Music Recommendation: In Ordina- Tristan Eckerson
When Eve stepped out of the carriage, the coachman closed the door and offered her a bow. He then returned to sit on the driver's seat. She turned and walked towards the gate of her house. Her neighbour Mrs. Edwards caught this whole action, who had stepped out of the house to pluck the flowers from her garden.
Mrs. Edwards murmured to herself, "Another new carriage that looks from high society. Looks like Genevieve has turned quite a favourite to use a new carriage every day," and the woman went back inside her house.
Lady Aubrey, who heard the sound of the carriage, opened the door for Eve as Eugene was at the back of the house, hanging clothes that had been washed on the ropes now.
"I heard from Eugene that the services of the local carriages have been stopped until tomorrow," Lady Aubrey said while stepping back to make room for Eve to get inside the house.
"They have. The orders came from the Council. Thankfully the Duke of Woodlock was there for me to get a ride in the morning," Eve placed the umbrella in its stand and walked to the kitchen. She said, "He was also kind enough to give another person a ride along with me to Skellington."
Lady Aubrey nodded, "That was indeed kind of him. Only if all the people from the higher society were like him, the world would be a much better place." The woman watched Eve unwrap her lunch box and place it in the kitchen sink. "Was he there for work?" the older woman casually asked.
Lady Aubrey knew Eve and the Duke had a good relationship for quite some time. Eve exchanged words with many, but she doubted the Duke did the same with every person who lived in Meadow especially.
"Yes, he was there for work. He was talking to the local coachmen when I arrived there this morning," Eve replied before stepping out of the kitchen. "He will be getting married to a pretty woman soon. I met her in Hollow Valley."
"Oh?" Came the slight surprise from Lady Aubrey. Perhaps she had assumed it wrong, thought the older woman. It was because somewhere, she believed that the Duke favoured Eve a little more compared to the way he treated other women. She murmured, "Good for him that he found someone to settle down with I suppose."
Seeing Eve, who had already climbed the stairs and walking towards her room, Lady Aubrey followed her up the stairs, with her hand gripping tight on the railing. By the time she had reached the last stairs, she released a tired sigh.
As broad-minded as Lady Aubrey was for her age as she had the gift of knowledge, it didn't mean she lacked the knowledge of how their society worked.
After her time would pass in the future, Eugene and Eve would have each other. But they would need someone if something happened to the other one day. The future of time held uncertainty, which was why somewhere in the back of her mind, she had hoped that Eve would end up marrying the Duke, who seemed to be a considerate man.
When Lady Aubrey knocked on Eve's door, Eve was looking at the ironed dress that Eugene had placed back on the bed.
"Don't tell me you are wearing that dress," Lady Aubrey stared at the dress before stepping inside the room.
"Is it bad?" Eve asked with a slight frown.
"It isn't that it is bad, but I wouldn't call it good. It wouldn't suit a soiree that is held by the high-class," Lady Aubrey replied before looking up at Eve, "Soiree's held by the vampires or werewolves, people dress differently. It is all about status and wealth, and not just sophistication."
Eve shifted her gaze from her aunt to look at her yellow-coloured dress. She said, "I have seen Marceline wear something similar to this and thought it would be fine."
"Mm-mm," Lady Aubrey shook her head.
Eve believed that this dress would go well, but now that her experienced aunt, who had previously attended many soirees, rejected the dress, she decided to look for another dress from her closet.
Lady Aubrey walked near the room's window, noticing Eugene finishing hanging the last cloth on the rope. She loudly called him,
"Eugene!"
"Yes, Lady Aubrey?" Eugene turned his neck in question.
"There is a white box in my cupboard. Bring it up here once you are done hanging the clothes," Lady Aubrey instructed him and Eugene nodded.
Eve offered, "Do you want me to bring it?"
Lady Aubrey dismissed the idea by waving her hand and said, "Eugene will get it. Why don't you finish your bath with ease?"
"I am sure there's plenty of time left for me to get ready before I get picked up," Eve smiled at her aunt, who seemed more enthusiastic about her attending the soiree.
"Three hours is never enough time to get dressed, young lady. We have to do your hair, dress to fix and don't know what else you may need. Go on now! Chop chop!" Lady Aubrey hurriedly pushed Eve to get inside the bathing room.
Eve, who was extra cautious, used the bath salts to scrub her skin before washing it. She washed her hair with the fragrant smell of flowers like gel. After many minutes, she finally stepped out of the bath with her body wrapped in a towel and another towel that wrapped around her hair. When she stepped back into her room, she saw Lady Aubrey sitting with a box in her hand.
"I wanted to give you something for your birthday, and it came in last week," said Lady Aubrey, opening the box's lid that held a dark grey and light peach-coloured gown. "If the occasion calls, I think you should wear it right away."
Eve smiled at Lady Aubrey's kind thoughts and said, "You didn't have to do it."
Lady Aubrey remarked, "Trust me, when I say I wanted to do this for quite some time now. You might not know it, Eve, but you are already a member of high society."
When Eve picked up the dress to look at the entire length of it, she wondered if her aunt had used every saving to get this dress made.
"I love it, it's more than stunning, Aunt Aubrey," Eve thanked her aunt, who smiled back at her. "Where did you get it stitched?"
"I like it too. I had Eugene look for the most affordable seamstress and by luck, I was able to get an acquaintance of mine put a good word to get it done. Let us start getting you dressed while your hair dries," Lady Aubrey suggested and Eve agreed.
And as happy as Eve was to wear a beautiful shade of dress like this one, it was only when she started getting dressed did she understand that the dress was designed to Aunt Aubrey's style and not hers.
Seeing her bosom pushed up by the corset she wore now, Eve asked, "Why do I feel like I have been tricked?"
Lady Aubrey laughed at Eve's words, "I don't understand why you feel the need to hide what every woman already has."
"Because wearing like this often leads to being stared at by men whom you believe are to be decent," mumbled Eve, who was not used to having her bosom pushed in such a provocative way. She held one pole of the bed while the older woman stood behind her, pulling the lace of the corset.
While Eve wanted to search for her mother's murderer, Lady Aubrey wanted Eve to lead a life by settling with someone whom the young woman could trust. Lady Aubrey knew how strong-headed and strong-willed Eve was and knew the path Eve wanted to walk would have nothing but difficulties waiting for her.
"Isn't that how most of the women in our society try to have men look their way and settle down with them," Lady Aubrey softly chuckled whilst she finished tying the corset and hiding the laces behind it. "Some use beauty, some use intelligence, some use body, and some by money or status. People use what they have, and what they are comfortable with."
Eve pursed her lips before she said, "I am not going to find a man tonight, Aunt Aubrey."
"I know," replied Aunt Aubrey. Even though Eve had not mentioned it, she already knew and said, "But nothing wrong if you do end up finding a man."
"Aunt Au--"
"Listen to me," Lady Aubrey hushed Eve before she continued with her advice, "Some don't get to live life like others. I understand that you have something else on your mind... but don't miss things because of it. Things a woman of your age would be doing. I don't want you to turn back one day and regret it."
"It isn't easy," said Eve, turning to Lady Aubrey and meeting her wise eyes.
"I know it isn't, but if you won't allow yourself to try, you will never know," Lady Aubrey offered a kind smile to Eve.
