The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 159: Silent Call For Help (1)

Chapter 159: Silent Call For Help (1)

Madeline and Inna strolled along the cobbled stone street after getting down from the transport carriage that brought them to Larton Boulevard - one of the places in the upper East quarters with unique shops and plethora of experiences to offer. The sounds of their footsteps echoed in the quiet air as they conversed softly down the path, with Inna pointing to some directions that led to any fancy estate she knew.

The street was lined with trees whose leaves had turned a beautiful golden hue, fluttering gently in the soft breeze. The autumn air was crisp and cool, just enough to warrant a sweater but not heavy enough for a coat.

"The weather has always been unpredictable. Sigh... I should probably put the umbrella away." Uttered Inna who had assumed the sun would be out today. She quickly closed her umbrella to avoid being the odd one out of everyone strolling by.

As they walked, Madeline breathed in the scent of fallen leaves mixed with the sweet aroma of baked goods wafting out of the nearby bakery. The sky was a soft shade of blue, with a few fluffy clouds passing overhead, perfectly showcasing the scenic beauty of the autumn season.

Inna couldn’t help but smile as she looked around, feeling the peaceful atmosphere of the quiet street. With the hustle and bustle of the main street, it was a welcome change to enjoy a leisurely walk in nature.

Taking a turn down the divided pathway, Madeline and Inna noticed a shop ahead, and Inna smiled when the modest-looking building came into view.

"There, that is the seamstress shop, the one mother and I always visit to tend to our dresses, come, I’ll introduce you." Inna hastened in her footsteps, and Madeline readily followed.

As they stepped into the seamstress shop, a tall, slender lady with dark curly hair greeted them with a wide smile. "Inna, my dear! It’s so wonderful to see you again!" She exclaimed.

With a smile, Inna hugged the excited lady in return, "it’s great to see you too, Miss Ariana. This is my sister-in-law, Madeline. I brought her here cause I knew you would choose a perfect dress that would suit us both for the Charity ball we’ll be attending tomorrow evening."

Hearing this, Miss Ariana beamed at Madeline who bowed her head slightly in a form of greeting, "hello."

"Hi! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Madeline! I’ve heard a lot about you and what happened to you. For once, I am happy to see a woman get justice for molestation, and Lord Jeremy deserved whatever he got." The chatterbox Ariana continued with a sweet smile that told Madeline she was being honest, and Madeline knew she meant well.

"Thank you."

"Happy to see you at my shop. Come with me, let’s see what we have for you."

Madeline quietly followed Miss Ariana to the back of the shop, where a rack of beautiful dresses hung from the ceiling. Inna leaned against the counter, watching Madeline as she tried on a dress she had picked from the rack of clothes.

"How does it feel?" Inna asked as Madeline twirled around in front of the mirror, her lavender colored dress gracefully moving with her.

"It’s perfect! I can’t believe how well it fits," Madeline said, admiring herself in the mirror.

Miss Ariana smiled at her acknowledgment, "I’m glad you’re happy with it. The color really brings out your eyes."

Inna giggled, "I’m next on the list, Miss Ariana. Can’t have Madeline stealing my thunder, can we?"

Miss Ariana laughed, "Of course not, my dear. Let’s see what we have for you."

As Inna got measured for her dress, Madeline browsed the shop to keep herself busy, admiring the various fabrics and designs. She knew that she would come back to Miss Ariana’s shop for her next special occasion, because from her evident works, it was more than obvious she’s good at doing her job.

"I can’t wait to wear my dress to the charity ball. Thank you so much, Miss Ariana," Madeline said as they left the shop when they were done.

"It’s always a pleasure to work with the both of you, and Lady Madeline, I look forward to seeing you again soon!" Miss Ariana called out as they walked away, arm in arm.

"I admire her cordial nature." Commented Madeline as they left the shop, and Inna nodded in agreement.

"She’s a lovely person, and her works are greatly recommended from the highest nobles in the upper East quarters, she’s that good."

