Chapter 57: Chapter 57

Khanna recalled all those customers who had left her only because she recommended styles that were right for them instead of styles in the latest fashion. Her head ordered she couldn’t do that, that she had to recommend expensive and luxurious things in fashion instead of what fits her customers, but her mouth just couldn’t do it.

She had regretted her stupidity so much, but Rubica was saying she wanted to hire her as her personal designer just because of that.

It was like she was saying Khanna’s hardship hadn’t been in vain.

“Thank you, Your Grace. I will do my best.”

“Really? Then you will be my designer, right?”

“Yes, I don’t know what to say, you are giving me such a huge opportunity.”

“Then take Ann’s goodwill as well. She is not giving you candies because she pities you. She is kind and likes to give things to people.”

Ann wasn’t a careful person as she had shown Rubica way too much affection when they first met. Moreover, Rubica had met so many people, she had been able to immediately realize her actions were out of pure goodwill, but her personality was easy to get misunderstood.

“Mrs. Taylor, I misunderstood your goodwill…”

“Oh, I’m the one who should apologize. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but it would be okay to give you candies, right? Our cook makes delicious candies, your children will love it.”

“Yes, I would be happy to accept it.”

Now they understood each other, and soon Rosa showed up. She had brought many embroidery designs just as Ann had asked. She found a peach flower pattern that was right for the salmon-colored fabric as soon as she took a look at the dress’s design and the fabric.

“Wouldn’t it be better to order a few more dresses? Most of your dresses used to belong to His Grace’s grandmother… we need to order new ones.”

“But these are all the silks I had, and the other colors are not right for Her Grace.”

“Then we can use the fabric we have.”

Khanna didn’t know what to say to that.

“But you are already helping me with embroidery, and…”

“It’s all for Her Grace. There is no need to call it helping. I and the other seamstresses all work to decorate her dresses with the most beautiful and skillful embroideries.”

The maid brought good silks from the storage in no time. Sadly, they were all better than Khanna’s, and she even decided to make the first dress with the salmon-colored silk the maids brought instead of using her own.

“I think it would be good to make a housedress with this grass green fabric.”

Khanna hesitated at first, but then she started to find courage. The four of them worked together to decide on the designs of two dresses for walks and three housedresses. Rubica loved them all and couldn’t wait to see them. Most of all, she liked that Khanna was open to her ideas.

“Now, I think it’s the right time to order it.”

“It?”

Rosa glanced at the maids and gestured at the three. Rubica got nervous and leaned toward her. So did Ann and Khanna. When Rosa got the attention she wanted, she put her hand on her mouth and spoke in a low voice.

“Your nightdresses.”

“Oh, but I have enough nightdresses.”

“No, no. Not those nightdresses. Sexy nightdresses.”

It was then.

“What have you been talking about?”

The four women freaked out at hearing Edgar’s voice so suddenly.

It’s not like they had anything to hide, but they were in such a haste that it looked suspicious. Although Rosa had spoken in a very low voice, Rubica was worried that Edgar might have heard it.

“It wasn’t anything important, Your Grace.”

Ann put a hand on her chest and replied. Edgar then came closer and looked at the fabrics and pieces of papers on the table.

He had been told Rubica was supposed to meet with the designers in the afternoon, but he hadn’t known it would last long enough for the sun to go down.

“Why were you so surprised when it was nothing important?”

“Of course we are surprised, you came in abruptly without knocking on the door,” Rubica said coldly.

Being bold was better than getting afraid in such a situation.

“Does the husband need to knock when visiting his wife?”

As she had expected, Edgar’s interested moved on to something else from what Rubica had been talking about. Rosa, Ann, and even Khanna glanced at him with fear, but Rubica was confident.

“Yes. Husband and wife must respect each other’s privacy.”

Edgar didn’t like that answer as she always drew a line between them.

‘You can come this much, but no further.’

What made him angry was that others could easily cross that line. Even the designer who had just met her for the first time had. Even she was in a conversation he didn’t know about.

