Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 79
“By the way, Miss, it seems your schedule has changed.”
There was a slight change in Cecilia’s schedule, which was previously filled to the brim.
“Waltz? That sounds splendid!”
“…No, it won’t be that great.”
“Why not? Since you’re clever, I think you’ll pick up dancing quickly!”
“You can say that because you haven’t actually seen me dance.”
Cecilia lightly bit her tongue and checked the practice dress for her dance lesson.
“Do you see the dust on the shoulders here…?”
“T-That’s because His Excellency didn’t give you the chance to practice dancing…”
“No. It’s because Father thought I was so bad at it that even hiring a dance teacher would be a waste of money.”
“… ”
Mary pursed her lips and forced a smile.
“B-But still, Miss, you’ve been taking good care of yourself. The fact that the clothes fit perfectly even though they’ve been stored away for so long…!”
“It’s because I’m short.”
“…”
Cecilia set down her teacup and stood up from her seat.
“It’s time for practice. Help me change.”
“Yes…”
After changing clothes, Cecilia went to the spacious second-floor reception room. After waiting for a while, Caroline and Louise Cléon came in.
With hats on, as if they had just returned from a walk, they entered arm in arm, looking like a very affectionate mother and daughter.
“Oh, Ceci. You’re already here?”
“Oh my, Miss. You came quickly?”
It wasn’t that Cecilia arrived quickly, it was that they were late. However, Cecilia smiled without a word of reproach.
“Sister, thank you for giving me the chance to study together. Missus Cléon, it’s been a long time since I had the honor of seeing you as a teacher.”
“Missus? …Just calling me Madame is enough, Miss.”
She thought to herself that maybe that would be enough, but decided to put it aside for now.
‘I guess she really doesn’t want to hear the title of Missus.’
Not many people knew that Louise Cléon was unmarried.
Cecilia kept deeply hidden the astounding past of her from her past life and behaved like a docile student.
“Then, how about ‘Teacher’?”
Louise smiled satisfactorily.
“Well, that’s certainly a glorious title.”
“Madame, should I call you Teacher too…?”
When Caroline asked, glancing at Louise, Louise slightly nodded her head in exaggeration.
“Oh my, Miss. We’ve been together for so many years, and now you want to change the way you address me? Please call me as you used to.”
“Yes…!”
Looking at Caroline’s reflexive response and Louise’s smiling face, Cecilia stood there stiffly, like a discarded shuttlecock.
‘She must have asked on purpose, right?’
Even though Caroline subtly showed affection towards Cecilia, Cecilia didn’t think anything of it. But she gave her a slightly sad expression.
It hadn’t been long ago since she saw Margaret crying so forlornly, saying that she had lost her nanny to Cecilia.
She thought everything was decided by Bernarda and Father’s decision, and Cecilia didn’t have any say in it. But now that she herself was facing a similar situation, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
‘I can’t lose Louise to anyone.’
It wouldn’t matter if any other maid was taken away, but not Louise. She was her emotional anchor.
Of course, if any of her maids said they wanted to go to Cecilia first, it would be difficult to bear.
Caroline now resented Cecilia without guilt. If only that child weren’t there, she would have been happy with Ulysses.
Because of her, Ulysses didn’t oppose the engagement, and that’s why she had to work hard on dancing practice to gain more recognition in the marriage market again.
It was all Cecilia’s fault.
If only it weren’t for Cecilia…
Absentmindedly biting her lip and about to glare, Caroline caught sight of Louise next to her and relaxed her expression again.
‘I dislike that girl, but I can’t let it show.’
She had a valid reason for disliking Cecilia, but she didn’t want others to see her emotions. At least on the surface, she wanted to remain the kind older sister.
‘Of course, I’m not really that lowly wench’s sister.’
* * *
Since there were two students, it was decided that they would take turns learning both the male and female roles.
“Knowing your partner’s position is just as important as mastering your own. You need to know where each of you stands to match well.”
Louise said this as she clapped her hands. Cecilia and Caroline moved in response to the clap. Louise sighed at Cecilia’s awkward movements but admired Caroline’s graceful dance lines.
“As expected of you, Miss Caroline, you’re excellent.”
That was true. She was excellent.
There was nothing to criticize, and it seemed there was no more need to learn.
So Cecilia was somewhat puzzled by the notion of starting from the basics together. Why practice basic moves that were no longer necessary? Was it fear of losing Louise? Was that what’s urging her to be so hasty?
Of course, that was also true.
But the real reason became clear soon enough.
“Ouch.”
“Oh, my apologies.”
Caroline, having stepped on Cecilia’s foot, showed dismay.
“It was an accident.”
“Yes, it’s okay.”
The first couple of times, they laughed it off and moved on.
But after three, four, five times…
Once it had happened ten times, suppressed irritation began to emerge.
