Rachel's maids brought clothes to Ariana's room. They were clothes that Helena had worn but had outgrown and stored in storage.
This time, she didn't refuse and obediently changed into a dress, then headed to the drawing room as Rachel instructed.
It was the first time she had entered the drawing room of the Duke of Bronte's mansion for a reason other than cleaning.
Victoria, who was sitting on the sofa, smiled and waved when she saw Ariana.
"Sister, come here."
Helena pursed her lips, seeming to dislike Victoria's attitude, but didn't openly rebuke her.
'What could they be up to?'
Seeing that Helena was steadfastly holding her temper, there must have been some ulterior motive to silence her.
Ariana walked towards the sofa with a relaxed expression, but remained vigilant.
Helena glared at Ariana as she sat next to Victoria, but quickly turned to Victoria and said,
“I hope His Excellency the Northern Duke arrives in the West before he leaves for the capital. Then we could head to the capital together.”
Victoria gave her a reproachful look, but Helena continued.
“I don’t know why he’s coming to the West, but he’s probably coming to see my grandfather, right? Then he’ll definitely stop by our Bronte manor. The other families will be envious. His Excellency the Northern Duke wouldn’t visit just any family.”
Helena was certain that if the rumored Northern Duke came to the West, he would naturally come to see the Duke of Bronte’s daughters. And she didn’t think Ariana would be invited to a meeting with the Northern Duke.
Ariana, knowing Helena’s intentions behind this, suddenly wondered,
'What would his expression be if he found out that the Northern Duke was already in this manor and had encountered me several times?'
Ariana pictured Cyrus's overly beautiful face.
The reddish eyes and crimson pupils exuded a dangerous decadence, and the crimson lips contrasted with his pale skin, exuding a sensuality.
Beneath the moonlight-cool silver hair, the face was breathtakingly beautiful, but the icy coldness in his eyes was chillingly sharp.
She wondered if Helena could even breathe properly in Cyrus's presence.
"There you all are,"
Rachel said, entering the parlor with a cheerful expression. She smiled kindly at Ariana.
"Ariana, you look good in that outfit. Make sure you dress properly from now on, understand?"
It was as if Ariana had been wearing the maid's uniform on her own accord. Ariana answered meekly,
"Yes, Mother."
“The tailor will be here soon. Ariana, you will have much to prepare for this year’s social season. We will depart for the capital after mid-March, so until then, learn the etiquette of a noble lady from your older sister. Understood?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Rachel smiled contentedly, watching Ariana’s obedience. Ariana felt her mother’s smile was wet and unpleasant, like a snake.
‘In the past, I would have laughed like an idiot, delighted by that woman’s kindness.’
The kinder her mother was, the more bitter she felt about her own situation, her suspicions, and wariness. Ariana swept away the dry wind in her chest with a faint smile.
“Her Majesty will be pleased with you. You are truly beautiful,”
Victoria said affectionately, placing her hand on Ariana’s. Ariana clearly saw Helena’s face contort.
“Yes, thank you. But Miss Helena will be far more noticeable than I.”
Helena smiled smugly at Ariana's words.
Rachel narrowed her eyes slightly at Helena's lack of facial expression, then smiled elegantly and said,
"Ariana, Miss Helena? She's your sister. Don't go around calling her Miss again and call her Sister affectionately."
"Yes, Mother."
"Helena, you and your younger sister get along well."
"...I understand."
Soon, the tailor arrived with his assistants. He was the most famous tailor in the West.
While the assistants measured the girls, Rachel checked out the fabric samples and catalog the tailor had brought.
"This and this for the eldest, this and this for the second, and this and this for the third."
As Rachel chose the fabric and design, the tailor tilted his head and said,
"The eldest and youngest Princesses' dresses will suit you well, but I'm worried the Second Princess's dress might look too old for her age."
"Our second child has a mature side, so this color will suit her well. As a mother, I know better than you do."
"Of course,"
The tailor replied, trying to please Rachel, and turned to the three Princesses taking their measurements.
