Entering her family estate through the back door, Estelle movement were slow and quiet. However, luck really wasn't with her today.
"Where have you been, My Lady?" A maid entering the door ask as she saw the missing young lady since last night.
"Good morning, Mary." Estelle smiled showing her white teeth.
Mary eyes went from her head to toe without being disrespectful. Seeing her clothes disheveled and messy, with a slight red mark on her neck and breast only one thought entered the poor maid mind.
"Oh dear lord..." She covered her mouth.
Estelle look at her with wave in her eyes. She was scared of being caught by her esteemed parents and siblings with this disgraceful appearance.
"Can..you help me go to my room?" Pleaded Estelle.
Shock was still in the maid mind and face but she help Estelle, "The Owner of the house is still asleep, My lady. However, several servants already started working in the west direction of the mansion."
"What about my siblings? Are they asleep?"
"Only Master Damien is awake, but do not fret my lady, he left home early in the morning to go to the barracks."
Estelle let out a sigh and walk slowly until she entered her room with her maid in the back.
She immediately loosened the tie tightening her clothes and breath a sigh of relief before heading towards the bathroom.
"Help me take a bath, Mary."
She entered the tab with several petals of roses and milk water as the maid help her cleanse her body.
"I need some anti pregnancy nutriment, can you find me some?"
"Did you spend a night with a stranger, My lady?"
Estelle nodded at her question and closed her eyes.
"That was a mistake in my part... and I was also drunk." She reasoned out.
All Mary could do was sigh.
"My lady, do not forget that you are the diamond in this season. What would happend if someone saw you leaving the hotel?" Ask Marry, with a worried tone.
"Being in a hotel doesn't just mean you spent a night with someone, Mary. There could have a thousand reasoning to answer that question. So do not worry,"
She opened her eyes and turn to look at Mary, "I heard you say that my parents knew that I was missing last night, so how did they know?"
"This servant do not know on how the owner of the house caught you missing. They just started questioning all the servants in duty."
"What did they say?" ask Estelle, intrigued.
Mary dried her hands with bubbled in her clothes before answering Estelle.
"All I could hear was the answer of the Estate guard.. He didn't said anything aside from the fact that you left home with the eldest daughter of Baron Hawthorne and hadn't gotten home since then."
Guilt consumed Estelle. Sure she did left with Audrey to mend up her friends broken heart, at first they just intended to visit a Florist shop, but ended up in a seclusive brothel in Stanstead district.
After passing out, all Estelle know was that she woke up with a man beside her.
"What happened after that?"
"Young Master Adriche went out to find you but came without any news. Then, the owner of the house and your siblings went to sleep when Young Master Damien said something that we didn't heard."
"Thank you for telling me..." Estelle expressed her gratitude with a smile.
Mary bowed down, "It is my duty, My lady."
With the help of Mary and two other maid, they help her pick a dress. She pick a black dress with her skin all covered, it had lace at the bottom corner with the colour of gold.
Estelle entered the living room and saw all of her siblings and parents were already sitting in their respective sits. All left was she.
She made her way to her sit and quiet ate.
"Where did your manners go, darling? Did you left it at the hotel?" Suddenly, their Mother, Joann ask.
Estelle choked on her food before drinking a water.
"I,.." she stood up and bowed, "Good morning, may the heaven blessed your day."
"Now sit." Her mother commanded, all she could do is conceding.
"Again, what did you do inside a hotel?"
She ate slowly, "I took a night there."
"Why did you? As far as I know, you left home in the morning."
"I...my friend brought me to drink at a..."
It feels like there was something stopping her from speaking when her throat hurts. Joanna look at her youngest daughter, looking like a evil demon with her wearing a black dress in the Saint day.
"At what, darling?" She ask.
"She went to a brothel, Mother."
"Adriche!"
"Estelle!"
Both of Estelle and her father shouted at the same time when Adriche drop the bomb. Louise fork fell from her hand, Astrante choked on his water, Leto fell from his sit, Dianne mouth fell opened, Damien face flushed with embarrassment, and Joann eyes went wide.
"A brothel... oh dear lord." Joann said dramatically.
Estelle tried to explain, "No wait... it is a brothel, but not that kind of a brothel..like it was a bar not like ranch in public! It was seclusive one for widow and elder woman!"
Anthony pinched the bridge of his nose, "We do not need your explanation Estelle.. Stop..just stop, darling."
Leto tried to laugh in the awkward moment as he stood up from falling. He seated back and acted like nothing happened before laughing...but it died down when he met the eyes of his family.
"Well...that was wild, Little sis." Louise commented.
Estelle look at her eldest sister with helplessness.
"I'm sorry..."
Joann took a heavy breath and sigh, "It already happened and we do not have the power to returned time..."
"I'm sorry...mother."
"Forget it. You will be with me for the next three days, as I'll be attending a ball in Yorkshire palace as the Duke of Bibury invited us.."
Estelle was about to complain when Joann shush her.
"I do not accept a No on someone with a crime."
Thus Estelle the Darling of VanDorem family went into hell for three days after failing to bid farewell from her parents.
In those three days, gossip started flying everywhere as the new Earl of the West was appointed after his father died suddenly.
In those three days, a man who didn't broke the wall keep himself busy, not until one fateful meeting brought them together again.