Chapter 193

Lulu examined the outfit. “Moonlight white is fine. There’s a subtle shade of blue that complements your skin tone. What about accessories? Should we add a strand of red coral?”

“No red,” Carissa replied. “Keep it simple, not too grand.”

She selected a white pearl hairpin and paired it with two moonlight white silk ribbons.

“That’s still quite plain,” Lulu observed.

“Plain or not, we’ll know once it’s on,” Carissa said.

She went behind a partition screen to change. When she emerged, her hair was styled in a simple bun, secured with the silk ribbons and adorned with the white pearl pin.

She twirled, asking her maids, “How do I look?”

The girls were mesmerized. Even without makeup, Carissa resembled an ethereal fairy. The two silk ribbons in her hair added a significant touch of elegance to her moonlight white dress.

Lulu quickly turned to Pearl. “Lip balm, earrings, perfumes, and pearl pendants—hurry!”

“Got it!” Pearl immediately gathered various accessories.

Lulu seated Carissa at the dressing table, applied lip balm, and redrew her eyebrows. When she was done, she draped a long pearl necklace around Carissa’s neck and added a butterfly pendant to the sash around her waist. A soft, sheer outer garment completed the look, adding an extra touch of ethereal charm.

Lulu paused, then tied the sleeves back, giving the outfit a playful and youthful edge. The lip balm’s subtle red made Carissa’s complexion even more flawless, and her natural blush, without rouge, was a testament to the effectiveness of Sebastian’s blood-regulating medicine.

Lulu beamed with pride. The fabric of the outfit was exquisite; the pleated skirt, made of soft satin, flowed like water with every movement. The light, flowing gauze overlay and the silk ribbons in her hair made Carissa look like a celestial being.

Carissa gazed at her reflection in the copper mirror. Was she truly beautiful? Back at Meadow Ridge, no one ever praised her looks. Everyone only ever called her a monkey.

When she returned from Meadow Ridge, ready for courtship, her mother had dressed her meticulously, and she had spent time avoiding the sun, making her skin as smooth as silk. Everyone who saw her remarked on her beauty.

She remembered Barrett’s first visit, how he had been unable to take his eyes off her and had spoken with a changed tone, his formalities in disarray. She recalled his dazed expression and thought, at the time, that he must be a fool.

It turned out he wasn’t a fool, just a heartless man.

Carissa turned and gazed at herself in the mirror, then asked Lulu, “Do I really look good?”

Lulu stood beside her, leaning close to her cheek as they both looked into the mirror. “Well, do you think you look good?”

Lulu was attractive herself. Although her features were not perfect, they came together in a very pleasing way.

+15 BONUS

Seeing herself alongside Lulu in the mirror made Carissa realize, “Oh, I guess I really do look quite good.”

Lulu pouted. “My lady, you shouldn’t say such things in front of others. Being unaware of one’s beauty can come across as an attempt at provocation. I also feel like slapping you for saying that.”

Carissa tapped Lulu’s forehead. “You’re beautiful too. We all have two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. I just happen to look a bit fairer.”

Lulu sighed and turned to Pearl, who was covering her mouth and laughing behind them.

“Isn’t it annoying? We live in comfort every day, with nothing much to do, while Lady Sinclair goes to the Southern Frontier, braving harsh winds and sandstorms. Yet, less than a month after returning, she’s already looking more radiant than us,” Lulu said.

Joy laughed. “Lady Sinclair is naturally beautiful. Even if she were tanned, she would quickly regain her fair complexion.”

“It doesn’t matter if we look rougher. What matters is that Lady Sinclair is truly beautiful,” Pearl added, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Carissa examined each of them closely. In truth, they were all charming and attractive, not the sort of plain faces one might easily overlook on the street.