(20) Rachel's Tactic (6)
Before the ladies invited to the tea party arrived, Rachel had her maid summon Ariana.
She had invited only the ladies, knowing that what was going to happen today wouldn't be good for young ladies like Helena and Victoria. She'd also invited a few talkative and outgoing ladies, so rumors would spread quickly.
'It might be a bit of a blow to the Bronte family, but it's better than being branded with the stigma of abusing Ariana. There's no telling what Ariana might do in the capital.'
Rachel could no longer think of Ariana as a naive and foolish child.
The garden party wasn't a coincidence. Ariana had thought things through and taken the initiative, guiding the mood as she pleased.
Goosebumps appeared on Rachel's arms as she recalled Ariana staring at her with eyes as sharp as those of the Eastern Duke.
She had intended to keep her at least until she was of marriageable age, but that was no longer possible.
If Ariana harbored a dagger within her, she had to clip her wings and remove her from this mansion before she could harm Helena and Victoria.
Just as there were women who took money from men, there were also men who did the same thing to women. The man who would be in the pergola by the pond this afternoon was just such a man.
Rachel had learned that his striking appearance made him popular among the ladies.
When Rachel headed to the pergola for a short walk after enjoying tea with the ladies, the man and Ariana would be enjoying themselves there.
The ladies would witness the unmarried Ariana romping around with a man, and some would be appalled by the sight of Ariana with their lover.
She thought to avoid having to pretend to be fainting to keep the ladies in check.
Then, the ladies would start spreading the news as soon as they left Bronte Manor. Even if the Duchess of Bronte, belatedly coming to her senses, went around begging everyone to pretend they hadn't seen Arianna, there was nothing she could do. The Second Princess, a dissolute young woman who let men into the manor and indulged herself. The pitiful Duchess would go around personally pleading to protect her.
'Arianna, no matter how much venom you harbor, you're still young.'
Today's incident at the garden party would be forgotten, and Arianna's reputation would plummet. The Bronte family's reputation might suffer a bit because of this, but Arianna was also the daughter of Russell White, the Eastern Duke.
In a world where a woman's conduct mattered more than parental abuse, it would be a more serious matter.
Unlike Helena and Victoria, who grew up without any problems, Arianna refused to learn and acted unruly. She would shed a few tears at the fact that she embarrassed her family with lies at the garden party.
"The arrows of blame will be pointed at the White bloodline."
Rachel's maid came to call Ariana.
"I'll get ready and go out, so wait in the hallway."
Ariana dismissed the maid and took out the dagger hidden under the bed. She removed the ornate sheath, and the sharp blade emitted a cool light.
As soon as her index finger lightly brushed the blade, a shallow wound formed, and blood welled up.
She looked down at the drop of blood on her fingertip.
"I hope I never have to use this."
Ariana tucked the dagger neatly under her dress and left the room.
Rachel stood up and approached Ariana as soon as she entered. She gently tucked Ariana's smooth hair behind her ear and said,
"You look pretty in that."
"It's thanks to my mother looking after me."
"I bought some nice makeup when I went downtown yesterday. Would you like to put on some makeup?"
"I don't know how to do it."
"I'll do it. Sit here."
Rachel sat Ariana down at the vanity and began applying makeup herself, taking the cosmetics with her own hands.
Rachel's warm fingers brushed against Ariana's closed cheeks and eyes.
Ariana, in her past life, had desperately wanted what she longed for. She had achieved it in this life, but her heart ached at the knowledge that Rachel's touch lacked sincerity.
A mother applying her first makeup to her growing daughter was a natural thing, even for women of common birth. But to Ariana, this moment felt anything but natural.
Every touch felt like a cold, sharp blade. The Northern Duke's cold body felt even warmer.
Ariana slowly opened her eyes and examined her reflection in the mirror.
She stared at her face, vulgarized, like a woman being bought and sold for money.
"You're pretty, aren't you?"
"Yes, Mother. It's really pretty."
“I thought it looked good on you. I’ll have the maid send you these cosmetics later.”
“Thank you, Mother. You gave me such a precious gift.”
She waited for Rachel to get to the point, saying something she didn’t really mean. But once again, Rachel paused.
“I went out yesterday and bought you a necklace and bracelet that I think would suit you. See if you like them.”
Rachel pulled a silk-covered box from a drawer.
Inside the purple box was a dazzling set of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
“I made them with sapphires, the same color as your eyes. Do you like them?”
To a stranger, it sounded like the words of a mother who adored her daughter so much.
How wonderful would it be if these were sincere?
Ariana was embarrassed by the fact that she still held such unfounded expectations.
