Since my childhood, I had never developed any type of love for gowns or jewels. I always loved being simple, but elegant. Because less is more, right!
"Mama, while you are choosing gowns, can I go and buy my favorite biscuits?" I asked my mother. I have always loved biscuits. They were my favorite item to devour.
"Yes, Aureline. But be quick!" She smiled at me, as she was reviewing the same sea green color that she was wearing, but the fabric was different.
"Oh, thank you, mama!" I smiled pleasantly at her. I was just about to turn back when she said, "I think that Mary should go with you." She said as she glared at Mary.
"No, no, it's ok, mama! I can go by myself." I assured her as she read my face politely.
"Ok, fine! But be quick! Ok?" She smiled again at me and then continued chatting with the dressmaker.
"Thank you, so, so, so much!" I hugged her excitedly and walked away. Little things like buying biscuits made me happier than being declared the diamond of the season.
I walked down the market filled with Ladies and Lords all taking stuff as the ball season had started as the ton received the invitation for the ball of Lady Cruncher. Some were there in the jewelry shops of jewels, some were in the gown shops, and some were with the hairdressers. Surprisingly, the crowd at Gunter's Ice Cream shop was less than usual.
Flowers were everywhere. Streets were like a garden getting ready for a party. The streets were crowded with lords and ladies. Some carried their pets, some their shawls. Behind each Lady were their maids carrying the velvet boxes with ribbons that carried their gowns.
As I walked into "The Liliana's Lily Like Biscuits", the smell of freshly baked butter and chocolate-coated biscuits filled my mind. The name for the shop was long, but I think that it was always worth the quality and taste of the biscuits. The shop was cozy. The aesthetics were always so pretty. Fresh lilies decorated it every time. The owner, Liliana was also very sweet. The biscuits had the same sweetness in them as her.
"Can I please get one box of Butter biscuits and one of strawberry jam ones, please?" I ordered her calmly, politely, and smiling softly just as she always dealt with her customers. She was a woman between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. Her light brown hair was always thrown over her shoulders with light curls. She wore a plain white puffy-sleeved frock and a blue-checkered apron at her waist.
"Why not, my Lady!" She responds more calmly, more softly, and more politely than I do, obviously. I just smiled softly back at her.
"I think you like my biscuits very much, my lady." She told me as she grabbed a box and the tray of butter biscuits.
"Oh God, yes, Liliana! I do love your biscuits very much." I told her, smiling again, but this time not at her as I looked across the shop.
There was a long silence between us. I only heard the sound of metal trays and her tongs.
"Your boxes are done, ma'am!" She told me as I looked back at her. The boxes were all brownish-red, with a small white bow right at the left corner of the box.
I opened my bag, took out the coins, and handed them over to Liliana. As I grabbed the boxes of my favorite biscuits, I was so excited that I lost control of my body, and I was just about to fall when I felt two arms grab my body in them. For a moment, the world around me became dizzy and blurred except the face of the person who held me in his arms. His black raven hair was falling elegantly at his forehead. His brown eyes were as deep as the sea. His sharp jaw could have cut through paper. His eyes were constantly scanning my face with a slight smile, which looked more like a smirk. I just did the same thing on scanning his face, but I swallowed hard as I looked at him. My mouth was wide open as I looked at him. Something about him made me forget about the biscuits–my favorite biscuits.
I sensed that Liliana would be just looking at us. His arms gave me shivers, but comfort at the same time. Then I just stood up.
"I think you like biscuits more than I. Are you alright?" He asked me. His voice deep. Deeper than his eyes. His words made me forget the world for a bit longer. His smirky smile was still there as he brushed his brownish-red coat's sleeve that exactly matched the color of the boxes.
"Oh yes-yes! I am all right. I am so sorry; I am just so clumsy when it comes to biscuits." I smiled a bit back at him as I corrected my shawl.
"It's completely fine, my lady!" He smiled back at me, perfectly. His smile revealed the dimples in both cheeks this time.
"Oh my-! My biscuits. They are now only chunks of crumbs." I exclaimed as I sat down to look at my biscuits, which were crumbs now.
"I guess you like biscuits more than me then." Said the young man as he sat beside me.
"You also like biscuits?" I asked him, looking away from the crumbs into his eyes.
"Yes, I do! I usually come to Liliana's shop to enjoy some fresh and delicious butter cookies, and sometimes I also take a few boxes with me." He explained it to me, as he brushed his white-gloved hand through his hair. My eyes were just following each direction that his body was making.
"I also like biscuits. They just calm my body. Especially Liliana's biscuits." I said as I glanced at her, dealing with other customers in the shop.
"I understand clearly." He chuckled as he glanced toward the boxes on the floor.
"If I am not wrong, are you Lady Aureline Felixer, the diamond of this season?" My smile suddenly faded away as soon as I heard the words that made me mad.
"Unfortunately, it is me." I smiled a bit at him as he read every inch of my face.
"Unfortunately?" Said the man, raising his right eyebrow. "How can a lady think that she's unfortunate being declared the diamond of the season?" He was still concerned.
"Eh! I just do not like being the center of attention. All the stares that people give me, all the gossip that they do about me. Every mama of the ton just wants me to be their daughter-in-law. It just makes me uncomfortable and disgusted." I replied with no smile on my face this time.
"Oh, I see. We are the same, my Lady." He replied with a pleasant smile on his face.
"Aureline!" A familiar female voice disrupted us from behind. It was Mother.
"I told you to be quick. But you are here sitting on the floor." She held my arm to help me ascend. The gentleman also stood up.
"I was just on my way when I tripped, and the boxes fell." I explained to her as she looked down at the crushed biscuits.
"She's correct, my Lady." Said the young man to my mother. My mother looked at her as her eyes widened.
"Mr. Blackville? What are you doing here?" She asked the young man.
So he belongs to the Blackville family. I thought as I glanced at him. The Blackvilles were known for their elegance, charm, and nobleness.
"I was just here to buy some biscuits, but she fell." He told her, still smiling.
"Oh!" Mother looked at me, smiling suspiciously. "She's just so clumsy sometimes." She explained to Lord Blackville.
"It's completely fine, my lady." He assured her with his unbearable charm.
"Very well then, we shall go now. I hope that we'll meet again." She said to Lord Blackville before turning towards me, saying, "Aureline, let's go now."
"But mama, my biscuits?" I asked her.
"Eh, Aureline! We have plenty of them at home." She said before she started walking away.