-"
"I would never subject you to work, as if you were a mere servant. I understand that for years you took this position, but now, things have changed." Roger said. "You are my niece and goddaughter. Starting tomorrow, we will begin to arrange your etiquette lessons and whatever else is necessary for you to be introduced to society."
"Exactly."
Louisa had nothing to argue with. She would comment this to her mother in the letter she would write later.
Once everyone was satisfied, Roger went upstairs to the bedroom, while Emmeline told Louisa she could get some rest and, if she felt like going to the shops, she just had to knock on the door to the right of her room. That was the master bedroom. Afterwards, Emmeline joined her husband.
Louisa wanted to walk a little. Lying down after eating like that wouldn't do you any good to her. She decided to walk around the garden. Being close to nature made her feel closer to the parents and friends she had left in Iontach.
After a few minutes, Louisa wentupstairs to her room, but Emmeline was just leaving hers.
"Honey, do you feel well enough for us to go out?" She questions, hopeful, and despite her exhaustion, Louisa accepted. The aunt was being more than loving and considerate. She felt like she was being ungrateful if she ever refused the woman.
Emmeline gave a little jump of joy and asked for a moment as she grabbed her bag inside her room. In less than a minute, she was pulling Louisa by the hand, down the stairs.
"Randolf! Prepare the carriage!" She asked, out loud, and they didn't have to wait long as the means of transport was parked in front of their gate quickly.
Randolf helped the two of them into the carriage and they were gone. Louisa had never seen one as beautiful as this one. It was white, with gold and some red accents, like the Crawford family crest. Roger wasn't the duke, so he couldn't wear the Windsor crest, like his brother. Inside, it was all burgundy velvet, with golden knobs that Louisa bet were made of gold. She and Emmeline were sitting opposite each other.
They passed several houses, and Emmeline realized that none were as beautiful as the Crawfords'. It was not just a matter of size, but of conservation and good taste in terms of colors and architecture.
Oxford Street was immense, with many shops. Louisa and Emmeline went to the dressmaker first. Madame Moreau was the owner and went to greet them as soon as she saw the carriage pulling up in front of her shop. The woman was short, thin, with tanned skin and curly hair, tied in an elegant bun on top of her head. She wore a white dress with black lace details. The fabric had a nice sheen.
"Bienvenue! Madame Crawford, c'est um plasir de vous recevoir!" [1]The woman said, in French. Louisa understood the language as her father was French himself.
"Madame Moreau. The pleasure is all mine. This is my niece, Louisa Dubois."
"Dubois? Êtes-vous francais?"[2]
"Non, je suis anglais. Mais mon père est français."[3] Louisa responds and the dressmaker is delighted.
"We are here for Madame to create a wardrobe for Louisa. She needs summer clothes, winter clothes, outings, social..." Emmeline spoke and the dressmaker nodded in agreement. She had noticed that the fabric of the girl's dress wasn't very good, but it was very well made. She couldn't help but comment.
"Votre robe… vous l'avez cousue?"[4]
"Non, c'était ma mère."[5]
"Her mother is my sister. She sews wonderfully." Emmeline said.
"I can see it, Madam Crawford." The woman responded with a French accent. She was friendly and Louisa felt very comfortable with the woman. Mainly because she could speak French and it reminded her of her father. When it was just the two of them, they would converse in that language.
And Madame showed them the fabrics and patterns of clothes that were available in a big book. She felt fond of Louisa immediately. Not only because the girl spoke French and had a father of that nationality, but because the girl reminded herself when she arrived in London: completely innocent.
After leaving Madame Moreau's boutique, Emmeline and Louisa went to the bakery for a hot chocolate and some of the delicacies they served there. Louisa didn't know most of those sweets. Although the Dankworths were wealthy and part of the high society circle, they hardly ever ate more elaborate delicacies. They preferred the flavors of the countryside.
A few people passed by and greeted Emmeline, as she was one of the most classy ladies there. Louisa was introduced to a baron, a marquis and the daughter of a viscount. Everyone was very nice to the girl, even though they noticed that her clothes weren't elegant. However, her being intimate with Emmeline Crawford already meant she was deserving of respect.
[1] Welcome! Madame Crawford, it's a pleasure to have you!
[2] Dubois? Are you French, Miss?
[3] No, I'm English. But my father is French.
[4] Your dress... you sewed it?
[5] No, it was my mother.