Beatrice was thoroughly vexed.
She had a collection of more than 50 premium quality perfumes from all over the continent, and not one of them could match the dress she had custom made for the Hodgson's Banquet. The thought alone made her nervous.
She picked up the last bottle of scent, Frascia Sunflower, hoping that it would go along with gown's structured grandeur, only to be let down.
I need something boldly elegant, not something so...floral.
She put the perfume back into the shelf, her shoulders slumping ever so slightly. Lisa, who was standing next to Beatrice, watched the Young Miss go back and forth from the perfume shelf to the gown fitted mannequin, spraying the scents on the test strips. Her eyebrows would draw together by the smallest degree and go back to normal if she found something that she liked but not quite.
It was always a pleasant surprise to Lisa how her Young Miss was so meticulous about everything.
"Miss, shall we go to the Melania Avenue? It has quite a few famous perfumeries." Beatrice knew about the boulevard. It was the art centre of the town. She didn't really have an interest in paintings and handicrafts, but she had never visited the perfumeries there. Intrigued by Lisa's suggestion, she agreed and started preparing to step out.
The carriage ride was relatively short. The footman helped Beatrice come out of the carriage and bid a small farewell. As she walked towards the boulevard, a rich, delicious smell of strawberries and vanilla hit her nose, making her mouth water instantly. Lisa, who followed closely behind Beatrice found it hard to beat the temptation.
Not able to break away from the enticing aroma, Beatrice suggested to take a small break before going to the perfumeries. She entered a pastry shop named Elderflower following the aroma. Elderflower was a narrow, stone-fronted pastry shop with a painted wooden sign hanging above the door, wide glass windows displaying rows of honey tarts and fruit pies. Upon entering, the shop was bustling with customers, merchants and nobles.
Reserving herself and Lisa a table, she ordered a floral black tea called Nulang along with a strawberry vanilla pastry for herself and an orange tart for Lisa. While they waited for their order, Beatrice asked Lisa if she had bought any perfumes from here, if she had what kinds and types.
"I usually prefer fragrances with mild tones, Miss. Servants in general are not allowed to use perfumes which are bold or too recognisable. We instead use scents that are calming and not strong. I have never purchased anything from here but the avenue is quite famous in the County." Beatrice nodded in understanding when she noticed a loud group of ladies sitting not that far away from their table.
"Oh my, the temple has finally given the permission to send the Saint away on her journey? For how many years did they stall it after the Saint came of age?" said a lady in simple blue gown sitting in the middle of the group. The group itself was in awe, the news hadn't made to the newspaper yet and the society was already talking about it.
"4 years since. There has been talks that the Saint just awakened recently, that's why the High Priest was so reluctant..." There was a collective gasp from the whole group. One of them told the lady in green to lower her voice, it was already a sensitive topic.
"So it is true then; The Gods have been silent for too long...The anomalies in this century must all be the talented ones..." Another whispered.
Beatrice could listen everything from where she was.
They all could be charged with blasphemy if someone from the Temple heard them, she thought. The Imperial family publicly supports the Temple, it won't just end with the implication of blasphemy, but also spreading vicious rumours and accursing the Saint.
For the Imperial Court, finding an anomaly was crucial. Having that kind of power could change the destiny of the whole world. It was said that even the Gods took interest in such rarities born among men. They selected apostles, Saints, on every continent, gave them purpose, and sent them into the world to seek out these anomalies.
Lisa found it wise to stay quiet. She wondered what went through Beatrice's head at such times, she looked absorbed. Beatrice on the other hand was not at all paying attention to the group anymore, she realised how thin her network actually was. Outside of the daily newspaper, she had nothing- and a circle of acquaintances was not the same as sources.
Her order just came in time. Without sparing any other thoughts to the realisation, she shifted her focus on the current agenda of the day. They finished the refreshments quickly and headed towards the perfumeries.
With a lot on her mind, Beatrice simply entered a shop she saw first. She was welcomed in by a calming scent of dried lavender, mint with warm sandalwood undertones. Impressed by the choice of scent they used for the interior, Beatrice thought that they could have what she needs.
A middle aged woman named Greta greeted her inside.
"Can I order a custom made fragrance here?" Beatrice asked, expectant. Affirmation from Greta was all she needed.
"I have a dress for which I want a perfume that can elevate my presence. It's a high-neck lace gown with a fitted blue corset and gold detailing. Traditional, polished, and formal. I don't want anything fruity or overly floral." Beatrice paused for a moment.
"I'm thinking something with rose, but not overly sweet. Perhaps layered with iris for refinement, and just a touch of musk underneath — nothing heavy. What do you think Mrs. Greta?" After going through her collection, Beatrice had somewhat found out what she exactly needed.
"A wonderful direction, my lady. The balance you suggest is both elegant and memorable. I shall ensure the sweetness remains restrained." Greta replied with a warm smile.
"Would it be possible to send a sample of this fragrance beforehand? I have a banquet to attend in two weeks..." Averting her eyes slightly from Greta, Beatrice fanned herself a bit, appearing shy. "I would prefer not to be overlooked."
Greta, seeing the young lady fan herself, understood what she had to do. Satisfied with the arrangement, Beatrice snapped her hand fan shut and told Lisa to communicate the fee and pass along the address of the Cornwell Estate to Mrs. Greta.
With that settled, she moved towards the reception area near the entrance and sat down, enjoying the tea that was served.
Lisa, who waited to get the receipt on the other side was yet again taken in by surprise. She did not know that the Young Miss would act as such. She had never seen Beatrice being bashful in all the years that she had been serving her. Was Miss Beatrice looking forward...to meet someone?
Shaking her wandering thoughts off, she took the receipt and went to Beatrice, somewhat relieved.
It had been ages since Beatrice felt at ease like this. Of course, she had many things left to do, but for once in a while, she was glad that Lisa suggested to get her perfume custom made in Melania Avenue. The calming scent of lavender along with the perfumery's special tea concoction made Beatrice relax her shoulders and indulge in her sweet tooth cravings.
While picking up a cookie that she was served, something caught her outside the window. It was a small child, disheveled and frail looking. The child was not begging as she thought he would. He just sat there, looking at nothing, resting his face on his knees. For some reason, the child bugged her conscience. She had seen many beggars and tossed a coin to quite a few of them. It was not out of pity or any particular sadness that she did so — she simply had enough coins to spare and saw little reason not to. Sentiment had nothing to do with it.
Maybe it was the boy's empty gaze that had grabbed her attention.
Tearing her gaze away from the boy, she focused on her tea and cookies again.