The Marquis Who's Wicked (Higher Court II)

XXV. A Courtesan's Apology

Emily was looking at the fabric stash that she wanted to buy for the newest curtain drapes that she had in mind for another one of the rooms at the townhouse. However, she did not know if she had to use the yellow curtains just because the butler had been calling that room the 'yellow room'. "I thought that would be the right choice, but what if it simply defeats the purpose of that and people might be thinking of something else?" she mumbled to herself as Emily was touching and feeling the fabrics that brought her joy to match in the yellow room.

That was until she bumped into someone.

"Oh!" Emily exclaimed as she turned to look at the person that she bumped into, a smile was plastered to her face. "I'm sorry! I didn't there was someone there. I should have been looking where I was going," she said before the other person, a young woman, turned to stare at her face. Emily gasped as she knew who she was.

Felicity Habiet.

The other woman was blinking her eyes before she was stepping closer to Emily. The marchioness was about to flee before Felicity was calling after her. "My lady! I am sorry for bumping into you. I hope you are not severely injured?" she asked, making Emily freeze to her spot as Felicity was approaching her. She blinked. What the hell happened here? Where's the Felicity Habiet that wished to claim my husband? Who is this woman, so prim and proper?! She mused before Felicity was smiling at her. Then, she laughed. "Oh, the look on your face, my lady!" she said before Felicity was dusting some of the dirt that somehow ended up on Emily's clothes.

"I wish I could capture that and show it to the world," she said as Emily stepped back from her. She was gripping the reticule as Emily was trying to gain back her composure after such a meeting that surprised her. She cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Felicity. I was not looking around when you're there. I apologize," Emily said as she was trying to get out of that vendor as soon as she could. But Felicity was not making it easier when she called out to her.

"My lady, wait!"

Emily was stepping forward but Felicity Habiet was persistent with her calling. The marchioness was gripping the reticule tighter before she stopped and turned to face the woman that claimed to be her husband's fiancée once upon a time.

"What is it? Can't you see that I am busy right now?" Emily spoke softly to her as Felicity was smiling at her. Emily knew that she wanted to gloat for her naïvetés but for once, Emily hoped that she did not make a mistake for letting Felicity Habiet take advantage of her.

But the next words that came out of Felicity Habiet surprised the damnation out of Emily.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I just want to say that I want to apologize for my behavior several weeks ago when I know that I shouldn't be so... eager with your husband at the Stone Tower. I was just trying to prove a point," she said as Emily took a deep breath.

Prove a point by using my husband? You're so making your own grave here, lady, Emily mused as she was gripping the reticule tighter, making her knuckles go white. Emily forced a smile upon her lips. "Is that so? Wanting to prove what exactly? Because I can see that you're shoving down my husband's throat was nothing to prove about," Emily hissed before she stepped away from Felicity. Emily knew that her eyes were pure obsidian right now as the color faded from her sight. But that was before Felicity said the magic words.

"I was trying to prove that you love him as much as Ian loves you," the young woman said, turning to look at Emily as the marchioness glanced over her shoulder. Then, Emily turned to look at Felicity as the young woman was smiling weakly at her. "I was trying to show to Ian that you care for him even when he married you out of to save your reputation, my lady. And I think," Felicity stepped forward as she was looking at the marchioness. "he made the right decision to marry you, even when you're that plain Jane," the courtesan said before Emily rolled her eyes.