LUCIA

Chapter 23 The Ducal Couple

Jerome placed a large box wrapped in luxurious velvet on the table. Lucia slowly opened the box, full of expectations.

"Gasp!"

The maid next to her, peeking from the corner of her eye let out a gasp and exclaimed in surprise. It was not just the maid, Lucia was also surprised.

Inside the box was a dazzling, gorgeous looking white diamond necklace with countless diamonds hanging from it. Lucia did not really know the price of jewelry but she knew that this could not be simple jewelry, it was a treasure.

Were diamonds common gems? Normal necklaces would have a diamond present in the middle of it, resting on the breastbone, connected to a thin gold string. The diamond would just be an accessory to the rest of the necklace.

For this necklace, the main character of the necklace was a huge diamond that made her suspicious if it was really a diamond or just a piece of glass.

She had never seen anything like it before. She could guess that even if one of the noblewomen owned something like this, they would be too afraid to wear it and wouldn't dare to have it on their necks while they were out.

She hesitated, wondering in her heart if she should dare touch it then she carefully approached it and took the necklace with both of her hands. She almost missed its heavy weight when it came into her hands.

"Try it on and see, Milady."

A maid brought a full-length mirror as Lucia grew more delighted. She fastened the necklace to her neck and stood in front of the mirror. The weight of the necklace made her feel as though someone was pushing her down on her neck with two hands. Her entire neckline was densely covered with sparkling diamonds.

"It looks really good on you, Milady."

Jerome was pleased and lavished her with compliments.

"Just what... is this?"

The necklace she was expecting was a cute or common female ornament, not a rare item that seemed to have come from a royal treasury.

"Did he really buy this? As a present for me?"

"His Grace regrets that it took more time for the gift to arrive than he had planned. He wanted to give you before he departed for his inspection."

"This...this is too much."

Jerome was bewildered by Lucia's reluctant response.

"It is not too much, Milady."

"If the recipient feels burdened, then the gift is too much. Jerome, if... I were to tell His Grace that I feel burdened by this, would he be upset?"

"Yes."

Jerome replied firmly.

He had watched as his master chose this gift with quite the happy expression. It was the first time that his master had personally chosen a gift for a woman.

In the past, he would only ask Jerome to pay for whatever item the woman wanted.

Jerome didn't know if he would make a mistake talking about his master's past relationships, so he didn't say anything. He was particularly watching his mouth since he had been pretty careless in the past because of his Madam's inquires.

"You do not have to feel burdened, Milady. From His Grace's standpoint, it is not an excessive gift at all."

'My master is wealthy' was what Jerome was trying to say but Lucia took his words a little differently. That to Hugo, buying this gift was of the same significance as buying a hair comb.