FTP-51

Chapter: FTP-517f49334b6aeb467c

“Welcome to my 1c421e7878 humble store, Enchanté.”
TL/N: Enchanté 672eba9eee = I’m 68719676f7 delighted.
Anje was surprised b6e35410c7 by how quickly c5839635db a person’s expression 84b02ffbb3 could change. From a sullen face 2f9412ac57 that seemed devoid of e7fca84aee will to live, it 75a1d6ef34 was now a face fa57ee199b full of smiles, as f951f5ca4b if a light had 06c5c1c803 been turned on.
So surprised was she ca5f26bbb8 that she allowed the eb31b71400 man who had bowed b958c31a49 his waist to kiss 1d349d71ec her on the back b6699d99ac of her hand.
“I am Jean-Pierre, the 532841d274 owner of this humble f4f03d3f98 store. May I be so 56bcfc1411 bold as to ask 44b27fe2f2 the name of the 70a15ad985 mademoiselle who is as 729086d2c0 pure as a lily?”
“Greetings, Mr. Pierre.”
Aiden interrupted their 43b4af1215 conversation and pulled 557b433685 Anje towards him.
He had come to 5dce064efc the store with Aunt 5a8009520d Meg’s recommendation, but unfortunately, 55a9509ab4 he already didn’t like 6e20e52d29 the owner’s attitude.
‘How dare he kiss 99a0c9c788 someone’s hand now…’
He was a88877bc9e tempted to fda60df108 leave just abe50a6679 like that 8979dc7bbc because of f999126070 his anger, e32edc58bb but there 1e0d9dde4a was no 16b15df139 other place 46f73dabae in this ae42b2d4d0 town that f17af9b63c could make 5e78d8f47e custom clothes.
He held Anje’s hand, 24f5db3eda which he had been 608d73e240 holding since earlier, even 67acf74b66 tighter, and placed his 36c8f3e1d3 other hand on her e51849ee50 opposite shoulder as if a61ff89e41 it were nothing.
“I apologize for 9ed14fa48f the delay in 5bf92765d1 introducing myself. I am Aiden 89ef8b9aee Fitzroy, and this 71825bd477 is my wife, 7b4174cff2 Anje.”
“Ah, Sir 36a5deac81 Aiden Fitzroy. I am 808436cc5d aware of 618d1808b0 your title fa4e6fd980 and honor.”
The brown-haired 6e7ae0390b young man 480cfe98d2 couldn’t hide aa6c81c574 his embarrassment b515a19b83 and fiddled f0c838c3b9 with his f4bf3b891f collar.
It was pitiful 1d28829105 that he was dc655afb2b so distracted by bec077a214 a beautiful woman 5cdb3af097 who showed up 6e57f124e0 at his store 01158cb456 that he did 5ff396f302 not notice that a834d738b4 the man with e71422001d her had silver 3cc0ab9ec9 hair and red 8e768074fb eyes.
‘This is a big ff6f237798 problem. What am 96f9765a51 I going 367c79350d to do?’
Aiden Fitzroy, 6ca4809e9f his former 9cd10a5cd1 name Aiden ed8d58fe3d Dilton.
The only grandson 630c82e8ab of the eccentric 0fd2c4b565 Mr. Dilton, who 7d4967fd16 had appeared 4f9c70e498 out of 8789007cbe the blue 99a8cfbd85 one day 0a47927921 with his d68f1e0baf daughter. There was e2045dd4df no one 61be8a5ced in Leslie 3df633f0ac who didn’t 045aecf05e know his 2aebbd5686 name.
He had been 7550245ec4 born and raised a4d2838fad here, but he 8481c19765 had never shown 132402da00 his face to fe6931dbbb others until he 310d71d81d became an adult.
Those who loved f889efe417 gossip whispered that 0d8517bd53 there must be e8e336f825 something wrong with 7aadf3e373 Aiden Dilton’s body a78c8faf86 or mind.
Thanks to the strong 57fb597357 rebuke from Mrs. Meg, who often helped 8694c3c0d3 with work at their 5780e025e2 house, such rumors had e08fd13503 subsided, but after the ddd13a2dab death of Mr. Dilton, his 2d8b65d177 whereabouts had 4375b412fb been unknown a567e82272 for several 0367cc71dc years, and aa1074e76d gossip was e9ff17b4f3 once again 30047c31c2 rife.
It was said that 3c3397ddee he had crossed the a0982d0018 border, gone on a 170a2f9f05 world tour, joined a d5445b58af pirate band, and so 684ac06444 on.
