Eloise took a while to help dress Raymond up in his disguise. But in the end, she chose a simply black hood and a blond-haired wig to appear subtle. She even smeared red clay on his skin and wiped off the excess to leave behind a reddish tan on his skin. She did the same on her face and hands.
As for herself, she chose a simple white frilly shirt and a blue skirt.
The shopkeeper handed her a black long-haired wig.
Since her hair was so short, she easily tied it up with a bandana and wore the wig on. To her surprise the wig fit her small head perfectly. Even the back of the wig was snug on the of her hairline.
To be honest, the outfit she was wearing was a maid's costume, but coupled with her black-haired wig and her clay self-tan she looked like an impoverished girl.
Eloise gazed at herself in the mirror. Now that she had black hair, she somewhat resembled her old self. But in her past life, she led an unhealthy life and had lost a lot of weight. Her cheeks were sunken in and she looked quite old.
But now she looks chubby and well take care of. Her skin did not even have a single blemish on it.
She found black paint in the corner and painted a small birthmark on her face. it covered half of her right cheek.
"Do I look hideous?"
Raymond who had a dazed look in his eyes shook his head. "You look absolutely stunning..."
Eloise chuckled. 'For a gay man he doesn't have a great sense of clothing.'
"What about Odette and mister Fred? Why don't we choose an outfit for them too." she browsed the variety of clothes available.
"I don't think they will be joining us right now." Mister Fred whispered close to her ears.
Eloise flinched slightly. "w-why so?"
"Look there." He pointed to the pair who were chatting and laughing while eating a candied apple. "let's not disrupt their happy chat."
"but…" Eloise unsurely looked up at him. 'why is he so willing to ditch his lover? Is the duke is cheating? Does he not value his lover? Why is it like this…...'
Even though the shop was clearly deserted but the shopkeeper was quite closely listening in on their conversation. so, she moved close to clarify her thoughts "do you not want 'others' to know?"
the others she mentioned here was of course Mister Fred.
"I don't."
"Why? We are not going to be doing anything bad." Eloise bt her lips anxiously. Somehow, going aloe with the duke made her nervous as fuck.
No, she did not want to be alone with him. She feared she might fall for him.
"We... we can wait for mister Fred."
Suddenly a shadow loomed over her. Raymond walked closer. And simultaneously she stepped back hitting the clothing rack behind her. He caged her in.
Awkwardly she tried to squirm through the gap in between them, but he moved even closer. "Eloise, look up at me,"
'Nope.' She did not, for she knew the power his eyes held. She tightly gripped her skirt. "Mister Raymond if you can move back a bit, I can continue browsing for…"
He gently cupped her cheeks. "won't you look at me."
"I…."
"Eloise," he leaned low and gently blew into her ear. "Why are you scared? I thought you were a brave young girl." He said with a hint of playfulness.
Eloise chuckled dryly. "Yeah right... I am."
"Then why won't you look up." he whispered.
Accidentally or intentionally his lips graced against her earlobes.
Eloise held her breath. "d-duke…"
"What did I ask you to call me?" he whispered moving a bit close until their faces almost touched. "Eloise, tell me."
She bit her lips and closed her eyes tightly.
Her heart was racing in her chest.
She couldn't think.
She couldn't breathe.
"Eloise. Breathe." He kissed her earlobe.
She gasped taking a deep breath alongside. "r-Raymond. W-what are you…." She put her hand in-between them and pushed him away.
Thankfully he did not do anything else. He moved away with a playful smile.
Eloise panted loudly. 'What just happened? Oh fuck…' she touched her wet ears... 'did he just kiss me? Did he!!! H my god!!! This gay man is testing my patience!!!!'
"What do you think you were doing!" she glared p at him.
But with her flushed cheeks and panting chest, she looked delectable enough to eat.
Raymond gritted his teeth softly. "Eloise, I'm a jealous man." he whispered peering into her sea-blue eyes. "don't make me do things I don't want to," he said, backing away and putting some space between them.
Raymond then put on his usual demeanor and smiled. "Shall we get going now? It's getting dark. Sunrise is not far." He held up his hand.
Eloise dazedly watched him. 'Why on earth… wait... was he jealous because I was talking about mister Fred too much. Does he think I'm vying for his attention!?! Oh my god, I'm just trying to get them both together. I hope he doesn't misunderstandings...'
She took a deep breath and closed up. "Mister Raymond, I do not have feelings for mister Fred."
Just as she said this, Raymond sent her a dazzling smile. "I know. I still tend to get jealous…" he shook his held-up hand. "let's get out of here,"
Eloise held his hand with her trembling palm. 'Fuck, he is so calm after doing that?! it proves it to me more that he is in fact gay... tsk, the guys I like are either committed or gay. It's so sad...'
Raymond went around the shopping bazaar completely ignoring mister Fred and Odette. They walk through a darker alleyway that was not that crowded.
A few street rats scurried ahead of them.
Eloise held his hand tightly. "d-don't we need light?"
"it's okay. I can see the way." Raymond gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll protect you from these rats with my life I can assure you that haha,"
"it's not the rats I'm bothered about." She mumbled under her breath.
The alley led straight to a bridge of some sort with a lot of people loudly laughing and dancing. It was much cheerier than the town square.
"Come let's dance." Raymond pulled her to the streets. They both happily danced to the banjo beats.
They danced until they got tired.
Panting, Eloise held his hand tightly. "What about my drinks you promised?"
"it's this way. I know this great bar that serves delicious wine." He happily pulled her to a local bar. Inside it was slightly dark and only lit up with a few candles in the high ceiling. And on the dance floor so many women and men were dancing so scandalously.
Eloise peered at them intently. 'Wow just as I imagined. A prostitute house is so… promiscuous'
A hand suddenly covered her eyes. "it's too much. It wasn't like this when I visited before." He pulled her to the door.
"but its fine. It's just boobs and butt," she pulled at his hands.
Raymond gazed at her eyes wide open. "Eloise this is not a bar the have change it to a prostitute's house…"
"ohh… but they do have drinks." She pointed to the bar in the corner.
"no."
Eloise had seen a lot more back in the times and to be honest this kind of sights did not bother her. She just wanted a drink asap. "please~"
he sighed loudly. "can't we can get a drink from somewhere else?"
Eloise sighed. "Fine let's go somewhere…"
Raymond unhesitantly pulled her to the door.
But on the way, a man in a fox mask intervened in their path.
When Raymond tried to move to the left the man mirrored his move and moved to the left and when he tried to move to the right the fox masked man did the same.
"Move," Raymond growled.
The fox-masked man chuckled. "You still haven't changed in so many years, my friend."
"Louis?" Raymond pulled at his mask.
the tall blond-haired man smiled softly. "In the flesh. Didn't expect to see you around ray. How long has it been? Thousand? Two thousand?" he looked behind him at her. "And you even have a small companion… your taste in women seems to have changed a lot these years."
"Louis!"
"What? you liked blond-haired women. Didn't you like that... Tasha? No tina? Ah Tirila! Yeah, that girl."
Raymond nervously looked at Eloise "I didn't have anything to do with that said woman. I swear." and then at Louis. "can't you just shut up for once."
"nope~ I love chatting all I want. you are in my city my find so you can't technically ask me to shut up." the man named louis moved close. He held out his hand to her. "What is your sweet name dear?" he subtly sniffed her fingertips. "Hmm fine taste as always ray."
Raymond immediately pulled Eloise behind him. "Back off! Don't make me hurt you, Louis!"