Chapter 95.2

As the meal drew to a close, the women dispersed from the grand dining hall, leaving the men to their games. Among them, Canillia found herself the subject of the n.o.bles’ curiosity, with everyone remarking on how different she looked in pants.

“You know what? Although I had a prejudice against her because she was a commoner, she seems like a nice young lady after all,” the women commented.

Each time they asked her a question, Claude kept a fierce watch over her, deflecting their impertinent queries with a stern glare. But even with Claude’s protection, a sharp pain bloomed in her throat, as if a stone had lodged itself there. The maid noticed her discomfort and offered a soothing tea to ease her discomfort.

Canillia tried her best not to think about anything. She told herself that she came to this gathering for Jasmine’s sake, but her anger towards Claude boiled like the tea in her cup, spilling over with a heat that she couldn’t contain. It was irrational, she knew. He hadn’t done anything wrong, after all.

She knew she should be directing her rage towards Regina, demanding answers for the pain she had caused. But for some inexplicable reason, she was angrier at Claude.

He had promised to be honest with her, to never keep secrets, and yet he had betrayed her trust by concealing something from her. He had pried and prodded into her life, demanding to know every detail, yet he kept his own life shrouded in mystery.

Claude had told Canillia that he loved her, but when she had said those same three words in return, he had remained silent. The sting of his silence still lingered, gnawing at her like a persistent ache. Canillia tried to shake off the feeling, to focus on the conversation at hand, but her thoughts were a jumbled mess.

“What kind of people are your parents? What business are they in?” the young lady had asked, breaking through the haze of Canillia’s thoughts.

Jasmine answered before Canillia could even open her mouth. “She’s the Miss of the Vale family in the East. I know you’re constantly worried about cla.s.s differences, so I rudely intervened, but that’s all. Everyone knows the situation already.”

The Miss of the Vale family. Jasmine’s words had a significant impact on the room, causing the guests to exchange knowing glances and whispers. The rumors about the Vale family had been circulating in the capital for months, and now it seemed that everyone had confirmation that Canillia was the woman in question.

Canillia thanked Jasmine with a gentle smile. She didn’t want to use the name of the Vale family anymore, but she was ultimately rescued from the endless questioning about her family by Jasmine’s intervention.

“We’re waltzing. Would you like to dance to one song?”

“Oh, really?”

As if on cue, men who couldn’t partic.i.p.ate in the game began asking their wives to dance, filling the room with the sound of shuffling feet and rustling fabric. Lia watched as couples twirled past her, their movements graceful and effortless.

“Lady.” Lia turned to see a small boy standing before her, a relative of Claude’s by the looks of it. The child couldn’t have been more than eight years old, but he held himself with a regal air that belied his youth.

Lia blinked her big eyes, surprised by the sudden request. She hesitated for a moment before accepting the little gentleman’s offer, extending her hand.

“Thank you, sir,” she said, trying to keep a straight face despite the absurdity of the situation.

Due to the significant height difference, Lia had to take the child’s hand and bend her upper body, making her cheeks flush against her thick brown hair. She could feel the amused glances of the other guests on her, but she tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the music.

As the cheerful melody filled the room, Lia’s toes felt light, and the complicated thoughts in her head gradually cleared up at the sound of the child’s cheerful laughter. She followed the boy’s lead, letting him guide her across the floor in a series of dips and twirls.

“Oh, how lovely.” The whispers rippled through the ballroom as Lia and the boy twirled across the dance floor.

“What a cute couple,” someone cooed, prompting a chorus of agreement from the other guests.

“The Duke must be jealous, don’t you think?” another voice chimed in, and Lia felt her cheeks flush with embarra.s.sment.

“Of all the women I’ve seen, she seems the most beautiful. Even more than Princess Rosina,” a woman commented.

“Come to think of it, isn’t the princess engaged to the Marquis of Vale?” another replied.

The conversations in the room shifted as quickly as flipping a palm, and Lia listened to their conversation with one ear while letting it slip away with the other. She watched a yellow flower spin round and round, fluttering in the wind, and held the hand of the grinning child as they danced.

Suddenly, Lia b.u.mped into someone’s chest, and she turned to see a handsome young man smiling down at her. “Would you like to dance a song with me this time?” he asked, extending his hand.

Lia blinked, trying to come up with a polite refusal, but before she could speak, Claude appeared out of nowhere and firmly grabbed the man’s hand. “I’ll dance with her,” he said, his voice low and possessive.

The other man hastily backed away, looking startled. “Brother! No, Your Grace. Uh… it’s just one song with my sister-in-law. That’s not allowed either?” he stammered, clearly fl.u.s.tered by Claude’s sudden appearance.

“No, it’s not,” Claude said, his eyes locked on Lia’s.

As the other guests stood up abruptly, Lia forced a trembling smile and said to the child she had danced with, “It was a pleasure meeting you, sir.”

The blushing child ran off to find his mother with a bashful smile, leaving Canillia to walk away from Claude. She didn’t want to see his face right now, not after what had just happened. Feeling unwell, she told Edith and pa.s.sed through the busy reception room and out the front door, where a chilly wind blew and shook her well-groomed hair. As she moved further away from the noisy buzz in her head, a distinct emotion resurfaced, tugging at her heartstrings.

With heavy steps, Lia walked, and in the distance, only the gardener’s cabin had a light on. The busy servants were all inside, greeting guests.

“Lia,” Claude’s voice called out to her, and he grabbed her arm, making her turn around. She looked up at him, biting her lip, and the moonlight shone on his face as he breathed heavily. His face was filled with an indescribable longing, and he took her by the arm, leading her across the garden.

“Claude!” Canillia followed him, half-dragged, slowly being sucked into a deeper calmness, unable to resist his pull.

He led her through the garden towards a unique structure that caught her eye. It was a greenhouse fashioned like a birdcage, nestled in a secluded corner. Its purpose was to provide a respite from the sweltering sun, but Lia had never seen anything quite like it before.

With a gentle nudge, Claude pushed Lia onto the sofa, her voluminous dress spilling out around her. He trembled as he took her white shoulders in his hands, his eyes wild with desperation. Lia felt a flicker of the same desperation in her chest as she looked up at his distorted face.

“Please, explain,” she implored, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Lia,” Claude began, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Say something… try to persuade me, please,” Lia whispered, shaking and gasping for breath.