How wonderful would it be if all her mother’s affection, all her care, were genuine?
How wonderful it would be if she could talk to her without questioning the sharp edge in each word?
How happy would it be if, like an ordinary mother and daughter, she could say thank you for something kind and say "good" to something good?
Dispelling the hopes that were drifting like sand, Ariana smiled broadly. An emotionless smile was etched onto her small, pretty face like a painting.
"It's truly beautiful, Mother. May I have such a precious thing?"
"Of course. I bought it because I thought it would suit you perfectly. Come here, I'll do it."
As Rachel took out the jewelry herself and placed it on Ariana, the momentary lingering sadness vanished.
Rachel placed Ariana in front of the mirror. In it stood a woman who looked like the daughter of a wealthy man, wearing flashy jewelry that was out of place for her age.
Her makeup was too heavy, and her dress, by contrast, looked outdated and out of style.
Overall, she looked like a vulgar woman tempting a man on the street.
But Ariana smiled brightly.
"It doesn't feel like me. It's so pretty, Mother."
“Yes, I knew it would suit you well. I’m glad you like it.”
“If we go to the party like this, Her Majesty will be pleased, right?”
“Of course. If you wear a dress, every man will be able to take his eyes off you.”
“I can’t wait to go to the capital. I’m really looking forward to the imperial party.”
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to it.”
A chill passed through the eyes of the mother and daughter as they smiled and talked affectionately.
Rachel said, stroking Ariana’s hair.
“Oh, by the way... I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“You know there’s a pergola by the pond in the middle of the forest?”
“Yes, I know.”
“I stopped by yesterday and left a necklace there. I was going to ask the maids to get it, but there are some kids who have been naughty lately... Could you get it for me?”
“Yes, Mother. I will.”
“It’s an expensive item, so you have to get it. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Ariana emerged from her room at Rachel's behest, her expression fading.
Ariana stared ahead, her eyes cold. Without hesitation, she walked toward the hell Rachel had prepared for her.
Rachel paused in the hallway and looked out the window.
Watching Ariana walk unquestioningly toward the forest, a fleeting pang of guilt filled her.
She was simply born, innocent.
But when she remembered Ariana's eyes, resembling the Eastern Duke's, even the sliver of guilt vanished.
The days in the East, punctuated by loneliness and sorrow, were still vivid.
Leaving her beloved man and newborn daughter behind at the behest of her father, the Western Duke, the East was a beautiful and peaceful place, but to Rachel, it felt cold enough to chill her blood.
The Eastern Duke and his family, who regarded her with suspicion simply because she was the Western Duke's daughter, and the atmosphere in the East was something she could never get used to.
Even when Rachel was pregnant, the Eastern Duke hadn't said a single word of affection.
When she told him she was pregnant, the Duke's response was nothing more than a cold exclamation.
- "Oh."
His blue eyes, resembling the sky, shone sharply, as if he suspected that even the fact of her pregnancy might be a lie.
Rachel had been quite weak-hearted at the time. If the Duke or his family had treated her warmly, the outcome might have been different.
'It's all in the past.'
Ever since she was certain she was pregnant with an unwelcome child, Rachel felt as if the child inside her were a parasite.
She had never for a moment thought of Ariana as her daughter. This was especially true after she discovered that the unborn child resembled the Duke, not her.
Not her daughter, but the daughter of the Eastern Duke. The daughter of that cold-hearted and indifferent man.
Rachel averted her eyes from Ariana as she entered the forest.
The child's sin was that she was born the Eastern Duke's daughter. She tried so hard to kill her while she was still in the womb, yet she survived and saw the light of day.
'No one welcomed you, Ariana. So you shouldn't have harbored other thoughts. If you had remained obedient as you have been, when the time came, I would have married you into a good family.'
Ariana walked along the forest path.
Ariana had once loved this forest.
The smell of the earth, the smell of the trees, the shadows cast on the ground. The crunching sound of her feet underfoot. The occasional birdsong and the sounds of small animals scurrying about. The rustling of the grass.
She loved those things that gave her a sense of freedom.
But now, nothing in the Bronte family, no, in this secluded place, was good.
Ariana walked, looking straight ahead. She clenched her small fists and walked expressionlessly.
A white cloth draped over the pergola, large enough to accommodate five or six people.
Ariana pulled it aside.
On the table inside the pergola sat a teapot and two teacups.
Steam still rose from the cups, as if the two of them had been drinking tea together.
And the faint fragrance of aphrodisiacs filled the pergola. Small footsteps approached from behind. The sound of the pergola cloth being pulled away.
Ariana clutched the dagger she had kept in her bosom and turned around.
