Early in the morning, a fancy carriage branded with a logo of the Claudine family stopped in front of the palace. The door of the carriage opened lightly, and a young lady in her twenties, with dark purple hair falling over her shoulders, and black eyes suggestive of mystery and sternness, got down from it. She was wearing a dark purple velvet coat, high-heeled shoes that gently clicked on the gravel floor.
Sophie, the old maid, bowed with discipline at the entrance to the palace, saying: "Welcome back, Madam Rosalyn. How are you doing?"
Rosalyn glanced sideways at her, ignoring the greeting, and confidently walked into the palace without saying a word. Her steps were filling the place with an atmosphere of tension and coldness.
In the Grand Hall, Rosalyn found Margaret sitting on the gilded sofa, quietly sipping tea behind the glass of the window overlooking the garden.
Rosalyn approached her with a fake smile, then leaned over a little and said: "How Are you, mom-in-law?""
Margaret gently put her cup on the saucer and said in a warm tone: "bless you, my daughter...
Tell me, how is your grandmother. Viscountess Lisa, doing"
Rosalyn, sitting in front of her, answered carefully: "she's fine... Her condition has improved a lot.
Don't worry, Mom, she will recover completely soon."
Margaret smiled tenderly: "this reassures me. Now go and get some rest you look exhausted from the trip."
Rosalyn nodded, then quietly retreated to her suite.
Once she entered, she noticed a servant helping Peter put on his jacket in front of the mirror.
Peter, stood, fastening the buttons of his jacket in hurry.
"Are you back, dear!"he said with a smile that did not find its way into his eyes.
Rosalyn looked at him with rigid glances, and then coldly said: "Hey, leave the room."She pointed at the servant,
He went out head down.
Peter turned towards her and said, trying to break the deadlock: "you came back early."
Rosalyn, in a low sarcastic voice: "of course I came back, …
having heard what, you did. How dare you lose a deal this big, and the most terrible thing ... Pulled out yourself"!!
Peter, defending himself, said:"I didn't lose on purpose, the competition was fierce..." a sign of distress appeared on his face.
Rosalyn, interrupting his words, her voice gradually rises:
"A deal of this importance is not lost because of competition.
My father-in-law put his trust in you, and you were not up to the responsibility. You let him down again and again."
Peter, trying to justify his position: "Black Opal was behind it. He interfered in every detail and spoiled everything."
Rosalyn, furiously: "you're the problem here, Black Opal is just an excuse for you to cover up your failure. You would have lost, even if you were up against a street vendor in the market."
There was a moment of heavy silence, then she added, pointing to the door:
"Go now, before you're late."
Peter sighed, as if exhausted by the words, and then walked out of the room without looking behind him.
Rosalyn approached the mirror, slowly removed her glove, and then touched her face with a tense smoothness.
"Damn my luck ...."she whispered.
staring at her reflection in the mirror
"I married the only son of the count ... And now it seems that I will lose everything because of him."
She sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her face in the mirror.
Rosalyn:"Ah... Oh, my god... I just wish I could keep my youth. This man will make me old before my time."
In the evening, the family gathered at the long dinner table decorated with silver and crystal plates filled with candles and small vases. The atmosphere was warm the place was full of interesting conversations and light banter.
Kate was laughing at a comment Aaron had said, while
Amber was smiling as she looked at the servants, specifically at Eric who seemed to pretend not to notice but smiled lightly.
But what Amber didn't notice was that Rosalyn was staring at her, and then she slowly transferred her gaze to Eric, the young family servant, who stood next to the servants with eyes full of suspicion.
Count Claudine's voice cut the calm with a polite tone:
"How is the Viscountess Lisa, Rosalyn?" I hope she's getting better."
Rosalyn smiled a forced smile:
"Oh, she's getting much better, thanks for asking, My father-in-law. Having your care means a lot to us."
Then she sent a sideways glance to Amber, and mumbled to herself sarcastically: "It seems that in my absence many events have developed between these two lovers who cannot even hide their glances in front of the family and it seems that what will happen in the coming days will be interesting ."
Dinner was over, and the father stood up, heavily: "I'm going to rest, this day has exhausted me."
Margaret got up gracefully to catch up with him and said to the rest: "you guys carry on, enjoy tea."
Everyone moved to the living room, where a silver tray contained a teapot and porcelain floral cups. Everyone sat elegantly. Kate brought her chair closer to Aaron, and Rosalyn sat down in front of them.
Speaking about the annual ceremony that will soon be held at the Palace, Aaron was excited to express his opinion: "I think it would be better if the grand dance took place on the outdoor terrace this time. The air there is better, and the place will have a special splendour with Moonlight."
Kate immediately said with a bright smile: "great idea! The dance has always been inside, and the change will be refreshing."
Rosalyn, raising an eyebrow, took a long sip of tea before gently placing the Cup on the plate, and then she looked at Aaron
in a calm voice, hiding behind a clear poisonous tone she said:"don't you think that there is some kind...A little bold?…
I mean, expressing your opinion like this, like you being a family member but, in the end...You are a guest here."
There was silence for seconds.
Kate, annoyance has appeared on her face, she said: "Aaron is my father's student, he is more than just a guest, his opinion is always welcome, and I fully support him."
Rosalyn, with a slight smile tinged with suppressed anger: "of course, of course... If Kate is saying that, then we should all agree."
Amber's hand stretched out to take her cup, but her hand trembled a little, and Rosalyn's hidden glances at her earlier were still inhabiting her mind. She didn't say anything, but she felt that something uncomfortable was hiding behind her.
In the corner, Eric stood silently watching. He wasn't the type to get involved, but he could not stand Rosalyn's look at Amber. He stared at Rosalyn with a prolonged gaze, and when their eyes met, he offered slight bow before quietly leaving the room.
Aaron returned his cup to the table and said with a slight ironic smile: "I will consider that I've learned a lesson in etiquette for the nobility tonight."
Kate said with challenging glance at Rosalyn: "I like the idea and I'm going to tell my mother about it."
The conversation went on, but beneath the surface, tensions were building stone upon stone.