Chapter 17

“May I sit down?”

“You were already sitting.”

Hugo felt a bit lighter at Catherine’s joke.

In fact, visiting without an appointment was one of the greatest offenses, so he had prepared himself for the possibility of not being able to see Catherine.

Still, once Catherine came to mind, he couldn’t sit still.

Unlike before, he wasn’t out on the battlefield and could see her whenever he wanted, which made him even more impatient. Especially since she lived next door!

So Hugo immediately went to the Catherine House.

Fortunately, Catherine’s butler didn’t turn him away, she was at home, and she even came out to the reception room!

Hugo sat down with a grin, and soon Catherine sat across from him.

“First, take this.”

Hugo placed an item on the table. It was an embroidery frame that Catherine immediately recognized.

“It’s something I left behind. Thank you.”

It wasn’t the first time Hugo had brought over something Catherine had used before the divorce.

Once the item was put aside, there was nothing left to say.

Catherine fiddled with the embroidery frame. Hugo’s gaze lingered on her neatly manicured nails.

Her expression was full of worry.

“Is something wrong?”

Hugo asked.

“Why do you ask suddenly?”

“Your expression doesn’t look good, Catherine.”

Catherine rubbed her cheek with a dry hand.

It seemed her concern about finding a sponsor for Brooke was showing.

“Feel free to talk, Catherine. I’m a good listener.”

Catherine chuckled. It was true. In the past and even now, Hugo was really good at listening to others.

The problem was that he didn’t have the time to listen.

But he has time now.

“Speak, Catherine.”

Hugo persisted.

Catherine debated whether to say it or not.

“I’m looking for a sponsor for a lady staying at our house.”

Catherine decided that, to pretend to be in a relationship, they would need to spend some time together, and to be considerate of her work, she needed to share some details of her business.

“How hard could that be?”

Hugo said too lightly, which made Catherine annoyed.

So she explained in detail what she had done that morning.

Including how important a sponsor was.

“…Ah! Please pretend you didn’t hear that.”

Catherine regretted it. She had excitedly explained things she didn’t need to.

For example, how much effort she had put in for the young lady of the Johnson family last year, and how disappointed she was when she received the refusal letter.

‘Oh, how foolish.’

Hugo was partly to blame for Catherine’s foolishness.

He listened so seriously. With an attitude that seemed genuinely interested, he responded so enthusiastically that the speaker got excited.

‘He probably reacted that way out of politeness.’

Just as she was thinking she should restrain herself next time and was about to change the subject.

“About the sponsor. Would it help your work if the sponsor had a high title?”

Did he really have an interest?

Catherine nodded with a curious look.

“A prestigious family, proper character, and a respected person would be ideal?”

That was exactly the kind of sponsor Catherine was looking for.

“Catherine, I can recommend such a person. Would you like to meet them? But I will decide the time and place. How about it?”

With a provocative look and challenging tone, Catherine couldn’t help but nod as if enchanted.

***

Hugo said he would inform her of the time and place later and returned home.

“Oh! Our dating!”

She should have discussed something important, but she only remembered it after returning to her study.

‘I knew I forgot something.’

Catherine bit her lower lip, then shook her head.

She would make an appointment with Hugo next time and talk properly.

So Catherine wrote a letter to Hugo as soon as she returned.

After handling a few tasks, it was lunchtime, and after a simple meal, it was time to go out.

Catherine quickly tidied her hair and went downstairs.

“Catherine!”

Lillie approached Catherine with a bright smile.

“Did you all rest well?”

Catherine briefly held and released Lillie’s outstretched hand, making eye contact with the other ladies.

Brooke and Riena shyly bowed their heads at Catherine’s kind greeting.

The four women got into the carriage and headed to the reserved boutique.

During the ride, Catherine meticulously checked how the three had been doing and if there were any inconveniences in their stay at the Catherine House, telling them to speak up if they needed anything.

The chatter among the four women was endless, and they arrived at Ermei’s boutique while happily talking.

“Welcome, Catherine. You’re a bit late this year.”

A slender designer in a daring dress that showed off her figure greeted Catherine by touching cheeks.

Ermei, who had studied fashion abroad, even greeted in a foreign style.

“Yes, I’m late, right? I’m worried that all the good fabrics might be sold out.”

“What are you worrying about, Catherine? I saved some just for you.”

“Thank you, Ermei.”

Catherine and Ermei had a long history.

Ermei had made the dress Catherine wore when she married Hugo.

At that time, Ermei was an unknown designer, and Countess Bedwig had entrusted Catherine’s wedding dress to her because she was cheap.

