Rishe responds that shes fully aware of the facts and has still chosen to be Prince Arnolds bride.
Before Theo can protest, Arnold arrives, no doubt tipped off to the meeting by Rishe.
Arnold shoos Theodore away, then tells Rishe he warned her to stay away from him.
Putting his hand around her throat, he orders her to disabuse herself of that false notion.
She trusts what shes seen, and cant see him as a cruel person.
Hes killed others with that resolve in the eyes of others, and theyre the ones he feared most.
She tells him that whether this life is a dream or not, shes not running away.
If theres resolve in her eyes, its the resolve to live as his wife.
That product is nail polish that protects and strengthens nails.
In the meantime, she offers Elsie a bottle of the polish in whatever color she likes.
Rishes kindness brings tears to her eyes.
Theyre tears she insists are of happiness, but we learn later its more than that.
Shes not a fellow merchant but a customer, and Tully says the finest merchants choose their own customers.
Rishe proposes building upon the princes establishment of a minimum wage and hiring labor from the slums.
Giving the poor jobs will give them money to spend, thus making their employees their customers as well.
If he can help their families as Rishe is helping his, then they can do business together.
A lot of logistics and planning will be needed, both for the nail polish concern and her wedding.
But as was previously established, Rishe had barely slept for days.
When she collapses out of apparent exhaustion, it comes as no surprise.
Perhaps Elsies tears were more about guilt than happiness.
I wouldnt be surprised if Theo threatened her and Kamils families to make them work for him.
If he didnt, then even someone as shrewd as Rishe wasnt able to see the traitors among her.
Regardless, their betrayal is a brutal gut punch after such a well-fought victory.
