Chapter 48 (1/2)

"Ann is crossing the line."

Carl immediately realized what Edgar meant.

"I will tell her. She is smart, so she will soon realize what you mean."

Carl deeply bowed and was about to leave the room.

"Wait."

Then, he looked back when hearing Edgar call him. There was a mean smile on his lips. That was… the smile he had worn from time to time when he prepared for fun pranks as a boy.

Carl's heart beat fast at seeing that smile after so long.

"Do not tell her now. I will talk to her later."

What on earth was he thinking? Carl didn't know, but the loyal butler replied, "Yes."

***

"Hmm…"

After finishing the first day's duties as the duchess, Rubica was going through a pile of pamphlets on the table. They had been sent by designers who wanted to be in business with the Claymore Family. There were even some designers who mainly worked at the faraway capital but were offering to close all businesses and come if Rubica wanted their service.

"It's hard to know only with pictures."

Rubica studied the dresses drawn on the pamphlets. The description said some of them had been drawn with a famous opera singer as the model. But still, they were pictures. Rubica doubted they were the same as the actual dresses.

"Yes, it is. We should see the real dresses. They will immediately come if you call them."

"But I don't want to give them the sad news after they have come all the way here."

"Madam, you don't have to worry about the merchants. Even if you take just one quick look at their dresses, they will tell other noble ladies that Duchess Claymore loved them and sell them."

Rubica had to try hard not to laugh. What was it called? Yes, her father had called it 'cute fraud' used to pull the last trigger of any hesitating customers.

Rubica read the pamphlets again. Designers in the capital were certainly different. Pamphlets from designers in the Claymore's domain were comparatively simple, but those from the capital's designers were different even in the covers. They were decorated with gold and silver ink and looked splendid. Moreover, the designs drawn in them were luxurious out of the neighborhood designers' reach.

Rubica's heart had already flown to the capital and ordered at least a dozen different dresses from every designer.

'But it will be hard to order new dresses afterward if I order them from the capital's dress shops now.'

People might say it would be too much to order new dresses after already ordering dresses in the latest style from the capital.

Rubica decided to be patient for now to spend more later.

She concluded it would be better to order dresses in the styles she liked regardless of the trend from the designers within the Claymore's domain.

"But summoning designers from the capital would be too much. I will choose among the nearby designers."

Ann quickly started to find and pick pamphlets from designers within the Claymore domain.

"You are so thoughtful and wise."

"Hum?"

Why was she saying Rubica was thoughtful? Rubica was confused to hear a compliment she didn't deserve. Ann misinterpreted that confused expression and smiled as if to say she knew it all.

"You can summon designers from the capital and order luxurious and expensive dresses in the latest style if you want, but you decided to hire designers within the domain instead."

No. It wasn't like that at all.

Rubica was just being smart to get both simple and elegant but beautiful dresses and luxurious and expensive dresses in the latest style.

"Ha, haha."

But she didn't explain it to Ann. She just laughed instead while feeling guilty. Ann was thinking she was so great, but what would she think if she ordered dozens of dresses from the capital's dress shops in winter?

'No, I cannot hesitate now…'

I've made my mind to spend as much as I want no matter what anyone says. Rubica reminded herself again. Spending money without caring about others' thoughts wasn't easy as she had thought.

Why was she judged every time she decided to buy something or invest in someone? More than half of the year was left, and she hadn't spent much to bring trouble to the household yet.

However, she was told it was wrong when she decided to invest in Sesar's research and was praised for being wise when she said she would order dresses from designers within the domain. Although she was being complimented, she didn't feel good about it.

"Your Grace, Mrs. Taylor. It's dinnertime."

Rubica was trying to figure out what kind of expression she should wear when a maid knocked on the door. Ann quickly put down the pamphlets she'd been organizing.

"Oh, I didn't know it was already this late."

"It is normal to lose track of time when looking at things like these."