The Flower Dances and the Wind Sings

Chapter 10

Ersella decided that they would buy Vicente formalwear, which he could don to Lady Garten’s coming-of-age party. It was time her son debuted in the social scene. The party seemed like a good opportunity.

While they could easily host a party in their own mansion, Harzen was quite busy these days. Besides, he did not enjoy having others in his mansion. He probably did not want to deal with people.

To be fair, Clifton most likely prepared a few outfits already, without her having to go through the trouble. With both Harzen and Ersella having no interest in such matters, the butler and the maid usually took care of it.

Feeling slightly guilty, Ersella headed to the tailor’s.

“Welcome, madame. Are you looking for anything?” greeted Madame Roseline with a bright smile.

“We would like to get some formalwear for this young man,” Ersella explained.

Roseline’s eyes sparkled as she caught sight of Vicente. “Oh, my! What kind of design are you looking for?”

Having never purchased menswear before, Ersella did not know what designs were in vogue. Harzen did not like going out, so he usually called someone into the mansion. Oftentimes, he had Clifton take care of everything.

Roseline knowingly began to explain, “Ladies are usually more interested in dresses. It is not out of the ordinary. I mean, who would be more interested in someone else’s outfit rather than their own? All noble ladies are like that, so you need not worry.”

“Is that so?” Ersella replied with a gentle smile.

“Of course. May I explain?”

“Please.”

“As for formalwear, the Granian style is still the most popular. The Conradian style has become quite popular recently, but the Granian style is still considered the most fashionable. Please, take a look. It has a smooth lapel—the part of the jacket below the collar—with a double-breasted front. As for the color, black and gray are popular. Is this for your son?”

Son. The word sent a ripple in Ersella’s heart. So they did look like a mother and a son to others. With a smile, Ersella nodded. Madame Roseline smiled back.

“Then black might be the better color, though gray won’t be so bad either. Navy might suit him well, too.” Roseline looked to Vicente. “How about we try some on? As you know, one never knows until one tries on the clothes,” she suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea… What do you think?” Ersella asked, glancing at her son. Indeed, one never knew until one tried the clothes on. If she had her way, she wanted to dress Vicente in everything. But I can’t force him, she told herself.

She had done enough of that already. Instead, Ersella decided to give him a pleading look. Feeling everyone’s eyes on him, Vicente nodded reluctantly, looking clearly confused as to why he had to try the clothes on.

Ersella paid no heed as she helped him into the first jacket.

“Oh, this is quite nice! What do you think?” Madame Roseline asked, clapping her hands elegantly as Vicente put on a black suit with an unusual design.

Almost an hour and thirteen suits later, it seemed that clean-cut formalwear suited him the best.

Ersella smiled quietly and agreed with Madame Roseline. “It suits you well,” she praised.

Despite her praise, Vicente looked grumpy, as if he found the situation uncomfortable. Ersella realized that visiting a tailor’s shop like this was not only the first time for her but also for the boy. So, it was the first time for both of them.

With the realization, she smiled brightly. “Black looks good on you,” she said.

Her handsome son seemed to be able to wear anything, being quite tall for his age and with good proportions. Despite having fun dressing her son up, Ersella decided that she should stop here, as she could no longer ignore the stubborn look he was giving them.

“We’ll choose the second, the third, and the sixth outfit,” she decided.

“Understood, madame. Please, wait a moment,” Madame Roseline replied.

Ersella wondered if she should buy a few more outfits, but Vicente’s cold gaze prompted her to give up. Madame Roseline smiled and walked into the back room.

While they waited, Ersella thought about what they should buy next. Perhaps they should have some clothes custom-made. Maybe she could call in a designer to the mansion and look at the catalogs in leisure. Or perhaps Vicente would appreciate a sword more.

Thinking that she should buy her son what he wanted rather than what she wanted, she considered her options. Maybe she should buy him a sword as he wanted to be a knight. But then, Harzen would have acquired a decent weapon for him already. Ersella hesitated.

The boy would appreciate a sword the most though…

If she had her way, she would present her son with the sword that the marquess received from the king. However, she knew her brother, Karlon, would accuse her of betraying her own family. What should she buy him then?

