[A Few Days Later.]
The carriage rocked gently beneath me, as wood creaked softly as iron wheels met the stones. I sat on one side with my hands folded in my lap. With a dignified posture and serene expression, I stared at the shoppers passing by.
They also glanced back, some with admiration, some with jealousy, and some with curiosity. Irene Solyne, the picture of composed nobility. The lady whose being asked by the third prince herself.
For them, I was a lucky girl who had just hit the jackpot, but in reality, I was doing mental gymnastics inside my mind. And the worst part, I can't even show it on my face.
You may ask why? The answer sat across me.
Mary.
She sat there with her spine straight, gaze lowered, hands neatly folded over her apron. The perfect image of help. Too perfect, I would say, because I could see through her every intentional act. Over the past few days, she had been… consistent.
She woke me before Jenna could lecture me on how it's not ladylike to sleep after the sun had risen. Choosing my clothes and preparing them impeccably on a daily basis.
Though I rarely got out of my room, she kept appearing with food and snacks on time and also reported everything that happened in the house. Like what market deliveries, letters received, and how Edward, my dad was taking Alex with him.
Probably explaining the businesses as Alex was thier next heir. I did not have any problem with that, but the only thing which icked me was Jenna.
After that delicious yet awkward breakfast, she never mentioned Xander, nor did she came to meet me. After she put Mary the incharge. Well, my theory is that she put Mary for my help in order to get some useful info.
Ehh, she isn't gonna get that because there wasn't any useful info, atleast not according to her interest. And yet, Mary hadn't give up, and evidence was her herself.
How her eyes lingered when I mentioned certain names. How her questions circled subtly, never direct but always leading.
Did you sleep well, my lady?
Are you still worried about that stupid rumour?It's okay, you can share your problems with me.
You haven't received any visitors since, is everythng okay between you and the prince?
No accusations. Just concern and that lowkey thirst for tea.
Jenna's interest.
I bit my lips trying to stay calm, and dustracting myself by watching the city blur past, and let my thoughts drift backward.
The days after the scandal had been… oddly quiet.
No system notifications.
No golden screen. Nothing, as if it didn't exist, and was my odd series of dream, which I know was just my anxiety talking.
And honestly, the silence was unnerving in a different way, as if the system had decided to sit back and watch my downfall. I predicted that much that it would take certain events to happen in order to appear again, but I already have enough drama on my plate.
I shifted slightly and glanced at Mary.
She met my gaze almost immediately, then lowered her eyes with practiced humility. Of course, her side eyeing is pure normal behaviour of a maid.
Mary didn't talk much during the carriage rides. Neither did I. Our conversations were polite, harmless, and mostly formal. Though she was a pawn in this situation, but talking to her had made me realized that she was more than that.
When topics like embroidery, and dresses came up, her eyes lit up, but when asked about her opinion about literature and books, she mostly went silent. Sure, people of her type never even got the chance to attend school let alone getting higher education.
I sympathized with her, and made a mark in my mind to do something for her but I made sure it didn't show this early.
Getting to the main reason why we were in a carriage is that I had sent the request to see Xander. I took some help of Mary as she exciteldy helped me with getting books for writing letters. Writing letter didn't seem a big thing, but in this world it was taken seriously.
Formal phrasing, respectful tone, no mention of urgency. A private visit, under the guise of clarifying misunderstandings and expressing gratitude was something you can't write in one go. It almost took me four days to write and revise it.
It took just one day for him to approve it, and that alone thing had unsettled me.
No questions.
No conditions.
Approved...just like that.
I tightened my fingers slightly against my skirt.
Calm down Kayla. You need to befriend Selene in order to save your dear life, I reminded myself.
The Duke's mansion soon rose ahead of us. Those same stone walls wrapped in ivy, tall and imposing, as it had always been. Guards stepped forward as our carriage slowed, peering in through the small window.
"Lady Irene Solyne," the footman announced. At once, the door was opened.
Mary stepped down first, smooth and efficient, as if she had done this a hundred times already. She turned back at once and offered her hand, helping me descend from the carriage with practiced care.
The stone path felt colder beneath my heels. Yeah, I am still getting used to these, though they were block ones but it didn't make it easier to walk with ease when all life you have lived wearing sneakers.
I straightened my posture, smoothing my dress. That's when I felt something or probably someone. That unmistakable weight of one's gaze. I actually felt him watching me, oh my god, am I going really crazy or is he really here?
I lifted my gaze to confirm what was already confirmed.
Xander stood at an open window on the upper floor, half-shadowed by the frame. One arm rested casually against the sill, the other unseen, as if he had been there long before our carriage arrived.
Watching and waiting. The moment our eyes met, I knew that it was not accidental but intentional.
His expression was calm, unreadable as usual, which was not surprising, but there was something sharp beneath it, like he had been waiting to see whether I would look up, or if I would have taken my turn to play this game with him.
A chill slid down my spine. Quickly moving my gaze down, I met with his bare upper body. His every inch contained meat, and not some bulky but defined one. His dark nipples on display. I gasped, breaking our eye contact, but not before catching that small smirk playing on his lips. I closed my eyes, trying to normalize my fastening heartbeat.
Big mistake. It was a big mistake for me to come into the lion's den.