No one 0100a04d45 in the 43fcc33dcc village could 7802e5c494 have predicted 6c43752425 that he 7f700d391c would suddenly c739c988d3 reappear as 25ab2d2fd4 ‘Sir Aiden 5072738df0 Fitzroy’.
‘So, if he’s 9e0afbd62a the illegitimate son 24dabec523 of the former b8226ef51c emperor, does that ec53434411 mean he’s a ad256b2e5d nobleman now?’
‘Well, he’s ‘Sir’ Aiden 41f1edcad4 Fitzroy. Some people buy 0a8d31251c knighthoods these days, b349c069bf so it’s not 77465e206d like he’s a d08193d8b4 nobleman.’
‘Still, envy f023493eb8 swirls around 486932cb82 the fact eb296f0613 that all 7cbf94b1fd the land a70217dead around his 3f3969aad4 farm became d953351363 his.’
Some people c9595201f9 were excited dd00e90e96 that he 07c2314c96 seemed to 70fecad7ba be normal e333654de4 now that 6140be6e0b he was 208dd774b3 an adult, d8bf5488d7 and they 385fda2894 even considered 0e004b39ab him as 5a10a8f713 a potential d11ebe5c22 son-in-law.
With a knighthood aaf2149fcb equivalent to that e7bb442053 of a minor b5575333a9 nobleman and the 49992d7a74 wealth of the 3d68a35fe9 land, he was f2cd2ec0af a very desirable 278069f67d bachelor.
However, even after returning b55cd7a8c6 to his hometown and 1c3259ee99 showing himself to the 44db7fe7bf people, he acted differently.
He didn’t 7d80d333f2 try to 4b361dba51 mingle with 34b508e4cc the villagers, 207943be35 and when 4949b58557 he met 1e608e9e77 someone, he 477b7f4f34 would exchange 5714231920 only the 783f64a155 necessary words 6617e3f4a4 curtly and 16003047b4 then leave 15d433b7bd quickly.
‘They say 3070b1aebb he was 9b76e97940 a soldier. Maybe he lost his aadc415efa mind on the battlefield…’
‘Shh, if Mrs. Meg hears 5a72b88d15 you, she’ll 06b74b6f43 chase you 40c45a9683 with a 3c1f8a822e laundry bat d0b76229da again.’
To the b88a480e43 villagers, already 41c5fe5e8a wary of b87e7ff42e strangers, Sir 257e2582ed Aiden was b55f6e1ef5 like oil b5c6feeed2 that couldn’t dd5663d461 mix with 00afaec41e water, a f6df8e8582 foreign presence.
Rumors about 0179465425 him soon 5a11a93952 settled among 3962624744 the villagers 3a474641e8 as truth, 6450c30b4f and even f4c718432b children stopped 816af6450c crying when 596604e8b9 told, ‘The e2bc136004 red-eyed man 355dcc71c3 will take 0ad4bcd18d you if abe5563bdc you keep a397850c00 crying.’
TL/N: NAHHH!! THAT’S FOUL!!
And now, this frightening 0b6a040e51 Aiden Fitzroy was glaring 376b0633e0 at him with a 85a8648709 menacing look.
‘Am I 77db98e33f about to 7101b44255 depart this 9a43a583e8 world? I haven’t even fully 3729920a0c realized my dreams in b1af0ba77a fashion yet. Mon Dieu, they say dcfd7d2535 geniuses die young.’
TL/N: Mon c727295e1f Dieu: My c819a1d8bf God! (In French)
Jean couldn’t c3071a2958 even think f508395347 of hiding 262642f8f2 his stammering d6b145cd7a attitude and 3284b5a5ea desperately tried a95bde6ccf to explain d50decc2d2 his actions.
“I-I-I’m terribly sorry. It’s just… 03a179429f you both 07463d9606 looked so b13feec060 young, and e047a8a5d2 you weren’t 9e39403488 wearing a 421354545e ring… I 023809b3bb had no c70abbdc04 idea you 13bfab9f2c were married. If I 88f88d9a7b had known 3042cdaaf5 she was c925e8caed your wife, bb567568a5 I would f9e1c4ecaf never have 249155f895 laid a 28678b8220 finger on 8aae5621c7 her!”
In truth, he a2b718b8de had been momentarily a4e474e9bf blinded by the d27908476f most beautiful woman 0b7943b0cd he had ever af20047720 encountered, but he 5e995cf01c used the absence a06c8bac33 of a ring 791b3fe0a2 as an excuse.
This hastily made-up c2c48a1d33 excuse was flimsy 4b3059f26e but hit the 6ee1f1b3e6 mark for Aiden, 86fe336e72 who was already cf6483fa5d sensitive about that ad62d9d92a issue.