That was when she felt her son’s eyes. Vicente was staring at her again. She looked back gently. “What is it?” she asked.

“It’s nothing,” he replied flatly.

It did seem like he had something to say, though. What she realized after talking to Vicente was that the boy seldom expressed himself. He never spoke rashly or went out of line, always keeping his composure and manner.

While it might be due to his distrust of Ersella, she guessed that he was also naturally like that. Finding her son to be just like his father, she smiled bitterly.

“Why do you smile like that?” Vicente asked, apparently bothered by her response.

Straightening her face, she explained, “Because you’re so like Harzen, your father.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Of course not.” Ersella did not dare say that he was not like her. She felt pained by the fact that his blue eyes, which he inherited from her, still looked different.

He wasn’t like her. The statement hurt not Vicente, but herself. She knew it was her who made Vicente that way. Thankfully, Vicente did not ask any more questions, perhaps knowing that she would not answer even if he did.

“All finished, madame,” announced Madame Roseline.

“Would you wait here for a moment?” Ersella said.

“Yes, Mother,” Vicente replied as Ersella walked to the front, where Roseline presented the wrapped outfits respectfully.

“How would you like to make the payment? Shall I send the bill to your house?” she asked.

“Yes, that would be the best,” Ersella replied as she signed the paper and sealed the family emblem.

Roseline’s eyes grew wide as she examined the paper. “You’re from the House of Bernhart! Are you the duchess?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Oh my! Actually, I wondered when I first saw you. But you could pass for a brother and a sister! I feel like I’m the only one aging. You’re as beautiful as they say you are.”

“You flatter me too much.”

“Not at all!”

Ersella smiled shyly as Roseline praised her. As embarrassed as she felt, she could not deny she loved being told she was beautiful. Even if Roseline did not mean it, she was pleased.

Roseline smiled mysteriously as she observed Ersella. “You look even younger with your hair down.”

“Oh…” muttered Ersella, blushing. Even though she knew she did not have to mind Roseline, she felt self-conscious.

“I would say a lot of ladies in the capital should start letting their hair down,” Roseline commented as her small lips curled up in a smile. It was a faint, longing smile, quite different from the professional one from a moment ago. “If I may, can I touch it?” she asked.

“As you please, madame,” Ersella replied.

Roseline began to stroke Ersella’s hair slowly at her permission. The gentle touch reminded Ersella of her mother, the marchioness. Always kind, she personally brushed Ersella’s hair when she was a little girl. Ersella thought she knew how Roseline saw her.

Roseline smiled faintly. “I had a daughter, you see… though she passed away. That wild child became so quiet after getting married. It was strange seeing that child become someone’s wife and put up her hair, smiling automatically at other people’s stories. After all, she was still a little girl to me,” she explained.

Ersella remained silent.

Indeed, Roseline looked at Ersella, not with longing, but with the kindness of a mother who looked at her own child. For some reason, the madame—who looked so young with her heavy makeup—now seemed old. The lady finally seemed to look her age. Ersella suddenly thought she looked better that way. Though it was quite unlike her old self who sought youth and beauty, she did not realize the shift.

That was when Roseline smiled wider. “It suits you well,” she praised.

The simple comment tickled Ersella’s heart like a breeze in a valley.

***

After leaving the clothes to Lianne, Ersella made a few more purchases, carefully picking out light gloves, a formal hat, and shoes that went with the formalwear. Everything was to her taste because the conversation went like this:

“Should we pick this one?”

“As you please.”

“How about this one?”

“It looks fine.”

“Do you like black or green?”

“I do not care.”

Well, Vicente responded quite coldly. While he did not refuse Ersella showering him with gifts, he did not seem too keen either.

Pouting, Ersella tried to buy him some earrings that he could wear all the time. Unfortunately, Vicente refused outright. So, she had to relent.

Perhaps because they went out after Vicente’s regular schedule, the sun was already setting by the time they were done with their shopping. Orange filled the sky. The sunset stained Vicente’s dark black hair warmly for a moment, softening his features. Ersella smiled again.

For some reason, she was smiling a lot today.