Tear Her Veil - Chapter 3 - The Marquess' Household

Morning At the De Velliere Estate

Isabella

*knocks* Lady Celine?

Isabella

Perhaps, you'd like to come down and have breakfast?

Isabella

Lady Celine?

Isabella

*opens door*

Celine De Velliere

*dead on the bed*

Isabella

Lady Celine?!

or so you thought.

I'm so exhausted.

Who knew having to keep up with appearances at a social gathering could be so exhausting.

Celine De Velliere

Isabella...

Celine De Velliere

Do you have to be so loud in the morning?

Celine De Velliere

My head is spinning like crazy!

Isabella

I was worried for a second that maybe you've passed in your sleep. Forgive me, my lady.

Celine De Velliere

If you were to find me dead, it'd be somewhere else, not on my own comfort bed.

Isabella

Now, will you be making your way down?

Isabella

Lord Lucien is home.

Celine De Velliere

Father's home?!

Isabella

I shall make preparations to get you dressed.

Isabella

*notices a dress is missing from her wardrobe*

Celine De Velliere

Isabella?

Celine De Velliere

Is something wrong?

Isabella

It's nothing, my lady.

Isabella

Let's get you properly dressed so you can see your father.

Celine De Velliere

Of course.

Isabella

And, my lady, if I may...

Celine De Velliere

Yes?

Isabella

Your midnight blue velvet gown seems to be missing from your wardrobe.

Celine De Velliere

Oh that?

Celine De Velliere

I was playing dress up last night, since I had nothing else to do.

Celine De Velliere

I seem to have ripped it on the hem though.

Celine De Velliere

Please have it delivered to the tailor to have it fixed.

Isabella

Right. Yes, my lady. I shall get on to that later.

I lied.

What really happened was, my hem got caught in a corner sometime last night. I ended up causing a rip in my dress. My poor dress.

Celine De Velliere

Thank you, Isabella.

Celine De Velliere

And this will do. Please attend to other things you need to do.

Celine De Velliere

I shall make my way to my father's study.

Isabella

At your service, Lady Celine.

---

In my father's study

Celine De Velliere

Please tell my father I seek an audience with him.

Julius

...

Julius

You may enter.

Julius

My lord, the Lady Celine seeks an audience with you.

Father

Leave us, Julius.

Julius

My lord. *bows*

Father

Well, if it isn't my precious daughter.

Celine De Velliere

Father! *I ran to him and hugged him*

Celine De Velliere

Oh how I've missed you

Celine De Velliere

You haven't been home for the past three days.

Father

There were a few delicate matters I had to resolve in Elvaris.

Father

I'm sorry, my child. For making you wait restlessly.

Celine De Velliere

That's alright, father. It's good to know that you're home safe.

Father

I heard from your mother that you've been disobedient.

Father

Is this true?

Celine De Velliere

Father, I will not lie to you. Indeed, I refused to have a meal with Mother. But don't you think she's being unreasonable?

Celine De Velliere

She's kept me imprisoned in my own room with no food but a cup of water during meal times.

Father

Celine. Be honest with me.

Celine De Velliere

I am. I've been kept as a lonesome prisoner by my mother.

Celine De Velliere

*tears*

Father

Don't cry. I'm here now.

Father

Julius?

Julius

Yes, my lord?

Father

Bring in Mirella!

---

Mother

My Lord *curtsy*

Mother

You called for me?

Celine De Velliere

*side eyes mother*

Father

You told me our daughter has been disobedient.

Father

What exactly did you mean by that?

Celine De Velliere

*glances*

Mother

My lord?

Mother

I told you. She refused to eat with me.

Mother

How could a child refuse to eat with their own mother?

Celine De Velliere

*fake tears* but that was because I was afraid to be scolded by mother, again.

Celine De Velliere

I don't want to be punished by mother.

Mother

What-

Father

You dare hit our child?!

Celine De Velliere

Father, I only wished to eat in my room yesterday because I was afraid mother was going to hit me again.

Mother

She's spitting out nonsense!

Mother

I don't hit our daughter.

Mother

How could a mother do that to her child?

Right. That's exactly what I've been wondering too. Yet, everything my father is out of town, she's always abusing me.

Father

Mirella!

Father

Then why lock her up in her room?

Celine De Velliere

And starve me... *tears*

Mother

I-

Mother

My lord. Forgive me.

Mother

I shall have her ban lifted.

Mother

I just momentarily wished to have a meal with my daughter.

Mother

In peace

Do you?

Mother

I know I have been giving her the cold shoulder for these past few years, but she is to make her debut soon

Mother

Shouldn't it be seen to the public that the mother of her child is close to her?

Mother

I only wanted to rekindle our mother-daugther relationship

Lies

Mother

And yet she refused to obey me.

Mother

My lord, I only confined her in her room to make her reflect on her actions.

More lies.

Mother

I was planning on releasing her this morning.

LIES!

If father didn't come home, I would've still been confined in my room, starving to death.

Father

If that's the case...

Celine De Velliere

Father?

Father

Celine... *sigh* listen to your mother.

Father

She's trying her best.

Father

She may not have been the best mother to you, but you two have to start working it out. You will make your debut in less than a month.

Father

You need to show to everyone that you and your mother have a healthy relationship.

Seriously?

Father is believing my mother's lies

Oh father. If only you know what really goes on in this household when you're not here.

I don't trust mother, and I never will.

Mother

My lord, if I may.

Mother

I'd like Celine to have breakfast with me.

Father

Of course.

Father

I'll be leaving soon. I'm travelling to Averwyn. I've been deployed there for two weeks.