Before the ladies invited to the tea party arrived, Rachel had her maid summon Ariana.
She had invited only the ladies, knowing that what was going to happen today wouldn't be good for young ladies like Helena and Victoria. She'd also invited a few talkative and outgoing ladies, so rumors would spread quickly.
'It might be a bit of a blow to the Bronte family, but it's better than being branded with the stigma of abusing Ariana. There's no telling what Ariana might do in the capital.'
Rachel could no longer think of Ariana as a naive and foolish child.
The garden party wasn't a coincidence. Ariana had thought things through and taken the initiative, guiding the mood as she pleased.
Goosebumps appeared on Rachel's arms as she recalled Ariana staring at her with eyes as sharp as those of the Eastern Duke.
She had intended to keep her at least until she was of marriageable age, but that was no longer possible.
If Ariana harbored a dagger within her, she had to clip her wings and remove her from this mansion before she could harm Helena and Victoria.
Just as there were women who took money from men, there were also men who did the same thing to women. The man who would be in the pergola by the pond this afternoon was just such a man.
Rachel had learned that his striking appearance made him popular among the ladies.
When Rachel headed to the pergola for a short walk after enjoying tea with the ladies, the man and Ariana would be enjoying themselves there.
The ladies would witness the unmarried Ariana romping around with a man, and some would be appalled by the sight of Ariana with their lover.
‘I guess I’d be better off passing out.’
Then, the ladies would start spreading the news as soon as they left Bronte Manor. Even if the Duchess of Bronte, belatedly coming to her senses, went around begging everyone to pretend they hadn't seen Arianna, there was nothing she could do. The Second Princess, a dissolute young woman who let men into the manor and indulged herself. The pitiful Duchess would go around personally pleading to protect her.
'Arianna, no matter how much venom you harbor, you're still young.'
Today's incident at the garden party would be forgotten, and Arianna's reputation would plummet. The Bronte family's reputation might suffer a bit because of this, but Arianna was also the daughter of Russell White, the Eastern Duke.
In a world where a woman's conduct mattered more than parental abuse, it would be a more serious matter.
Unlike Helena and Victoria, who grew up without any problems, Arianna refused to learn and acted unruly. She would shed a few tears at the fact that she embarrassed her family with lies at the garden party.
"The arrows of blame will be pointed at the White bloodline."
***
Rachel's maid came to call Ariana.
"I'll get ready and go out, so wait in the hallway."
Ariana dismissed the maid and took out the dagger hidden under the bed. She removed the ornate sheath, and the sharp blade emitted a cool light.
As soon as her index finger lightly brushed the blade, a shallow wound formed, and blood welled up.
She looked down at the drop of blood on her fingertip.
"I hope I never have to use this."
Ariana tucked the dagger neatly under her dress and left the room.
Rachel stood up and approached Ariana as soon as she entered. She gently tucked Ariana's smooth hair behind her ear and said,
"You look pretty in that."
"It's thanks to my mother looking after me."
"I bought some nice makeup when I went downtown yesterday. Would you like to put on some makeup?"
"I don't know how to do it."
"I'll do it. Sit here."
Rachel sat Ariana down at the vanity and began applying makeup herself, taking the cosmetics with her own hands.
Rachel's warm fingers brushed against Ariana's closed cheeks and eyes.
Ariana, in her past life, had desperately wanted what she longed for. She had achieved it in this life, but her heart ached at the knowledge that Rachel's touch lacked sincerity.
A mother applying her first makeup to her growing daughter was a natural thing, even for women of common birth. But to Ariana, this moment felt anything but natural.
Every touch felt like a cold, sharp blade. The Northern Duke's cold body felt even warmer.
Ariana slowly opened her eyes and examined her reflection in the mirror.
She stared at her face, vulgarized, like a woman being bought and sold for money.
"You're pretty, aren't you?"
"Yes, Mother. It's really pretty."
“I thought it looked good on you. I’ll have the maid send you these cosmetics later.”
“Thank you, Mother. You gave me such a precious gift.”
She waited for Rachel to get to the point, saying something she didn’t really mean. But once again, Rachel paused.
“I went out yesterday and bought you a necklace and bracelet that I think would suit you. See if you like them.”
Rachel pulled a silk-covered box from a drawer.
Inside the purple box was a dazzling set of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
“I made them with sapphires, the same color as your eyes. Do you like them?”
To a stranger, it sounded like the words of a mother who adored her daughter so much.
How wonderful would it be if these were sincere?
Ariana was embarrassed by the fact that she still held such unfounded expectations.
How wonderful would it be if all her mother’s affection, all her care, were genuine?
