the wall between us, james beaufort

chapter seven.

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we finally pulled up in front of a grand entrance, an overhead banner revealed that we had reached the beaufort estate.

honestly, the rest of the ride was pretty quiet. the beaufort estate was in one of the wealthiest parts of the city, therefore one i had not been in, so i had a lot to take in. james didnt seem to mind though, he was busy doing something with papers and folders he kept on his lap.

he came around and got my door, and led me inside. i tried to both look and walk like him, a regular at these sort of things, but it was so much harder than ignoring things was at maxton.

the estate was glorious, and in a way that demanded staring.

tall stain glassed windows, flowers on every side table, and grand ceilings with so much detail and thought carved into them.

"you must be ms bodart." a gentlemen met us down one hallway, and james seemed to be familiar with him.

"hi." i said, putting on my professional smile, one maxton, and definitely not people like james beaufort, had ever seen.

today, i had to let go of my pride. of my walls.

the gentlemen welcomed me, and told me he was the tailor master here, and would be showing me around their collection.

he led us to a room he called the beaufort expedition room, and three dresses were prepared at the back of it, each one with a suit to match. a dark blue royal looking one, a pink elegant but matured one, and a dark green sleeker but plain one.

"i recognize this one." i gasped, and walked up to the pink one in the middle, "my mom and i went to the victoria and albert museum fashion showing last year," i walked up to it, and fought the urge to feel the delicate but gorgeous fabric, "the queen victoria retrospective is stunning, my mother and i basically cried out of respect for its style and perspective." i hadnt realized the bubble of excitement and giddy that had entered me, but fashion always had brought it out. usually, i was with my mother, a safe crowd. now, it seemed to all spill out in front of james and his tailor.

"fashion expert, one." james side eyed me, putting a finger to his chin and turning away, sitting in a chair a little off to the side of the dresses.

i sent him a look, asking what that meant, and he just smiled at me. the tailor had begun talking, and james didnt get the chance to respond to my gesture.

instead, he mouthed it, "secrets."

i tried not to show my reaction to james keeping track of all the things he'll learn about me today. but my chest felt light again.

i redirected my attention to the tailor, describing the material and process of making this dress. fascinated and feeling like i was in a dream, james was the one to speak after him. i was in a daze.

"is it good enough for the poster?" he sipped from a gray tall glass a butler had brought him a few moments ago.

"good enough?" i giggled, my walls shaking as i realized that i was suddenly quite happy that i had come. that i was here, "its perfect." i looked back at james, "can i take some pictures."

his eyes landed on his tailor, so so did mine, and he said "of course."

after i had snapped a few, sending them to the group chat, but it was the click of another camera that got my attention.

james's. and it had been pointed at me.

"hey." i said, furrowing my eyebrows at him.

before i pressed him further on the matter, he said the unimaginable, "what you want to put it on?"