Chapter 1
The snow storm has started to drop. The shape of the snowflakes was moved down to the ground. Her crimson red fabric can stain the snow even if the storm was violent. The file of snow was manifest upon the outside, as her personal server tries to persuade her to move inside. The balcony has a roof but the cold embrace of winter was entering from the inside.
“Please, milady, the Lady of the house wanted to see you in her chamber. Please reconsider.”
She declined. “She will only demand to accept the marriage. All she wanted was to elevate her status with the use of her daughter. Is it not because I'm not born a man? You should leave me, instead of following her order.”
She felt a panic upon persuading her as she left with hesitation. The lady of the house wanted to talk to her as she stepped on her chamber. She moved back to the couch to plan for her next interview in charitable institutions. Some of the charity fund has been rumored to be spent in the casino and gambling. It also used the fund to make their event glamour and intentionally buy an estate and institution. When she read the headline in the newspaper, she was astonished by this news.
The aristocrat and gentry have no idea how the donation funds become taken upon the facilities like the Orphan’s Home. The facilities were unsettled upon her visits 2 days ago. The balls and auction was only a kind of theater that throws the money to the wealthy and makes a small amount to the charity.
Their kind of hospitality and integrity upon their goal has been stained with speculation as they tried to acknowledge that the news was not true. A woman like her has many limitations, but she can't take the silence anymore. All she wanted was to make herself free from the chain of social unrest. She also searches for the ruby brooch that she doesn't know where it missed.
To light up her mood, she baked some chocolate chip cookies and strawberry cake. She also cooked pancakes and prepared hot chocolate for the winter season. She makes a slice and eats without thinking what will happen next. Only the kitchen and her chamber was her safe space for now.
Her mother smashed the glass as she scolded. “Tell your lady that she needs to accept the marriage, whether she likes it or not. The other socialite will gossip about her unfeminine act. The rumors will turn out that we are lacking in generosity by the aristocrats and make our family unjust.”
Her personal server tries to calm her. “The young lady has a final decision. I can't persuade her to follow your order.”
“If she’s unwilling to defy me, she has no choice but to accept this invitation.”
The invitation has a name on it that makes her shocked in despair. If she declines the invitation, the gossip will form to make their family become a laughingstock. She avoids only to turn their heads to their family as an avoidant and secretive in the society.
“Don't she ever try not to come. She will be intrigued by the aristocrats and much worse, she will be imprisoned or sentenced to death. You will be accountable once you don't pursue her to go. Go now!”
She makes a bow as she rushes to move in the chamber. She frowned at the invitation as she didn't want to go. She doesn't want to marry the person she didn't even meet!
She grinned in disbelief. “What should I do if even the invitation has my name on it? Should I throw this on the fireplace?”
She felt nervous as she said “I understand your hesitation, milady. But your mother insisted on making you go to the event.”
She stared at the invitation, her name was in calligraphy. This is also her perfect timing to know the truth about the funds if the half percentage will go to the charity. Not only the aristocrats are invited, even the gentry and wealthy will come to raise a fund.
She smirked as she declared. “Well, I will go, but there's one condition.
“What is it, milady?”
“Don't watch my every move and report to my mother. If you insist, I will not go.”
“I understand.”
When her server left in her chamber, she stared at the invitation with a smirk through her face. The invitation has revealed their integrity and compassion but in reality, they are glamouring with jewels and luxury. They will be targeted by the rumors and scandal once the truth has been exposed.
She needed to ensure that the money would be moved to the charitable institutions as she wanted to avoid manipulation by the wealthy. If she only can host a charity ball to give it half in the charity, she will make it. But her parents decline her idea as she can't manage to entertain the guests.
The event was too expensive to host as their family was in the lower tier of the upper class. Their current status makes her understand why she is eager to arrange her marriage with the son of the Duke. Soon, she will publish the headlines that may break out the rumors in the entire place.
When the night comes out, she leaves to their manor without notice of her mother. She sneaked into the horse quarter to use her black horse. She hasn't visited him since September as she wanted to kill the rumors.
The gravestone upon the dust of the soil has been bound in eternity. She cleaned the grave and put the white candle and Marigold flowers in the slab. She silently prayed heartily for his soul upon the incident that happened in his house. She later found out the situation when she was late to him from the assassination.
The criminal has walked the road of winter without a conscience that they killed who stand only for truth. The news is not surprising as they secretly interview the charity head that was also killed, to not expose the witness.
A witness was a superior evidence to prove that they are a fraud of helping the lower class. The hierarchy that makes their life classify on what kind of work is prepared for them. The social unrest of being a perfect example was a luminous thing to offer that they can't manage to swallow it anymore.
He was a journalist and essayist that his enemies ripped his book to hide the truth. They only fight for themselves such as social justice that needs to debunk the hierarchical system. This structure builds a gap between them that makes them do limited action, based on what the aristocrat wanted.
She needs to fulfill her mission before it's too late. As long as she leaves, the light of the candle has been blown upon the wind. The petals of marigold in the slab have been shattered. A silhouette of the man in the shadow has been gazing at the carriage until it vanishes into sight.
In the Berrine Castle, the glimpse of glamour and glittering sunlight has captured her black bun haired and brown eyes. Her aristocratic posture and face has been captured by the gentry and wealthy gentleman.
A canvas that stood in the easel is what she faced as it will display in the auction. It is day 13 of December before the charity event as she has time to finish it. It will be moved to auction to raise a fund and donate it to the charity.
Her personal servant called her as she said. “Lady Olive, your mother wants to meet you.”
She makes a curtsy before she leaves the room. She has no choice but to leave her post and move to her room to meet her mother.
She makes a curtsy before she sits upon the couch. “Why did you suddenly call me, mother?”
She put down her cigarette pipe. “I heard that you and Autumn are best friends. I have a request for you to make.”
She curiously asked. “What is it, mother?”
“Can you report to me what you know about her, including her routine and hobbies.”
She frowned upon the request. “Autumn has a quiet nature. Don't push my brother to her.”
Her eyebrows raised as she asked. “Why not? Your father insisted on connecting with her family to gain his assets and military defense. Your brother was chaotic and mischievous. He needs a proper lady to make his life become decent.”
She gives her the qualities that she knows. “She wants to read, a novelist, sculptor and painter. I also learned a technique from her. You should not push my brother to her as she was focusing on important things.”
“What do you mean? I only wanted you to know her more, as she will soon be my daughter-in-law.”
“That’s only what I know, mother. Please respect her decision on my behalf,” she makes a curtsy before she leaves in her chamber.
She handed a gesture and whispered what she would do upon following her through her room. She doesn't believe that it does only what she knows about her. She was in rage when he daughter kept a secret. The charity ball was her only hope to find out who she is.