“People who have something to hide tend to talk of privacy.”

Now the conversation’s topic was strange, and Rubica thought it was unfair. They had just talked about nightdresses and she just didn’t want to tell that to Edgar. And now, she was being accused of hiding something. She bit her lips and glared at him. She was about to get rid of the privacy thing like he wanted and snap at him that they had been talking about sexy nightdresses.

“I’ll knock next time,” Edgar said with a sigh and continued, “So don’t glare at me.”

Rubica was confused at hearing that. Edgar then sat down on the sofa and picked up one of the sketches on the table.

“What have you ordered? I was told you bought only a pair of gloves in the afternoon.”

“We were deciding on designs for housedresses and dresses for strolls, Your Grace.”

Edgar studied the simple sketch drawn on the paper. The dresses Rubica had worn now had been stylish but too old-fashioned.

Even imagining her wearing new dresses was fun. Plus, it was all his money going to be spent on making them. He had worked and studied out of habit but, for the first time, he felt his work was worthwhile. He enjoyed the designs with satisfaction, but then he frowned hard at seeing the last dress. Then he accused the lady who was probably the designer.

“What kind of design is this? What is this low-cut dress?”

“Oh, it’s, um.”

Khanna started to freak out. Rubica glanced at the design Edgar was talking about as she hadn’t seen those sketches before. Khanna probably had brought them as reserve and Edgar found them.

“You tried to make my wife wear this?”

Rubica saw the dress Edgar was pointing at and could understand why he was so angry.

‘Oh, it is too revealing on the breasts.’

Edgar looked like he was about to have Khanna dragged out. However, before Rubica could say that was not among the designs she had shown her, she found courage. Making the duchess’ dresses was an opportunity she would never get again. She was probably not going to get another chance. She looked down and quickly explained.

“That is the design for a nightdress, Your Grace.”

Edgar’s anger stopped. Khanna relaxed a little and added, “How would I dare to recommend such a thing to Her Grace? It is just one of my reserve designs. I didn’t even show it to her.”

The last bit was a lie. She had been delighted when Rosa spoke of nightdresses and had meant to recommend that. However, it looked like Duke Claymore wanted his wife to wear modestly.

“You were not going to recommend it?”

“… yes.”

“Then why did you bring it?”

Khanna couldn’t speak anymore, she trembled and glanced at the duke. But to her surprise, he was smiling.

“Which fabric were you going to make this dress with?”

Khanna quickly took out a fabric that was at the bottom of the pile of fabrics.

The flimsy fabric was almost transparent. The nightdress made with it was going to look very sexy, so the duke smiled with satisfaction.

“I want ten of that.”

“What? Oh, yes, Your Grace!”

Khanna was shocked, but she quickly wrote ten nightdresses on the order bill.

Even imagining Rubica in that dress excited Edgar. He was drunken with satisfaction about the fabric and the design that he forgot what kind of situation he was in.

“You.”

Rubica’s face was fiery red as she pointed at Edgar with her trembling hand.

“Get out, now!”

And, of course, she canceled Edgar’s order.

***

Rubica had forgotten to meet Steven because she was ordering dresses. She then dropped by at the kitchen before dinner and found Steven making a meringue. He spoke before Rubica even started convincing him.

“The second day was when the sky and the land were made, so it should be celebrated as well. I am going to make a soft cheesecake, would it be okay for Your Grace?”

Edgar had kicked out Steven at dinner yesterday. However, the compliments of the maids and servants he got afterward delighted him very much.

He had cold hands. So, his bread was not tasty compared to his skills, but cold hands were great for making the cream for cakes. He had had opportunities to make cakes before, but those opportunities mostly came with huge events, so he had been busy making main dishes. He was now very happy to realize how to use his cold hands as his strong point.

Rubica looked at his hands as he diligently worked with a broad smile.

‘It looks like he will find excuses to make cakes on the third and the fifth day on his own.’

All the better. She smiled and asked one more thing.

“But please make the cake a little smaller this time.”

“Yes, of course.”