Chapter 2 – Something That Comes To Everyone (Part 6)

It was early dawn, not yet light.

“We’ve arrived.”

Lorraine, who had been leaning her head against the window, straightened up at the coachman’s words. Then, as if waiting, the door opened.

“Welcome, Secretary.”

“Yes, indeed. I’m here.”

Lorraine laughed self-deprecatingly as she got off the carriage.

“Shall we go?”

Anne, the maid-in-chief Martha’s daughter, smiled and led the way to the mansion.

“By the way.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Following Anne silently, Lorraine yawned and asked.

“Do you always prepare this early?”

Anne’s answer was even more surprising.

“This isn’t even early. The other ladies probably started preparing yesterday.”

“…You’re kidding.”

Seeing Lorraine’s shocked face, Anne chuckled and replied.

“It’s true.”

“Such a tiring life.”

She sighed deeply and shook her head.

The room Anne led her to was on the opposite end of Lorraine’s usual living quarters.

When she opened the door, five maids who were preparing inside simultaneously turned to look at her.

“Oh, she’s here.”

“Welcome, Miss.”

“She’s not a Miss, she’s a Secretary, right?”

“What’s the difference?”

Among the noisy group, the oldest-looking maid cautiously approached and asked.

“Shall we help you undress?”

“Ah….”

Lorraine looked at Anne, seeking an explanation. Then Anne reached out to unbutton Lorraine’s shirt and said.

“You’ll take a bath first. From head to toe, you’ll shine.”

Anne smiled, and Lorraine, feeling an inexplicable unease, took a step back. However, her resistance ended very lightly.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

After soaking in the warm, fragrant bathwater, her body felt relaxed.

It was natural to feel sleepy.

「Secretary? You can’t sleep.」

「Secretary? Secretary…?」

「Someone hold her head.」

Although she honestly didn’t remember much after that, she could confidently say she slept quite well.

The first thing she noticed upon waking was the murmuring.

“…Hey. Wake… up….”

“It’s okay… time….”

Next, she felt a weight on the back of her neck.

When Lorraine finally managed to open her heavy eyelids, she saw herself adorned more splendidly than ever before.

“This is….”

What surprised her more than her face was what was around her neck.

As Lorraine touched her neck with a shocked expression, Anne spoke with a triumphant look, as if she had expected this reaction.

“It was prepared by the lady. She insisted it would suit you perfectly… and she was right.”

A large sapphire surrounded by diamonds the size of fingernails was tightly wrapped around her neck.

The necklace sparkled so much that she was afraid to even touch it. Lorraine, not knowing what to do, touched the air a few times before lowering her hand.

“Don’t touch your face. You know that, right?”

She desperately wanted to go home.

***

The party, which had started at dusk, was beginning to reach its peak.

Endless high-quality food, drinks, and music had already gotten some people quite tipsy.

Of course, they were very politely escorted out by footmen under Paul’s orders.

“Relax your face a bit.”

Even amidst all this, Edwin, the host of the party, was standing against the wall, allowing no one to approach him.

Using that face like that.

Philip, looking around, handed Edwin a glass of champagne and added.

“It’s a good thing Madam isn’t here yet. If she were, you’d already be getting scolded.”

Edwin, too, was more dazzling than usual today.

His honey-golden hair, which usually covered his forehead, was slicked back with pomade, and the suit Madame Laurent had poured her soul into clung to his muscular frame.

And that face, which looked like it had a story even when he was just standing still.

Philip almost wanted to report Edwin for wasting his looks.

Whether Edwin was aware of Philip’s thoughts or not, he took a sip of the champagne he was handed and asked.

“Where is my mother?”

“She must have gone to fetch Lorraine. I heard earlier that she’s ready.”

Philip shrugged, popping a canapé into his mouth.

In fact, Philip had already greeted Lorraine after she had finished her preparations.

***

“It’s not too late to back out now.”

Having finished her preparations, Lorraine muttered as she drank her warmed milk. However, the still-warm cup weighed on her mind.

「We’ll be leaving now.」

After finishing all the preparations, the maids left the room, smiling contentedly.

As Lorraine was catching her breath, someone knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

「Yes, come in.」

The door opened, and Anne cautiously stepped in.

「You looked so unwell that I brought some warm milk… but it’s a secret that I gave it to you.」

Putting her finger to her lips, she scrunched her nose and handed the warm cup to Lorraine.

The milk had a sweet smell.

「It took a bit of time because I added honey.」

「…….」

Having completed her task, Anne carefully headed toward the door.

Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she turned back and said.

「You’ll have to go down soon, so drink it quickly, okay?」

She slightly opened the door, checked that no one was in the hallway, and quickly left the room.

‘If it weren’t for this….’

Lorraine looked down at the cup with a resentful gaze but knew she had no courage to run away.

Just then, someone else knocked on the door.

Knock knock knock.