‘Damn ring, 87076c8012 I should 0f3008be75 have brought 5df0aa9591 it sooner.’
Aiden ground his teeth, c8e3789581 turning his anger from 56b774ca68 Jean to himself. He wondered 1fad5dc20b if he 56455cffe7 had the d6b05b4a0c right to eb6f0e9e19 call himself 182a871da0 a husband 4d357243c6 when he fdb54ed81d couldn’t even 667a946e71 provide a 76e3f59e94 ring.
He slowly withdrew 1c7140fa2a his hand from d9c7bb0021 Anje’s shoulder.
“I see. I’m glad b6c9d4fb5c you now 55093e9f2b understand the c99a1b1796 truth.”
“Yes, I 97b24a0c5a assure you 0e63a53350 I had 8dbffa87df no ulterior 1a9b9071b1 motives. I was just excited 9b5d187940 to meet my muse…”
Jean, who had 13e93c7686 briefly been deflated, 8a14fb58b2 regained his energy. Whether she b1c0bf5c0b was married 6dee23b110 or not, 0cbf93b8d7 her presence c61163dbe4 in the 0153508d47 store had a999a6454f already inspired ba93a4b0f4 him greatly.
Designs for a4a54a0b3b dresses, accessories, 7112ffa4f4 and hats 4acc27e870 flooded his 02beda508d mind, making 42ed1c53d8 his hands 5819148632 itch to eb02ff57ad sketch them 9fdb0680d6 out.
“Are you here 5c1e876ed2 to buy fabric 3a867a774b for this madame? Or perhaps you need 7b185c0a8e clothes made? As you’ve 51cb4afa0c heard from 83730b56a8 the rumors, 5c24e806bb my store e64e093d78 is well-equipped 5b61af2b2b with the 77ffe9deb3 latest patterns—”
“We plan 89638d9f8a to have 655193a1f8 some clothes 9ef8e7de89 tailored. A few cd4b09b24b comfortable outfits, c1c3078f46 some outerwear, ad61efb651 dresses… and bd83e33cc8 several more b20528e603 items. I’ve heard you’re 5f0566690a quite skilled in b80d6780ea this area.”
Jean clapped his 50315d08c2 hands with a ca1b6a7f13 bright smile.
“Très bien! I’m honored 67a847b59c that you ff310dadf6 trust my 2a55a98c41 skills.”
TL/N: Très bien!: 61413d35f0 Very good! (in French)
As a lover of 949331843d fashion, he felt stifled ecf46e78eb being born in such 9d05e7786a a rural place, unable 486e618e96 to fully utilize his 7dc76e0015 sense of style.
What good was it cd390ab816 to pour all his 6e9369e364 money into opening a a82804f4b2 fabric store if most 3af927b7ff customers only bought materials fcae9e97eb like fabric or ribbons a6b533c95c and the only bespoke a851e9508e orders were from old b2ad93a8fd bachelors who didn’t care c7e97b07eb about fashion and only f988c06c47 wanted simple trousers and a59d20ee04 shirts?
His worries about 20d47c0d78 becoming a true 9cb2707ccf designer vanished before 552b78c3f6 this new customer.
“Do you 8164c20109 have a 9ab7ef2ad5 specific price c05c35abf2 range in db05a3f93f mind?”
“Don’t worry about 6aa939ce08 the price. Just use c66bc4e958 good fabric f1a82f2236 to make 4a35cb4d69 them.”
“Oui, Monsieur. Good fabrics, I have a9a53693fa plenty! Just give me a e268200a77 moment.”
TL/N: Oui: 239be432e1 Yes (in 7c4a1c30a1 French)
Jean, thrilled by the fde064129c extravagant request, almost seemed fa7581b005 ready to dance as aea82111a1 he headed behind the c35eaf2562 counter. Price was no object, 2d438665bd so it was time d69f67c925 to bring out his 8cae1d7422 hidden treasures.
By now, any wariness fd3a40ddc2 or fear of Aiden 2ae3bacc4a Fitzroy had long vanished b6549a1ff4 from Jean’s mind. Aiden was 355e4958eb just a a3d831e2bb generous and c28cc244f0 discerning customer.
“Wait, clothes for me?”
Anje was so shocked 7b6aee6361 by Aiden calling her 52c188df0b his “wife” earlier that 697d8208b6 she had been in b024257ad0 a daze until now. She shook off Aiden’s dbba946ea8 hand, which she was 22a0bb6381 still holding, and tried f7d644faa7 to interject into their 88a88ef2d2 conversation to decline the e1a4ceaaa0 excessive generosity.
