Song Recommendation: Arrival of the Birds by The Cinematic Orchestra
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The next day, around ten in the morning, Mrs. Swanson arrived at the Warburton mansion to pick up Amyra so they could head to Horlicks Street for shopping together.
Myra was pacing restlessly in her room, trying to think of a polite way to refuse accompanying Lady Florence.
"Should I lie down and pretend to be sick?" she mumbled to herself, fidgeting with her hands.
"Or maybe I should just say I don't feel like going?" She immediately shook her head, dismissing the idea. "No, no… I can't do that. It'd be rude."
Before she could make up her mind, a knock sounded at the door. Exhaling loudly, Myra opened it to find the maid, Rachel, standing there. Rachel gave a small curtsy and said, "Miss, Mrs. Swanson is here."
Myra's shoulders slumped. What do I do now?
If only the Lord hadn't agreed to let her accompany Lady Florence in the first place… She didn't even have money to buy a single meal, let alone go shopping. How was she supposed to walk around in shops with empty pockets?
Before she could think of an excuse, the maid curtsied again and left. Myra chewed her inner cheek and sat on the bed, trying to find a way out.
That's when a small voice spoke inside her head.
Who said you have to buy something? it whispered. You can just follow Lady Florence around without purchasing anything for yourself.
A small smile crept onto her face. Why hadn't she thought of that earlier? This way, she wouldn't disappoint the Lady, and she wouldn't be stuck in the mansion bored either.
Feeling reassured, she glanced at herself in the mirror, quickly fixed her hair, and headed out to greet Mrs. Swanson.
Florence was waiting in the drawing room. When she spotted Myra entering, she stood up.
"Ah, there you are!" exclaimed Lady Florence, walking toward her. Her skirts swept the floor dramatically. "What took you so long?" she asked with a smile.
Myra gave a sheepish smile in return.
"Let's go! We've got a lot to do." Florence hooked her arm around Myra's, and Myra nodded hesitantly.
"Alvin?" Lady Florence called.
The butler appeared from nowhere and gave a small bow. "Yes, Mrs. Swanson?"
"Is our carriage ready?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said, leading them outside. A carriage was already waiting at the door.
Once they were seated, the coachman maneuvered the carriage around the cupid water fountain in front of the mansion and rode off.
As they passed through the bustling streets of Arcadia, Myra sat by the window, lost in thought.
"Ah, Amyra!" Florence's sudden call jolted her from her thoughts.
Mrs. Swanson reached into her purse and pulled out a small, rectangular card. "Theo asked me to give this to you," she said, holding it out.
Myra looked at the card curiously and took it reluctantly.
It was a royal blue card with intricate black and silver vine designs around the edges. In the center, embossed in bold golden letters, was the name:
THEODORE MAVERICK WARBURTON
She examined it, fascinated. She had never seen a card like it before. On the back, a fifteen-digit number was inscribed in smaller golden letters:
59372 16498 55285
And at the bottom right corner, there was a seal:
ISSUED BY THE RESERVE BANK OF ARCADIA
Confused, Myra looked up. "Lady Florence, what is this? And why did the Lord want me to have it?"
Florence smiled. "It's an all-purpose expenditure card."
Myra raised an eyebrow, eyeing it warily.
"If you see something you like while we're shopping, just show this card to the shopkeeper, and you can purchase it."
"And they'll just give it to me? Without paying anything?" Myra asked, wide-eyed.
Florence chuckled and shook her head. "Not exactly. The shopkeepers will note the number on the card and send the bill to the treasury. The cost gets deducted from the cardholder's personal vault."
Myra stared at the card one more time before handing it back. "I-I can't take this."
The Lord had already been too kind—rescuing her, giving her food, shelter, clothes, making her feel special. She was more than grateful. And though everyone treated her like a lady, she knew she wasn't one. She didn't want luxury to get to her head, not when she had no right to it.
Florence shook her head and pushed the card back into her hands. "You can't refuse. Theo was very clear — I have to give this to you. And you will use it."
Myra still looked unsure.
"Come on, Amyra. Don't worry. Theo has vaults full of money just sitting there. He won't even notice a little missing. He is the Arcadian Lord, after all." Florence winked. "Buy whatever you like. No hesitation."
With a sigh, Myra clutched the card but silently vowed not to use it. She would return it to the Lord once they were back.
A short while later, the carriage stopped in front of a store. Florence instructed the coachman to wait.
Grabbing Myra's hand, she pulled her into the crowded Horlicks Street with excitement. She went from one store to another, buying everything that caught her eye while Myra simply followed along, not buying anything for herself.
After about an hour, they stopped in front of a grand three-story clothing store. Mannequins dressed in luxurious garments were displayed around the entrance.
"Amyra, you're buying a dress from here," Florence declared. "I'm not letting you walk out empty-handed."
Myra sighed and followed her in.
A young woman in a gray uniform greeted them with a bow. "Welcome to Sheldon's Clothings."
Florence nodded and walked in. "We're looking for ball gowns," she said.
"Right this way," the salesgirl said, leading them further inside.
She laid out several gowns on a long marble table, one by one. Myra couldn't help but admire them. Each fabric was finer than the last. The silk ones, in particular, felt like water on her skin.
Florence picked out three gowns for herself and turned to Myra. "Found anything you like?"
Myra shook her head. She had liked some, but she wasn't about to spend the Lord's money.
Florence narrowed her eyes. "Listen, Amyra. You'd better pick a dress before I come back from the trial room. Or I'll pick one for you myself." With that, she disappeared with the salesgirl.
Amyra exhaled and began walking around the store, running her fingers longingly over the expensive fabrics. Suddenly, a soft voice called out:
"Amyra…"
Shaking her head, she returned to browsing—until she heard it again, louder this time.
"Amyra! Come to me…"
Frowning, Myra followed the direction of the voice. It led her toward a staircase at the far end of the store. As she climbed, the voice grew louder and more urgent.
"Come here, Amyra…"
At the top, in a quiet corner isolated from the main hall, stood a headless mannequin.
It wore the most beautiful gown Myra had ever seen.
Sky-blue silk and satin shimmered under the soft light. The high neck and long sleeves gave it a timeless elegance, while delicate silver flowers were embroidered across the bodice and sleeves, glimmering softly with every shift of light. Tiny stones were scattered among the embroidery, adding just the right amount of sparkle without overwhelming the design.
The skirt was stunningly plain with a hue of darkish blue shade at the bottom. The fabric was tailored to fit tightly near the waist, giving a slim look on the Mannequin, while the skirt flared below.
Myra simply couldn't take her eyes off the dress. It was grand and probably too expensive. After a lot of mental battle she sighed and reluctantly forced herself to turn away. She was about to walk away when she felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
Her eyes widened with horror when she tilted her head and saw five wooden fingers gripping her right shoulder tightly.