Celine De Velliere

What?

No-

This cannot happen

Mother

I see

Father

I have matters to attend to in Averwyn. I trust that you two will work this out.

Father

I hope this household will be as lively as it was a few years ago

As if that'll ever happen

Celine De Velliere

*gloomy*

Mother

Please, take care of yourself, my lord.

Mother

We will wait for your arrival back at home.

Father

Celine?

Celine De Velliere

Yes, father?

Father

Please, be good to your mother.

You should say that to your wife!

Mother

*glances at me*

Celine De Velliere

Yes, father.

---

At the dining room

Mother

I had the cook prepare all your favourite dishes.

Celine De Velliere

Thank you, mother.

Mother

Wipe that frown off your face

Mother

If you don't want to be kept confined in your room with no food for the next two weeks, you will start obeying me.

I knew it

She was planning on keeping me confined in my room.

I guess, I'll just have to play along until father comes back home

Mother

Didn't you say you were starving to death?

Mother

There's food in front of you

Mother

Why aren't you eating?

Celine De Velliere

I- don't have the appetite.

Mother

How insolent

Mother

I provide you food, and now you don't have the appetite?

This is our first time having a meal together in a long while.

Of course, I won't have an appetite.

Celine De Velliere

*stays quiet*

Mother

I'm telling you to eat!

Celine De Velliere

It's fine, mother. You can eat. I'll just sit here in silence. *forces a smile*

Mother

*slaps my face*

Mother

I will not tolerate this behaviour!

Celine De Velliere

*in shock*

Celine De Velliere

*trembling*

There she goes again...

It's been a while since she hit me

I can't believe after all that facade she put up in front of father, she's just proving that I'm right.

Though, nothing she does, fazes me anymore.

I've been so used to it.

Celine De Velliere

Now, I've definitely lost all my appetite *I mumbled*

Mother

What was that?

Celine De Velliere

*forces a smile* Oh, it's nothing, mother. Like you said, you provided me food. How rude of me to refuse your kindness.

Kindness, yeah right

I know I haven't eaten for a day but this is like stuffing food in my mouth, I feel like vomitting it all out

Mother

After breakfast, I have matters to attend to.

Mother

I suggest you sit yourself tight in the drawing room and perhaps, practice your skill on the piano.

Mother

You're still rough on the piano.

Mother

I asked Governess Claudia to come in today after breakfast

Mother

You will continue practicing with her

Mother

Don't forget, you have a recital at your debut

Mother

A Lady should have talent at the pianoforte. Yet, where did we go wrong with you?

Mother

You can't even play the most simple music, a child could play.

Mother

Are you listening?

Celine De Velliere

Yes, mother

---

After breakfast At the drawing room

Isabella

Ms Claudia Therance

Claudia Therance

My lady *curtsy*

Celine De Velliere

Ms Therance *curtsy*

Claudia Therance

It's been a while

Celine De Velliere

It has

Claudia Therance

Oh how you've grown into such a fine lady

Claudia Therance

I heard you will be making your debut next month

Celine De Velliere

Yes, I am

Claudia Therance

But, your mother has presented a concern for your skills in the pianoforte

Celine De Velliere

I do believe I have refined my skills since the last time you taught me

Claudia Therance

We shall see

Claudia Therance

How are you with your other accomplishments?

Celine De Velliere

Thanks to your valuable lessons then, I do believe my accomplishments are on par with society's expectations

Claudia Therance

Let me have a listen to your pianoforte

Claudia Therance

Please, feel free to play whatever song you desire

Celine De Velliere

Of course

Celine De Velliere

Thank you

Now Playing: Comptine d'un autre été

Claudia Therance

That was beautifully played, my lady!

Celine De Velliere

It's my favourite music to play

Celine De Velliere

It brings me to feel a certain emotion that I am yet to feel, but I can't quite figure out what it is

Claudia Therance

That was beautiful

Celine De Velliere

Thank you

Celine De Velliere

Such praises from you, Ms Claudia, makes me feel worthy of the pianoforte

Claudia Therance

However, how about we start with a more complicated piece?

Celine De Velliere

Of course, which one?

Claudia Therance

Your mother has requested for you to play Fantaisie Impromptu, Op. 66 during your recital

Celine De Velliere

What?

Celine De Velliere

That's one of the most complicated musical pieces to play

Celine De Velliere

Not even the crown princess could perform such an intricate piece

Claudia Therance

I do believe your mother's request is quite unrealistic

I bet she's wanting me to make a laughingstock of myself during my recit

Ms Therance, if I may be so bold to suggest a piece

Claudia Therance

Of course

Claudia Therance

Which one?

Celine De Velliere

I'd like to perform Rêverie, L. 68

Claudia Therance

Why of course

Claudia Therance

I have the sheet right here

Celine De Velliere

Thank you

---

Evening In my room

Isabella

I must say, my lady. That was a beautiful piece you played on the pianoforte.

Isabella

I was enchanted by it

Celine De Velliere

Thank you, Isabella

Celine De Velliere

I don't think my skills are worth of any praise yet

Isabella

Not at all, my lady. Your performance resonated the whole entire house. Even the other servants were amazed.

Isabella

Were you planning on performing that for your recital?

Celine De Velliere

Yes *smile*

Wait, I can't trust her.

Celine De Velliere

I only jest

Celine De Velliere

I wish I could. But, mother wishes me to play another piece.

Isabella

Oh?

Isabella

I wish it were the piece you were playing earlier

Celine De Velliere

Yes, so do I...