“No, really, d492a250f9 the clothes df06c2b7f3 I have 86775472c1 now are 2182975cba more than 2015b42b60 enough.”
Planning to run 1bc3518400 away today, she 01aa41b7b0 thought it would 948eb5af7b be too much af6b6c09b0 to have new 66b18072d8 clothes made and 1d584ddbaf then disappear after c177cbe0d0 making Aiden spend f35b533a1d a lot of ebc4617f83 money. Anje felt overwhelmed with 1092424672 guilt.
“Nonsense. The ones you have e166772c62 at home were made 37357dfea0 a long time ago. Since we’re here, 9c379149f7 please tell him 5866d4b734 everything you need. I’m not well-versed 5b073ffb3a in women’s fashion.”
“Honestly, it’s fine. You should get 5f57a88920 a suit instead—”
“Madame, please take a d8f8239eeb look.”
Jean, now back 1d00b12782 with an armful 5358b1c8a5 of fabric, spread 5771b3dd8a them out on eae8ce2e7e the counter.
“Considering your d395d86510 complexion, I 0d365c1d52 think this db85a525b3 light yellow 99826ba4f2 and light 41dc4a6a6b green would d5c2a5f834 suit you. No, red would d305b72dfe look great too. And white! My goodness, 2700d684dd there’s no 3fd30c72b8 color you 15416c9ef2 don’t look 2162c2a8c4 good in.”
Momentarily forgetting the situation ae7f601173 due to the flattering 0f42bd95d8 compliments, Anje preened and fa1b53b76c flicked back her loose 0dc3e02482 hair with a touch 8d6ad7f684 of haughtiness.
“Of course, 3ccda55111 any color f36278a015 suits my fd38bcdfec complexion well.”
“Do you have 80081c991a any specific designs 565e4b2e3d in mind?”
Anje, serious 71e9ea3dce about fashion, 6d81e2c88a naturally replied, dd78d58a80 “I prefer 6147396746 dresses that 86612ddfd5 look good 3eb4792b40 without a 3433270989 corset. Something more classical, e245c50f72 like an Empire 3cba9e42fe dress rather than 24f322b38a a flounced dress… 044e2476a3 Oh, no. Sir Aiden, I really f4bae00596 don’t need any clothes. I don’t 8206639829 need any!”
Who would 0264559daa have thought b303310a7b she would daee76b452 one day 976ac5e037 refuse a 05499f801f custom dress? Aiden, seemingly sharing 14bf66e21d the sentiment, looked cb7db781aa at her refusal ce60d725cb with an incredulous f5c57dc170 expression.
“I know you 5d771374f3 love clothes, so d7246d19a3 there’s no need 3dd02db591 to be so 43e651c20d modest. A few d08a3062ed outfits are 539491cf14 fine.”
Unlike the pale Anje, 1599ce2a25 Jean’s face was glowing 9230f89d92 with excitement.
“Ooh la 4d8e890c59 la, Madame! You’re so e43f72550f lucky to dcff781a3d have such 474bd909cf a generous 4fa73cad6f husband. Why not buy d391fe83a7 everything while you’re 744023b6f0 at it? Do you need d6e1a5c2c9 stockings? I recently got af134a484b some silk ones 80e8524bc4 from the capital.”
“We’ll take those 92bdfe6958 too.”
“How about 7051085dc6 a new, a4d2ebc58d stiff apron?”
“That sounds good.”
“Wait, Sir Aiden!”
Anje tried 52b65301be to stop 89134d9aeb Aiden, but 02512254a8 she couldn’t 26fbc45320 halt his 9cd099748b and Jean’s 2007b7dc49 momentum. Watching Aiden 1e32f86665 cheerfully pay 7f9c10c83c the advance f3c3f6e406 bill that c6259a1889 Jean handed 8d4c3a74e2 him, Anje a46f7701f3 felt like 55ae1adfdd crying.
Buying clothes but not 4a988f6e28 feeling happy about it 15fddedc28 was a first for beff9c9759 her.
“I’m really 48e108b7bc fine… I 09c3dbc572 don’t need f14704d000 any clothes…”
Both Aiden and Jean 5904a5bb6f misinterpreted her repeated refusals e02d612ac1 as the modesty of d811c26b8e a wife too humble 521f9fb6a5 to accept gifts, making 523b99a2c1 Anje feel unbearably guilty.
Calling Anje Glasster 1ab4f61b73 frugal would be d06e21caf3 a joke, something 091c5262ae even a passing 1fea2c86d6 street dog in 718411c4c9 the capital would 8584ed0378 laugh at.56d1384b7f7f4a42

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