But that wedding dress caught everyone’s attention.

Moreover, after Catherine’s return following her divorce, Ermei became a star designer by designing clothes for the residents of the Catherine House.

None of the residents of the Catherine House failed to get married.

Ermei saw Catherine as a benefactor, and Catherine saw Ermei as a good partner.

“Are these ladies for this year?”

Ermei turned her gaze to Brooke and Riena, who were standing awkwardly.

“Catherine, how about this?”

Lillie, having visited Ermei’s shop several times, was already busy choosing fabrics.

“Yes. Including Lillie.”

“Oh my, does Madame France know?”

Madame France was Lillie’s mother.

“Well, I’m not sure if she told Madame France, but she has paid all the rent.”

“By the way, how old is Lillie this year? Madame France must be quite anxious.”

Most women debut at 18 with the goal of marrying within two seasons.

But Lillie was already 22. It wasn’t common to be in her fifth social season, so any noble lady would be anxious about her daughter’s marriage.

But the Madame France Catherine knew wouldn’t care at all.

So it was likely that Lillie chose to come to the Catherine House herself.

‘Certainly.’

Catherine erased her thoughts about Lillie and brought Brooke and Riena forward.

“Ermei, please take good care of them.”

“Don’t worry. They both have very charming eye colors.”

Ermei led Brooke and Riena inside.

She stood them in a well-lit spot and meticulously checked their skin, hair, and eye colors.

She was famous for not using trendy colors or colors typically associated with unmarried women.

Ermei knew how to make the person wearing the clothes shine more than the clothes themselves.

So sometimes she made dresses in striking red that were almost scandalous or in dull colors associated with old people.

Clients often frowned when they first saw the dresses, but they all praised Ermei endlessly after wearing them.

Catherine was already looking forward to seeing what color dresses Ermei would choose for the tanned Brooke and the pale Riena.

‘Maybe I should get a dress too.’

Catherine usually altered her clothes. Buying new dresses every social season was too much for her budget. Of course, that was by her standards. Objectively, she was quite wealthy.

But she always felt she didn’t have enough money because she had so many expenses.

She had to donate to orphanages, support scholars who wanted to create a women’s academy, and raise the wages of the servants at the Catherine House.

Getting one or two new dresses wouldn’t ruin her finances, but she wanted to spend her money more meaningfully.

Catherine fondled a cherry blossom-colored fabric that reminded her of spring.

“Oh my, Catherine! Fancy meeting you here.”

A bell rang as the door opened. A middle-aged woman holding a young lady’s hand appeared.

The woman, waving a fan with a feather at the end, made a noisy entrance and approached Catherine.

“Madame Smith…”

A sigh-like response escaped Catherine’s lips.

As mentioned earlier, the social world was not easy for a divorced woman. The one who made this clear to Catherine was Bailey Smith, Madame Smith.

Madame Smith had been very harsh to Catherine, and it got worse each year. Last year, it even affected the young ladies Catherine was helping.

Hoping for a quiet year, Catherine found it hard to smile and greet her.

“I see you’ll be flaunting your shameless face around again this year.”

Madame Smith pushed Catherine’s hand holding the fabric with her fan.

Catherine wanted to retort, but Madame Smith’s influence was significant.

She had a following in the social world, so Catherine tried to avoid conflict.

She didn’t care if she couldn’t marry or if her reputation was ruined, but she couldn’t let the young ladies relying on her be harmed.

“Ermei, make a dress for my daughter with this fabric.”

Madame Smith grabbed the fabric Catherine was looking at and placed an order.

Ordering without even looking at the fabric showed she just wanted to annoy Catherine.

Ermei glanced at Catherine, who nodded to indicate it was okay to proceed.

There was no need to make things difficult for Ermei.

“Oh, by the way, Catherine.”

“Yes, Madame Smith.”

“I hope you don’t interfere with my daughter’s marriage this year.”

Catherine had never once interfered with Annie’s marriage, who was barely noticeable next to Madame Smith.

Annie failing to find a husband for four seasons wasn’t Catherine’s fault but Madame Smith’s.

The greedy Madame Smith.

“Of course. I hope a wonderful husband appears for the beautiful and lovely Annie this year.”

“Good. Just hearing that makes me feel better. By the way, my Annie’s husband will be.”

Madame Smith leaned in as if to share a big secret.

“A new Duke receiving his title this year. Remember that.”

Madame Smith tapped Catherine’s shoulder and turned away.

Catherine vowed not to approach the ‘new Duke receiving his title’ to break ties with Madame Smith.

But she had to cancel that vow three days later.