Now that Aurora mentioned it, the boutique indeed was somewhat silent again, even though Lady Cecilia said that her services were booked.
The two women exited the fitting room and noticed that the dress shop was suspiciously empty, while Lady Cecilia Bennett was fidgeting behind the counter, her face covered with a shade of nervousness mixed with evident fear.
Aurora placed the dress chosen by Rosalie on the counter and reached for the money from her black leather pouch. However, Cecilia swiftly shook her head and gestured for the maid to put the money away.
"Please, no need. The dress is already paid for."
There was another moment of awkward silence that followed that remark. Rosalie decided to break it first.
"I beg your pardon? What do you mean it was paid for? By whom?"
The shop owner packed the red dress into a large carton box, wrapping it carefully with a long, thin blue silk ribbon, then threw a quick look around, as if afraid of something or, perhaps, someone, and carefully placed another carton box on top of the first one.
Ignoring Rosalie's first question, she finally continued,
"And the person who paid for your dress also left this for you as a gift."
Lady Ashter instinctively extended her hand to open the box but hesitated. Who would leave her a gift? What if it was a prank? Memories flooded her mind of a time when she was ten years old, receiving a Jack-in-the-box toy that startled her with an ugly red clown popping out as soon as she touched it. The recollection alone caused her to retract her hand.
As if she had read Lady Ashter's thoughts, Lady Cecilia placed her weathered hand on top of the carton box and asked, albeit reluctantly yet cautiously,
"Would you like me to open it for you?"
Rosalie could not hold back a surprisingly enthusiastic nod, after all, she was not accustomed to receiving gifts, and her curiosity kept soaring. The seamstress's hands proceeded to untie the long white lace ribbon that adorned the pink carton box, a renowned symbol of an exquisite item from her shop. With one swift motion, the top of the box was lifted, revealing a breathtaking beauty that neither Rosalie nor Aurora had ever encountered in their entire lives.
"Lady Rosalie, this is..."
Aurora cautiously peered inside the box but swiftly withdrew her entire body, as though afraid that even her breath could ruin the precious item within.
Her reaction was understandable. After all, the garment gifted to Rosalie by a mysterious visitor of Lady Cecilia's boutique was not only the most expensive but also unquestionably the most stunning dress in the entire shop. And if it held that distinction within the shop, it undoubtedly held the title of the most beautiful dress in the entire Capital.
The seamstress, visibly still perplexed and frustrated by the unfolding situation, released a deep, irritated sigh and adjusted her thin rectangular glasses on her elegantly sculpted nose.
"The dress might be slightly loose on you, Lady Rosalie, but I think I... Can readjust it for your figure."
Rosalie was caught off guard by Cecilia's swift change of attitude. While the idea of accepting her help to readjust the dress was tempting, Rosalie chose to let the woman experience a taste of her own medicine for a change.
"There is no need. My maid will do just as good a job as you. Thank you anyway."
With no intention to wait for the seamstress's reaction, Lady Ashter carelessly closed the carton box, not even bothering to wrap it with the lace ribbon, offered Cecilia an obviously fake and forced smile, and gestured for Aurora to take her dresses and follow her out of the shop.
At last, even if it was just for a split second, Rosalie felt incredibly good about herself.
***
"Who do you think it might be, My Lady? Perhaps, Lord Wiliam Amado? He is your fiance-to-be, after all!"
The maid continued to chatter incessantly, her thoughts flowing freely as she walked behind Rosalie, who, lost in her own contemplation, paid no heed to her surroundings.
'Although I understand that my actions are deviating from the original plot of the novel, even so... It was always Raphael who bought Rosalie gifts, and even then, they were never this grand because of his limited finances. Was it really Lord Amado, then?'
The whirlwind of tangled thoughts and emotions enveloped the girl's mind like a dense fog. She was so deeply absorbed in her contemplation that she failed to realize she had stepped off the sidewalk, placing herself directly in the path of an approaching carriage.
"Lady Rosalie!"
Aurora's loud scream reached Rosalie's ears way too late. She halted as she saw the horses galloping rapidly at her, unable to move a single muscle, her eyes wide open and filled with terror.
And just when she thought her death was inevitable, something hard and heavy wrapped around her slim waist and pulled her out of the carriage's way with a single swift motion. Still shocked, Rosalie could only hear her own mad heartbeat ringing in her ears, while her hands were gripping the strong arm which was still holding her by the waist.
"Goodness gracious! My Lady, are you alright?"
Upon hearing her maid's cries, Lady Ashter snapped back to her senses and swiftly turned around to identify the person or entity she should express her gratitude to for rescuing her life.
Standing directly behind her was a tall, robust man adorned entirely in black attire. A black canvas mask concealed the lower portion of his face, and a black hood covered the rest, shielding his features from prying gazes. His golden eyes glistened as they locked onto hers, exuding an air of composure and tranquility. Meanwhile, his firm, muscular arm gently secured her against his own body.
"Th-Thank you. You saved my life."
At last, Rosalie managed to express her gratitude in a few brief words, which the enigmatic masked man acknowledged with a curt nod. Releasing his hold on her, he let out a deep sigh, clearly dissatisfied with the amount of attention he had managed to attract by his act of kindness toward a damsel in distress, and simply walked away, leaving the girl in the anxious care of her maid.
"My Lady, how could you be so reckless?! My heart almost jumped out of my chest! If it were not for that mercenary, I cannot even begin to imagine how things could have ended for the both of us!"
Aurora continued to sob uncontrollably, frantically circling around her lady, making sure her body was unharmed. Meanwhile, Rosalie's gaze remained fixed on the spot where the man who had saved her life had recently vanished.
'Do mercenaries really just walk around saving lives like this?'
"Oh, Lady Rosalie, I'm afraid I need to have a seat somewhere, or else I might drop dead!"
Aurora placed a trembling hand on her chest, her pale face glistening with sweat. It suddenly dawned on Rosalie that she, too, was shaking like a leaf. Gathering the boxes that her maid had dropped in her rush, Rosalie firmly took hold of Aurora's damp hand and led the way toward the small bakery situated across the road.
"Let's go, Aurora. When it comes to stress, sweets are the best medicine, so let me be your doctor for today!"