Helena with brown hair, Ariana with light blue hair, and Victoria with dark blonde hair. The three Princesses of Bronte were exceptionally beautiful, but Ariana was the most striking of them all.
The tailor, sensitive to fashion and gossip, had also heard rumors about the Second Princess of the Bronte dukedom. The ladies and gentlemen who had recently visited had been recounting every detail of the incident that had occurred at the Bronte dukedom's garden party.
- "How pitiful..."
- "If His Highness the Duke hadn't been behind the Duchess, I would have reported it to the authorities."
- "The Second Princess was uneducated, like a beast. I guess it's all because of her parents."
The tailor knew the Second Princess was truly a beastly girl.
Long ago, a newspaper article published a story about a child found raised by wolves in the mountains. He assumed she would have a wild, uneducated side like that child.
‘You really should take rumors with a healthy dose of skepticism.’
Unlike her two tall sisters, Ariana was on the smaller side, but her exuding presence made her seem the tallest in the room. Her neat posture and faint smile were impeccable, and her movements were as quiet and graceful as a butterfly.
As the most renowned tailor in the West, he had served countless noblewomen and young ladies, but never before had they possessed such a refined and elegant air.
Even an outdated dress couldn't diminish Ariana's beauty.
Her sky-blue hair, flowing over her shoulders, was as clear as the sun-drenched spring sky, her skin like precious pearls, her eyes like precious sapphires.
"She's like a doll."
Her face and demeanor were perfect, like a puppet created and controlled by a god himself. It was precisely this that made him feel eerie.
He knew that children of noble birth were more educated and mature than their peers, but Ariana surpassed that.
The tailor, having dealt with so many people, could appreciate Ariana's character even more.
'How could a young lady who had never learned a single bit of etiquette possess such elegance?'
It couldn't be true. There must have been a hidden secret the tailor couldn't even fathom.
But the tailor was clever, and he didn't reveal any of his doubts. He simply took the measurements and left.
After the tailor left, Rachel had the maid bring tea and cookies. Ariana had the honor of sitting on the living room sofa with her mother and sisters for tea time.
"Tomorrow, we're inviting some local ladies for a tea party. We'll be spending time with our ladies, so you should keep quiet, yes?"
Ariana found it odd that Rachel was revealing her plans for tomorrow, but she obediently answered.
"Yes, Mother."
"And we're going to the jewelry and shoe stores in a little while. Ariana, what would you like to do? Do you want to come with me?"
Rachel's voice clearly conveyed her intention to refuse. Ariana had no intention of going with them.
"No, I'm fine. Mother will choose the best jewelry and shoes for me."
"Yes, I'll do that."
Rachel didn't offer a second chance.
Ariana smiled coldly as she left the drawing room and returned to her room.
The dress Rachel had chosen for Ariana was of high quality, but the design was so old-fashioned that it would be embarrassing to wear.
If she went to the imperial party wearing something that looked like something only older ladies would wear, she would definitely be laughed at. The women would gossip about the dress Ariana wore to the debutante ball for a long time.
'It would look even more outdated if I stood next to Helena in that dress. But it doesn't matter. I have no intention of receiving the Empress's blessing anyway.'
Ariana didn't want a reputation in high society this social season.
'There's a little over two weeks until mid-March, when we depart for the capital. I have to get it before then.'
This was Ariana's weapon to deal with the peerage when she stood before the peerage. She must get her hands on the Duke and Rachel's secret.
After Ariana was released from the dungeon, she was able to eat three meals a day without fail. Rosaline brought good meals to Ariana's room every meal.
On the morning of Rachel's tea party, Rosaline brought breakfast.
As always, Ariana stopped Rosaline as she was about to leave after putting down her tray.
"Rosaline."
"Yes, Miss."
"What are your responsibilities?"
"I mainly wash the dishes and laundry. When they're short-handed, I also clean."
"Yes."
Ariana quietly looked down at the food on her tray.
