As soon as we entered, the head butler said,
"I will bring tea shortly,"
and left the two of us alone. Suddenly it was just the two of us?
First, I had to greet her properly and make a good impression.
"Thank you very much for inviting me today. I've been looking forward to seeing you, Countess Rosette."
With a full ten-year-old smile, I approached her, took her hand, and kissed the back of it. Then I stared straight into her eyes — just like Cass had taught me. I gazed at her intently.
After a moment, Countess Rosette's eyes seemed to grow slightly moist. Her cheeks flushed faintly (though it was hard to tell with her heavy makeup). She turned toward the door, but she didn't let go of my hand.
"Please, have a seat over here. And could you please stop calling me 'Countess Rosette'? Just call me Jacqueline. Everyone in the mansion calls me by my first name."
"No, that would be too sudden and disrespectful…"