Lorraine chuckled. She could tell who it was just by the knock.

“Yes, come in.”

“Are you ready…? Oh, you are.”

Philip, who had entered nonchalantly, took a step back.

Then, with a serious face, he said-.

“Who are you?”

-His joke was worse than ever.

Lorraine sighed as she placed the now-empty cup on the vanity.

“I know it’s not that bad. And you already recognized me, so why….”

After rolling his eyes for a moment at Lorraine’s remark, Philip straightened his posture and said.

“…Is that so?”

“Yes, very much.”

Philip looked Lorraine up and down with a satisfied expression.

“Still, you look beautiful. Just like the star of the night.”

‘Hold on a second.’

Nodding unconsciously, Lorraine turned her head..

Philip, startled by her cold gaze, took a step back.

“…The star?”

Facing Lorraine’s piercing blue eyes, usually hidden behind glasses, was quite a challenge for Philip.

“…Huh? Did I say star?”

“Yes, I heard it clearly.”

Her firmness was beyond words.

Philip licked his lips, fiddling with the doorknob behind his back. Usually, people sought him out frequently, but now, no one was around.

Feeling a bit betrayed, he recalled his master’s words.

「You always bring trouble with your own mouth.」

“…If you’re Madam’s guest… you’re the star, right?”

‘Was that even an excuse?’

Lorraine responded with a look that showed she wasn’t buying it.

“Oh, really?”

He had to be strong here.

Philip squared his shoulders and slightly raised his chin.

However, the voice that came out was in stark contrast to his actions.

“Since Madam is your chaperone… you’re the star, aren’t you?”

Feeling slightly dubious about why he had to make such excuses, he reminded himself that even his master couldn’t win against Lorraine, so he had no chance either.

Lorraine shrugged nonchalantly at Philip’s excuse.

“Then I guess so.”

At that moment, someone called for Philip from outside.

“Oh, they’re calling me. Wait a bit. Madam will send someone for you soon.”

“Okay.”

Lorraine nodded absentmindedly.

As soon as the door closed, her shoulders slumped.

“Phew….”

She was tired.

Muttering to herself, she unconsciously raised her hand to her face but then lowered it.

She remembered that her face was covered in layers of makeup applied since dawn.

After checking the clock on the wall, she sighed once more.

The worries she had momentarily forgotten began to flood back.

***

Meanwhile, Edwin, who was still watching the party as a wallflower, stifled a yawn and said.

“I’m tired.”

Philip had lost count of how many times he’d heard this complaint. By now, it seemed like Edwin was trying to convince himself he was tired.

Philip, looking at him with a dissatisfied face, muttered to himself.

“What did you even do….”

Edwin’s eyebrow rose.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Philip, covering his mouth with champagne, whispered softly while looking around.

“Still, shouldn’t you at least dance once? The stares are killing me.”

“If you were going to die from that, there’s no point in keeping you alive all this time.”

At Edwin’s harsh tone, Philip’s mouth dropped open.

“…That’s too much.”

“Does Father enter with Mother?”

“They usually go together wherever Madam goes, so probably.”

Philip mumbled, eating another canapé.

“So, wouldn’t it be better to dance at least once before Madam arrives? You’ll need something to talk about when she gets here.”

Just then, as if on cue, someone from the crowd approached them.

“Excuse me….”

Seeing this as his chance, Philip subtly moved away from Edwin’s side.

Edwin, glaring at Philip’s retreating back, turned to look at the small woman standing in front of him.

“Thank you for the invitation, Duke.”

As the woman curtseyed, her red dress swayed like a rose.

“…….”

“I am….”

Before Kate could finish, Edwin interrupted.

“I know, Lady Lotter.”

Though he disliked parties, it didn’t mean he couldn’t recognize people.

“Oh, you know me.”

Kate smiled brightly.

“My father always spoke highly of you, Your Grace. He said you’re an exceptional person….”

“Is that so?”

Even though Edwin’s responses were mechanical, Kate continued to ask questions relentlessly.

“Well… if you don’t have a partner…!”

“I do.”

‘Probably.’

Edwin spoke while imagining how Lorraine would look, dressed according to his mother’s tastes.

“Oh… then your partner is…?”

Kate looked around in a flustered manner but didn’t give up on questioning him.

“She hasn’t arrived yet.”

Then, as if waiting for this moment, Kate grabbed Edwin’s jacket sleeve.

Edwin looked down at Kate’s hand, clutching his sleeve desperately.

“Then, could you spare a moment?”

Her tone was earnest.

“Just a moment. A very brief moment.”

She made a small gap with her thumb and index finger, emphasizing how little she was asking.

However, what caught Edwin’s eye was Kate’s well-maintained hand.

White, slender, without a single callus, a hand that would surely redden if he brushed against it.

As Edwin gazed at her fingers, he suddenly thought of Lorraine’s fingers.