“M-My lady!”

Sensing he’d said something wrong, Finley broke into a cold sweat and called out in a panic.

“There’s a new high-end boutique that’s just opened – it’s getting great reviews from the fancy ladies. Why don’t we stop by? It’s just up ahead!”

“Thank you, but I think I’ll go to my usual place.”

Her favourite boutique knew her taste well, so the shopping would be quick. Regina wanted to get back to the manor as soon as possible. She didn’t want to risk collapsing and becoming a burden to Grey.

“I understand, my lady, but I really think you should see this boutique. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Finley was desperate in her own way. With Count Cabil’s rising status, preventing his divorce had quietly become a priority – and that meant keeping Regina’s temper in check.

Regina hesitated, but she couldn’t bring herself to refuse again, not after Finley had come all this way with her.

“All right. I’ll just have a quick look then.”

“Yeah, haha! I’ll run ahead and let them know we’re coming!”

Worried that she might change her mind, Finley dashed off.

“You’re going to trip, Mr Finley!”

Regina laughed and got out of the carriage to follow him.

But just as she took her first step towards the boutique where Finley had disappeared, an unexpected voice stopped her.

“Regina Odair?”

She turned – and it was Dan McCallum.

The second son of the Marquis McCallum, Dan was a fairly successful lawyer and a man who had once proposed to Regina – only to be rebuffed.

“It’s really you? Goodness.”

“How have you been, Mr McCallum?”

Regina took a small step back and offered a polite, distant greeting – drawing a line.

“Well, this is unexpected. I didn’t think we’d meet here.”

“It seems I’m not welcome.”

A flicker of irritation crossed Dan’s green eyes. He was small for a man and tended to overcompensate with exaggerated macho behaviour.

Regina had struggled to reason with his overbearing assertiveness more than once.

‘We even had a fight once, just because I refused his proposal.’

It probably wasn’t a pleasant memory for Dan either – so Regina couldn’t understand why he had approached her in the first place.

“Don’t be so cold. One of my clients lives in a nearby estate, so I just dropped by. I’ll be heading back to Riddenborough soon anyway.”

Dan spoke in a deliberately soft tone, then looked her up and down.

“I heard you were seriously ill. Are you better now?”

“I’m much better.”

“Well, I suppose you’re well enough to go for a walk.”

As the short man lowered his head, the too-light strands of blond hair revealed patches of red scalp between them. It felt unsettling – like looking at a raw wound you weren’t supposed to see.

Dan seemed to feel something similar.

“I almost didn’t recognise you… How sick were you?”

His muttered tone made Regina feel a flicker of shame for the first time. The sunlight was bright enough to illuminate every trace of illness on her face, and the newly restored white stone pavement of the harbour shone immaculately.

And she – she stood out like a stain that didn’t belong.

“Where is your husband? Didn’t he come with you?”

“He had work…”

“He let you go out alone while you were still recovering?”

Dan looked incredulous.

“If it were me, I’d never do that.”

‘So you turned down my proposal just to end up like this?’

His eyes said it louder than his words ever could. That unspoken sound hit her like an invisible blow to the head, and Regina spoke up defensively.

“I didn’t come alone, actually…”

“Dan, honey!!”

A voice from behind cut her off.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere!”

The woman who ran up and naturally slipped her arm through Dan’s was likely the wife he’d married a couple of years ago.

“And who might this lady be?”

She looked at Regina with open curiosity. Her cotton candy outfit was rather childish, but it matched her youthful, cheerful face well enough.

Standing next to her, Regina felt like a faint shadow – her own faded appearance made all the more obvious by the contrast.

Regina clenched her hands so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Despite the effort, she managed to maintain a composed expression. Dan gave her a careless nod of the chin and muttered.

“Just someone I used to know.”

“Oh dear.”

His wife seemed to be expecting a proper introduction, but instead Dan put an arm around her and turned away.

“Let’s go. I’ve booked a special table at a restaurant overlooking the harbour.”

“Really?”

“You love fresh oysters, don’t you?”

“Oh, how wonderful! Nothing like eating seafood right by the sea.”

Regina took a long breath as McCallums’ voices faded in the distance.

Dan might be full of himself, but he was right about one thing.

He was not the kind of man to leave his wife alone.

***

Despite the uncomfortable encounter, stopping by the boutique proved to be an excellent decision. As soon as Regina stepped inside, she was mesmerised.

The high ceilings of the boutique made additional decoration unnecessary. The room was filled to the brim with dazzling foreign fabrics, jewels and feathers. It was as if she had stepped into another world – one she didn’t want to leave.

“Worth a visit, don’t you think, my lady?”

Behind Finley was a line of people – designers and the boutique owner. There wasn’t a single merchant in the Cabil Estate who didn’t recognise Finley Brixton’s red hair.

Everyone wore polite smiles and kept their eyes on Regina, causing her to break into a cold sweat.

“It is an honour to serve you today, Countess Cabil.”

A woman who appeared to be the head designer said softly.

“May I ask what kind of dresses you’re looking for?”

“I think I’ll need one for every occasion. I have been ill for a long time and none of my old clothes fit any more.”

“I see.”

The designer nodded, counting off on her fingers.

“Then let’s start with an indoor dress, a day dress, an evening dress… Do you like sports or riding?”

“I won’t be needing anything like that for the time being.”

“Understood. Then we’ll prepare one of each of the three types…”

“Three of each.”

All eyes turned to Finley, who had slipped in the comment. He cleared his throat awkwardly, but didn’t pull back the fingers he’d just raised.

“You should order at least three gowns for every occasion, my lady.”

“But…”

“How can you settle for just one per type? There isn’t a ‘one-dress lady’ in all of Wailin!”

Finley pressed on enthusiastically. If he wanted to make her annoying husband look a little better, then spending his money was the best way to do it.

“Please, my lady – help preserve our count’s dignity. He already has the reputation of only caring about money. If people start saying he’s stingy even with his own wife… Oh! I can’t bear the thought. Imagine how much he’ll take it out on me! I can feel the tears coming.”

Knowing full well how soft-hearted Regina could be, Finley skilfully played his part by pretending to whimper.

“Besides, the Count needs to spend freely so that the local economy can flourish. That’s how the Cabil estate will continue to develop. It’s all for the future of the area, you see!”

“Oh my!”

The boutique owner, who had been watching cautiously from behind, jumped at the opportunity and clapped her hands in delight.

“So many dresses! Count Cabil must really appreciate his wife.”

“When a man is in love, he spares no expense for his wife. I wish my husband would take a leaf out of the Count’s book.”

The designer added mischievously.

Regina found the whole thing a little ridiculous, but unexpectedly found her resolve wavering.

“…Very well. I’ll have three of each made.”

If she thought of it as compensation instead of alimony, it wasn’t so bad.

***

Choosing the dresses involved more decisions than she expected. First came the fabric and embroidery, then the neckline, sleeves and shape of the skirt.

After that, she had to choose matching gloves, shoes, fans and hats – and by the end, her head was spinning.

It was dizzying, but refreshing. The designer, now delighted with the surge in sales, beamed as she bowed in thanks.

“Thank you so much! Please visit us again. We look forward to the honour of serving you next time with the Count!”

‘That will never happen.’

Regina didn’t say it out loud – she just smiled.