Freshly baked bread, rich soup, fresh salad, tender braised meat, fried fish, and even pudding.
Rachel was doing Ariana too much of a favor.
It didn't seem to be to get her fit for the social season.
If she'd gained weight now, the dress she'd measured for yesterday would be too small to wear. If that was her intention, she should have asked for a larger size when she was measured yesterday.
'It's one of two things: either the guilt of what she's about to do, or I'll never have to wear that dress again.'
Rachel's voice clearly conveyed her intention to refuse. Ariana had no intention of going with them.
"No, I'm fine. Mother will choose the best jewelry and shoes for me."
"Yes, I'll do that."
Rachel didn't offer a second chance.
Ariana smiled coldly as she left the drawing room and returned to her room.
The dress Rachel had chosen for Ariana was of high quality, but the design was so old-fashioned that it would be embarrassing to wear.
If she went to the imperial party wearing something that looked like something only older ladies would wear, she would definitely be laughed at. The women would gossip about the dress Ariana wore to the debutante ball for a long time.
'It would look even more outdated if I stood next to Helena in that dress. But it doesn't matter. I have no intention of receiving the Empress's blessing anyway.'
Ariana didn't want a reputation in high society this social season.
'There's a little over two weeks until mid-March, when we depart for the capital. I have to get it before then.'
This was Ariana's weapon to deal with the peerage when she stood before the peerage. She must get her hands on the Duke and Rachel's secret.
***
After Ariana was released from the dungeon, she was able to eat three meals a day without fail. Rosaline brought good meals to Ariana's room every meal.
On the morning of Rachel's tea party, Rosaline brought breakfast.
As always, Ariana stopped Rosaline as she was about to leave after putting down her tray.
"Rosaline."
"Yes, Miss."
"What are your responsibilities?"
"I mainly wash the dishes and laundry. When they're short-handed, I also clean."
"Yes."
Ariana quietly looked down at the food on her tray.
Freshly baked bread, rich soup, fresh salad, tender braised meat, fried fish, and even pudding.
Rachel was doing Ariana too much of a favor.
It didn't seem to be to get her fit for the social season.
If she'd gained weight now, the dress she'd measured for yesterday would be too small to wear. If that was her intention, she should have asked for a larger size when she was measured yesterday.
'It's one of two things: either the guilt of what she's about to do, or I'll never have to wear that dress again.'
Since Rachel couldn't possibly feel guilty about Ariana, it was probably the latter. Or maybe, really, both.
Ever since Rachel had mentioned the tea party yesterday, a bad feeling had set in.
"Rosaline, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Yes, go ahead."
Ariana pulled out a trinket she'd kept and handed it to Rosaline.
"No matter what happens today, no matter what anyone asks you, can you testify that you were with me all day?"
"What do you mean...?"
“Well, I don’t know. But even if nothing happens, I’ll compensate you, so let’s just forget about this conversation then.”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Ariana lowered her eyes for a moment, thinking, then said.
“If I’m summoned by the Duchess, watch what I do. And...”
Ariana cut her off. Rosaline stood there, clasping her hands together, waiting for Ariana to speak.
After a long moment, Ariana leaned in close to Rosaline and whispered softly. It was a strange instruction, but Rosaline answered calmly.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Ever since Rachel had mentioned the tea party yesterday, a bad feeling had set in.
"Rosaline, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Yes, go ahead."
Ariana pulled out a trinket she'd kept and handed it to Rosaline.
"No matter what happens today, no matter what anyone asks you, can you testify that you were with me all day?"
"What do you mean...?"
“Well, I don’t know. But even if nothing happens, I’ll compensate you, so let’s just forget about this conversation then.”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Ariana lowered her eyes for a moment, thinking, then said.
“If I’m summoned by the Duchess, watch what I do. And...”
Ariana cut her off. Rosaline stood there, clasping her hands together, waiting for Ariana to speak.
After a long moment, Ariana leaned in close to Rosaline and whispered softly. It was a strange instruction, but Rosaline answered calmly.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
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