Chapter 2

— The lady still refuses to eat? — asked the young maid in a neat uniform

— Yes, she hasn't even looked at the breakfast I left in her room this morning — the other girl responded cautiously and with a bit of a bad face

— It's really sad to see the Lady in such a state — the younger girl lamented in false light

Both women who were headed that morning to do that day's laundry stopped in the wide hallway of the Davier mansion while whispering to each other

— May I know what is the point of this meeting to which I have not been invited? — A voice scared them from behind, completely interrupting their conversation

— Rebecca — both sighed, exasperated by the silent entrance of one of Lady Davier's main ladies-in-waiting

— Don't you two have something to do? — Rebecca pointed to the dirty clothes in both of their hands with an air of scolding — Lady Davier's dresses will not clean themselves — the maids discerned about this

— It's a waste of time washing these dresses, Rebecca. The Marchioness is now a widow, and widows are forced to wear completely black mourning for three years, and I doubt Lady Davier will be seen at any events for a long time — the eldest argued carefully in Rebecca's presence

The head maid looked at the open-mouthed, pout-faced woman and wanted to curse her own cunning for giving the other party the opportunity to start that illusory conversation

— I care little about the information about widowhood that you just gave me. You run to the laundry room and clean each of the dresses until they are new and also the shoes too — it was more of a scolding than anything else

— Rebecca —the expression of discouragement became much deeper in both of them. The scolding and punishments had made them abruptly end the conversation they were both having

Rebecca watched them leave from a distance and disappear at the end of the hallways. After that, she carefully resumed her path towards her destination. She walked for several moments through the long corridors illuminated by the day's sun and which attracted attention due to the unusual brilliance of the green crystals that the late Marquis had brought from one of those islands in the East

The Davier mansion was a fascinating piece of ancient architecture of the great battle forts and the modern with its garden spaces, it was well known for its large parade ground and its long stables in addition to the splendid natural landscape outside

Rebecca knew every corner and passageway of that place, when she had moved there with Lady Davier she had dared and the Marquis had allowed her to explore every part of the mansion, turning architecture into something of her strangest hobby, sometimes she dreamed of designing his own palace, one as large as that of the Royal Astoria family

— Good morning Madam — a cordial greeting but not without a lack of genuine affection in your tone

Rebecca waited patiently for an answer to come, it was not like a servant to enter a nobleman's room uninvited despite the great relationship that Rebecca and Lady Davier had since they were little

—Lady Antonella, Madam, are you okay? Need help?— There was no desired response, however there was a kind of complaint turned into a moan

Rebecca took this as a cue and pushed through the dark, dull-looking room

— Too dark for a nice day like today — without thinking he opened the curtains quickly

— Rebeca? — the soft voice called

— It is good that you get up, my lady. It's a wonderful day today, it's noon and the sun is shining brighter than any other day — the young woman tried to shed a little light on Lady Davier's fallen and sick personality

— I don't want to do anything today, again — it was a sigh in the form of denial and hopelessness

— I regret to inform you that what you are asking for is impossible. It has been a month since the death of her husband and the council of the little lords of your land demand that someone appear to calm her doubts — Rebecca explained as she moved a few dresses lying around the window sill

— This weather makes me tired — Lady Davier moaned almost in pain

— As you are the only family of the Marquis, you must understand that you are now the owner and mistress of the marquisate — Rebecca continued

— My mother did not educate me for this — the Marchioness protested

— Lady Ruthy would be extremely sad if she heard your words. I witnessed the exhaustive education she received from childhood — a grim and bitter grimace took over every fraction of the servant's rough young face

— Education to become a princess, duchess or marchioness, not to govern a marquisate — Antonella smiled sadly when she remembered it

— The Empress rules alongside the Emperor and the princesses support the princes in their ascension to the throne. My lady will soon adapt too — it was too direct a scolding

— I doubt it, knowing me it's more likely that I'll end up asking my father for help — she defended

Rebecca stopped folding the white sheets and grimaced

— I don't think your father and his new wife are the most suitable — Rebecca fully discerned Lady Davier's idea

— I will never understand what a serious thing Lady Dorothea did to you — she asked between sighs

— His existence is enough to embitter mine. She has changed all the things in the mansion and your father allows it, if your mother were alive she would never allow such an aberration — the mere image of the pompous woman with red hair always flowing and feline green eyes always looking at everything with that kind of mockery and The sarcasm made every fiber of Rebecca's body filled with extreme hatred

— If my mother is still alive, my father would never have dared to think about another woman. He loved her very much — Lady Davier tried to defend the accused. She had a respectable affection for her father, he loved her too, in he own way

— Little to my knowledge, I don't even go out for two months before getting a new lady — when this happened Rebecca almost went into cardiac arrest

— Hates loneliness — Antonella did not stop

— Foolishness. You were suffering too — it was impossible to win a fight with Rebecca's snake.

— I got married — unfortunately

— That doesn't lessen your pain — Rebecca folded a sheet quickly while she lost sight of the other woman

Antonella bit her lip. Sometimes she hated that Rebbeca was right.

— What do I have on my agenda for today? Who should I meet today? Which young man should I receive today? — Lady Davier asked with little intention

— He is not a gentleman, he is one of the many emblematic characters of high society. My Lady should know who he is or even she should have met him in person — curiosity grew

— Who? The crown prince or his twin brother? — the woman asked still without moving from the bed

— Neither of both, I am talking about Mr. Florian Romain, the second son of the late Duke Romain. He wants to meet with you to discuss certain points, her husband had business with her older brother — Rebecca explained

— I never heard of a second son of Duke Romain —Antonella played with her hair

— The second young master is a man who shows little. According to many, he lives locked up in his library reading all kinds of books, he is a good friend of the Crown Prince and it is rumored that perhaps his sister is the closest candidate to become the new Empress — the gossip of the empire

— At some point I also dreamed of being one — the idea crossed his mind after a chance afternoon. The second prince who returned from the war had gotten lost in his father's territories, it had been a supposed love at first sight, then she realized that she was just a young fool

— And it could have been, if she hadn't fallen in love with the Marquis — Rebecca broke her daydream, that had happened years ago, now they were in the present

— Is an arranged marriage called love? — the marquis loved her and she loved him too, but they never truly loved each other

— You can call it whatever you want, but let's not waste time on that now, it is better to choose a dress for her meeting with the duke's son — the conversation dissipated as soon as appeared

— They are all the same, you could do it. My stepmother says that now she has to wear black for three long years — Lady Davier snorted indignantly

— Black has never been her color, but we don't want a show about her decency at the empress's next tea party — said the maid

Rebbeca opened the closet and discarded all the light or bright colored dresses, she decided on a black one with a somewhat classic and closed model

— I look like a nun. In the end my aunt's last wish was fulfilled somehow — Antonella mocked gracelessly.

— It's time, my lady, don't delay any longer — Rebecca instantly hurried her to fix her hair, which was scattered like a waterfall.

Downstairs, in the main room, Florian, in an outfit free from the deadly heat, played with a letter that he himself had dared to write in his hands.

— I just found something entertaining again. Dear Caspian, you will have to thank me later — he exclaimed, looking at everything around him.

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