As they continued down the street, Madeline and Inna reached a particular spot where another carriage awaited to take them back to Calchester street, the place where Cassian’s home was located.

The Carriage was a beautiful golden color, and the well-dressed Coachman, upon sighting two pretty women bowed his head as a form of greeting, wanting to gain their attention, and the two lady’s who noticed, returned his bow with a smile before getting into the carriage, not giving him a chance to start a meaningless conversation with them.

As they approached the seat of the carriage, they noticed three unexpected passengers were already inside.

An elderly woman, a strange man dressed in a black coat and hat, and beside him was a young girl who looked no older than fifteen.

Madeline’s eyes were locked on the girl who shrunk herself at the corner of her seat. Her brown hair fell in long, messy waves down her back, and with her head bent forward, many locks of hair fell to her front, shielding her face and making it difficult for Madeline to see the girl’s features.

Her clothing was haphazardly thrown together, with a ragged skirt and a wrinkled blouse. As though feeling a pair of eyes on her, the girl slowly tilted her head up to look at Madeline, and her stormy gray eyes caught a pair of dark cryptic orbs, but Madeline didn’t let her gaze linger for too long as she looked somewhere else.

As they settled into the carriage, Madeline couldn’t help but stare at the girl from time to time. There was something about her that was unsettling, like she was hiding something beneath her glaring exterior.

Inna, on the other hand, was entirely unfazed, chatting amiably about the evening ahead.

The girl looked up once again, catching Madeline’s gaze, and there was a flash of something in her eyes- fear, perhaps, or something darker. Madeline looked away, feeling a chill run down her spine.

As the carriage began to move, the girl remained silent as she picked on her nails, her hands making her nervousness known. She looked to her right, staring at the man who was sitting beside her as if to confirm something before looking at Madeline.

Slowly, the girl brought out a note she had hid under her seat. Subconsciously crumpling it in her palms due to her nervous state, she looked at the man who was asleep beside her before throwing the little note at Madeline, startling both her and Inna.

"Why did you?..." Inna, who thought the girl was being rude, was at the point of yelling at her when Madeline signaled for Inna to calm down, noticing how the girl’s face transformed into one of panic when she sensed the scream coming.

Thanks to Madeline, Inna no longer raised her voice, but she passed a warning glare at the girl before looking at Madeline who quietly opened the note the girl had thrown in her direction.

Reading the content, Madeline’s eyes gradually widened upon seeing it was a letter, requesting for her help. Looking at the girl to ask what the problem was, she saw her mouth move.

"Help me." The moment she mouthed these words, the carriage came to a stop, startling the girl who involuntarily gasped, and the man beside her awoke.

"Those dropping on Pran street alley, we’ve reached Pran street Alley!!" The Coachman made the passengers aware of where they had stopped.

Madeline watched as the girl hesitantly got to her feet, and beside her was the man who kept monitoring her from his hidden gaze without saying a word. Hesitantly, the girl dropped down, and Madeline watched as the strange man with a hat came down from the carriage as well.

The frightened girl heard the carriage continue on its journey, thus, her heart sped upon knowing the weird man had followed her down. Worst of all, Pran street Alley was a lonely place for her to be in.

The girl walked with her nervous fingers grabbing the hem of her skirt, and the strange man followed her. Making sure there was no passerby, the strange man brought out a handkerchief, ready to cover the girl’s nose from behind when a voice made him retract his movement.

"Excuse me, you forgot something." Madeline, who had gotten down from the Carriage with Inna, hurried to meet the girl whose teary eyes got filled with hope, and as though alarmed by their presence, the strange man quickly took another turn, leaving the girl.

Madeline came to stand in front of the girl once the man was gone, and she had to stop because the girl’s note proved she was in trouble, and that man already made her believe it.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

Rather than answering, the girl immediately broke down into tears as her weak knees made her sink to the ground, and Madeline crouched before her, allowing the girl to hug her as she cried non-stop.

"Thank you...for...for saving me."