How wonderful it would be if she could talk to her without questioning the sharp edge in each word?
How happy would it be if, like an ordinary mother and daughter, she could say thank you for something kind and say "good" to something good?
Dispelling the hopes that were drifting like sand, Ariana smiled broadly. An emotionless smile was etched onto her small, pretty face like a painting.
"It's truly beautiful, Mother. May I have such a precious thing?"
"Of course. I bought it because I thought it would suit you perfectly. Come here, I'll do it."
As Rachel took out the jewelry herself and placed it on Ariana, the momentary lingering sadness vanished.
Rachel placed Ariana in front of the mirror. In it stood a woman who looked like the daughter of a wealthy man, wearing flashy jewelry that was out of place for her age.
Her makeup was too heavy, and her dress, by contrast, looked outdated and out of style.
Overall, she looked like a vulgar woman tempting a man on the street.
But Ariana smiled brightly.
"It doesn't feel like me. It's so pretty, Mother."
“Yes, I knew it would suit you well. I’m glad you like it.”
“If we go to the party like this, Her Majesty will be pleased, right?”
“Of course. If you wear a dress, every man will be able to take his eyes off you.”
“I can’t wait to go to the capital. I’m really looking forward to the imperial party.”
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to it.”
A chill passed through the eyes of the mother and daughter as they smiled and talked affectionately.
Rachel said, stroking Ariana’s hair.
“Oh, by the way... I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“You know there’s a pergola by the pond in the middle of the forest?”
“Yes, I know.”
“I stopped by yesterday and left a necklace there. I was going to ask the maids to get it, but there are some kids who have been naughty lately... Could you get it for me?”
“Yes, Mother. I will.”
“It’s an expensive item, so you have to get it. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Ariana emerged from her room at Rachel's behest, her expression fading.
Ariana stared ahead, her eyes cold. Without hesitation, she walked toward the hell Rachel had prepared for her.
***
Rachel paused in the hallway and looked out the window.
Watching Ariana walk unquestioningly toward the forest, a fleeting pang of guilt filled her.
She was simply born, innocent.
But when she remembered Ariana's eyes, resembling the Eastern Duke's, even the sliver of guilt vanished.
The days in the East, punctuated by loneliness and sorrow, were still vivid.
Leaving her beloved man and newborn daughter behind at the behest of her father, the Western Duke, the East was a beautiful and peaceful place, but to Rachel, it felt cold enough to chill her blood.
The Eastern Duke and his family, who regarded her with suspicion simply because she was the Western Duke's daughter, and the atmosphere in the East was something she could never get used to.
Even when Rachel was pregnant, the Eastern Duke hadn't said a single word of affection.
When she told him she was pregnant, the Duke's response was nothing more than a cold exclamation.
- "Oh."
His blue eyes, resembling the sky, shone sharply, as if he suspected that even the fact of her pregnancy might be a lie.
Rachel had been quite weak-hearted at the time. If the Duke or his family had treated her warmly, the outcome might have been different.
'It's all in the past.'
Ever since she was certain she was pregnant with an unwelcome child, Rachel felt as if the child inside her were a parasite.
She had never for a moment thought of Ariana as her daughter. This was especially true after she discovered that the unborn child resembled the Duke, not her.
Not her daughter, but the daughter of the Eastern Duke. The daughter of that cold-hearted and indifferent man.
Rachel averted her eyes from Ariana as she entered the forest.
The child's sin was that she was born the Eastern Duke's daughter. She tried so hard to kill her while she was still in the womb, yet she survived and saw the light of day.
'No one welcomed you, Ariana. So you shouldn't have harbored other thoughts. If you had remained obedient as you have been, when the time came, I would have married you into a good family.'
***
Ariana walked along the forest path.
Ariana had once loved this forest.
The smell of the earth, the smell of the trees, the shadows cast on the ground. The crunching sound of her feet underfoot. The occasional birdsong and the sounds of small animals scurrying about. The rustling of the grass.
She loved those things that gave her a sense of freedom.
But now, nothing in the Bronte family, no, in this secluded place, was good.
Ariana walked, looking straight ahead. She clenched her small fists and walked expressionlessly.
A white cloth draped over the pergola, large enough to accommodate five or six people.
Ariana pulled it aside.
On the table inside the pergola sat a teapot and two teacups.
Steam still rose from the cups, as if the two of them had been drinking tea together.
And the faint fragrance of aphrodisiacs filled the pergola. Small footsteps approached from behind. The sound of the pergola cloth being pulled away.
Ariana clutched the dagger she had kept in her bosom and turned around.
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