“Preparing clothes for you two will not be a problem,” Henrietta declares. The three of them are in the woman’s sitting room, talking in hushed voices. She adds, “I also know a good wig-maker from another town. I can have your wigs made and delivered along with the supplies I will be receiving this weekend.”

“You are a big help, Etta,” is Marigold’s grateful reply. However, the girl cannot help but worry. “Won’t that be costly, though?”

Steven immediately speaks. “I will be covering the costs, Henrietta. Just send me a list of everything we need.”

“That’s splendid!” Etta exclaims gleefully. She grabs a scrap of paper and pencil from the sitting room desk and starts scribbling. Marigold shoots Steven an incredulous look, which the latter catches. He responds with a tilted head and an innocent smile.

“Why do you have to do that?” Marigold hisses.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Steven asks back in confusion.

“I hate being indebted to you,” she says through gritted teeth, her mauve eyes glaring.

Steven looks away from her, partly due to him getting irritated too. “If you hate it so much, you can pay me back later,” he says offhandedly. He mutters, “Now is not the time for letting your pride get in the way.”

Marigold’s face flushes. She purses her lips, holding herself back from saying anything that can possibly humiliate her further. She shifts her seat away from Steven, and turns her back on him.

Henrietta hands the piece of paper over to Steven. “Here is a general list of items and their estimated prices.” Steven scans it quickly, and gives a small nod to confirm. “I can give you the payment tomorrow morning,” he says.

Steven stands up from his seat. “Marigold,” he calls.

The girl looks at him, effectively masking any form of ill temper she had a few minutes before.

“We shall leave next week,” the young man tells her. “Until then,” he adds, glancing at Henrietta, “I will be visiting every evening to assist with the preparations.”

“Understood,” Marigold simply replies.

Steven gathers up his satchel and his coat, and takes his leave. The door closes behind him, and Marigold watches in silence.

Etta seats herself beside Marigold. "Have you sorted yourself out yet?" she asks out of concern.

The girl lets out a long, heavy sigh. "I don't know."

"His treatment of you doesn't seem to have changed," Etta remarks.

"He has his own motivations," Marigold drawls.

"That have nothing to do with you," Etta predicts. The younger girl replies with another sigh.

"You should have rejected his help if you feel uncomfortable," Etta says.

"I did try, in fact," Marigold reasons. "But I truly needed his help, and he saw that."

Etta casts a sympathetic look at Marigold's way.

After a few moments, Marigold asks Etta another question. "Did Steven get into the guild because of solving a case of human trafficking in town?"

"So he finally told you," Etta answers. "Come to think of it, your plight appears similar to that of the orphans he rescued," she adds.

Marigold can only wonder at how Henrietta's intuition manages to be right twice in a day—it almost scares her. "You are too accurate today," she praises Etta rather glumly.

The woman opts for a modest answer. "I was wrong about Steven fancying you, so don't believe everything I say."

The young girl grins. "Thank you for reminding me."

Etta smiles ironically. "Sorry for giving you false hope.”

It took only five days to prepare everything, even the wigs. Marigold has no idea how much it cost Steven, and despite her proud refusal to be indebted to him, she cannot dare to ask about the expenses now. She justifies herself by making a secret promise that perhaps once she has saved money, she will ask him.

Their plan is to disguise themselves as each other: Steven dresses as Marigold and acts as the decoy while Marigold pretends to be Steven. The two will come out of the shop's backdoor and appear to run off together, then lose each other once the men give chase. Marigold will run ahead to the meeting place while Steven distracts the pursuers. Once Steven reaches the meeting point, the two will flee together to his house.

Marigold has to wear padding on her shoulders to make them look broader. She even wanted to bind her chest tightly but Etta insists on just donning her with loose clothing.

"But if I don't, they might find out it's me," Marigold says.

"And if you do, you might have trouble breathing. You will be running a lot; remember that." Etta warns. Marigold settles on a compromise by binding her chest loosely and wearing larger clothes.

Etta is about to help put the wig on Marigold’s head when the girl stops her. “Etta, I want to cut and dye my hair instead. You were able to bring black hair dye, weren’t you?”

Etta’s voice turns grave. “Are you sure? Wasn’t the hair dye supposed to be for contingency?”

“The wig is for contingency,” the amber-haired girl emphasizes. “Turning my very own hair cropped and black is the best disguise—it will last me well even after this escape.”

Etta pats the young girl’s shoulders out of half-admiration. “You are fiercer than I thought,” she says. “But do have mercy on your hair and don’t crop it too closely.” The woman cuts Marigold’s hair into a short bob, and dyes it black.

After completing her outfit with Etta's help, Marigold paces around Etta's sitting room in the best imitation of Steven she spent five days perfecting.

"How faithful a copy is it?" She asks Etta.

"Quite faithful," Etta replies. "With regard to your appearance, however, you look like his younger brother."

“But, will it do for deceiving someone in the dark?” Marigold asks with pleading eyes.

“Hmm,” Etta pauses to consider. “Probably.”

‘That does not bode well for me,’ the girl worries.

“Henrietta, can you help me with these clasps?” comes a male voice from another room. Henrietta rushes to assist Steven, and Marigold finds herself looking expectantly at the room’s entrance.

After some minutes, Etta reappears, followed by a fully-disguised Steven. Marigold’s mouth opens in awe.