"Lady Evans… I believe the seat is not reserved for you. Don't you hear what the maid said?"
Diana glanced at the noble woman who rebuked her. It was Duchess Bedford. They had met several times at various ceremonies and parties as Cheshire County was in the fiefdom of Bedford Dukedom.
They never spoke to each other beyond a respectful greeting. Diana was always maintaining her manner and acted politely. Don't know what impression the Duchess Bedford had of her but today's events would definitely change that impression.
"Quickly move to your place before Her Majesty comes," she said again.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Grace. But I think this will be the most suitable chair for me."
As they argued about the seat, Ariana the Empress arrived accompanied by Elizabeth Campbell and her mother, the Duchess Campbell. Everyone stood up and greeted them. Ariana looked happy when she saw Diana, she became even more interested when she noticed where Diana was sitting.
"Please have a seat..." Ariana sat down and motioned for the people to sit back down.
Elizabeth was confused when she wanted to sit. She was supposed to sit in the first chair right to the empress but Diana had already taken it. The noble women looked at the scene with indignation and sympathy.
As the empress didn't say anything, even Duchess Campbell, Elizabeth's mother, was just observing how her daughter would deal with her problems. Another duchess reprimanded Diana again, "Lady Evans, please take your seat."
This time is the Duchess of Lennox. If Diana remembered correctly, her daughter had once been a candidate for the second prince's fiancé but Lucas had turned her down.
Instead of moving to her proper seat, Diana stood where she was and bowed to Ariana.
"Your majesty, we all know this is my first tea party banquet with the highly noble women present here. To be frankly, I'm not confident enough to be here and for that I wish that you could grant me the chance to sit right next to you, Your Majesty. That would make me feel better and I'm sure Lady Campbell will also understand. I heard that she also sat next to Your Majesty at her first tea party."
"Lady Evans, you talk too much for someone who claims to lack self-confidence." Marchioness Tweeddale did not want to miss the opportunity to satirize Diana.
Marchioness Tweeddale had the opportunity to attend to represent the Wharton Dukedom. The Duchess of Wharton was old enough and for the past few years she had struggled with health problems so she sent her daughter, Marchioness Tweeddale.
Furthermore, Marchioness Tweeddale's daughter was also another possible candidate that Lucas rejected. It was only natural for these noble women to take the opportunity to mark Diana's every move and make her mistakes clear as day.
"I only dared myself, Marchioness Tweeddale. What do you think, Your Majesty?" Somehow Diana felt that Ariana would support whatever she was going to do today.
"I don't have a problem with who sits next to me. Are you all right with this Lady Campbell?" Ariana bestowed the on Elizabeth because it was her job to compete and defend her seat.
"I'm fine, Your Majesty. Lady Evans could sit next to you." Too bad Elizabeth didn't argue, she relented and sat in the second chair. Elizabeth sat up straight but she couldn't look straight ahead because it so happened that across from her was where her mother, Duchess Kent sat. She knew
"Alright, please bring some tea and snacks…" Ariana gave the order and the tea party banquet began.
There are seven Dukedoms under the rule of the Rocchetta Kingdom. Each of them introduced themselves according to the level of power and territory.
First, Penelope Clarence, young duchess of the Clarence dukedom. Penelope recently married the duke and is still in the adjustment period so she came accompanied by Marchioness Lancaster.
The second household, from the Wharton Dukedom represented by Marchioness Tweeddale.
Then the third one, from the Grafton Dukedom was represented by Marchioness Winchester because their young duke didn't have a duchess yet.
Fourth is Anne Wilbur the Duchess of Kent, Elizabeth's mother.
Fifth, there is Talitha Monmouth, Duchess of Monmouth. She was given the title as Duchess suo jure. That means she inherited the duchess title directly from her father.
Sixth is Harriet Willow the Duchess of Bedford Dukedom and finally theri is Edith Seymour the Duchess of Lennox.
There are eleven people present at the party today including Diana, Elizabeth and Ariana the Empress. The finest teas from faraway lands and special confectioneries to the Empress's taste. Everything was going pretty well, too well that made Diana start to get bored, she came not just for make connections but to make a little riot.
Diana glanced around. Hmn, let's see who would be the best to play this game with her?
"Your Excellency Marchioness Tweeddale, I have a request. If you will permit me, I would like to send an invitation to have afternoon tea with your daughter Beatrice Tweeddale."
Marchioness Tweeddale glanced and put her cup of tea down. She was quite irritated at Diana's attitude, to have tea with this lowly girl, let her snatch her daughter's potential marriage and still dare to ask a request. "You wish to meet my daughter, Lady Evans?"
"I just realized that we are at the same age. It would be best if we became acquainted with each other. Ah, my apologies, it must have made Lady Tweeddale uncomfortable. I forgot that she was almost engaged to His Royal Highness Prince Lucas."
"Lady Evans!!"
Marchioness Tweeddale certainly didn't expect the matter to be mentioned in public even though it wasn't a secret. It was such a disgrace for her. If only her daughter could catch Lucas' attention then she wouldn't have to endure this kind of humiliation.
"Lady Evans, I don't think you lack confidence but you lack learning. I understand that because you didn't grow up in a proper environment."
"Please excuse me, Marchioness Tweeddale, may I know in what field that was still lacking? I just happened to mention something that is factual, I didn't make it up or mean to make Lady Tweeddale or Your Grace look bad."
You messed things up! Marchioness Tweeddale wanted to shout that in Diana's ear but she tried to maintain her dignity. "Of course you still have much to learn, Lady Evans. Do you even realize where you come from?"
Well, Marchioness Tweeddale fell right into the trap that Diana had hoped she would. Diana was not crazy about honor, for her it was okay to duck once in a while. She can do this amount of disgrace as long as she keeps intact she will stand still to make Ariana pay the debt..
"I totally understand where I'm coming from, apologize for my impudence. I hope you don't hate me too much, Your Grace. Your Royal Highness Prince Lucas and I are indeed engaged now but that can't even guarantee that I will marry His Highness in the future. Our engagement might be called off before that happens."
Hearing something about the call off the engagement made everyone lower their cups. Discussion like this should be a taboo among the nobility because it's a kind of failure and even a form of treason to a royal family.
"What do you mean Lady Evans? Your engagement even just got finalized last week. Do you think you can break off engagements with members of the royal family?" Marchioness Winchester also chided Diana.
"Your grace, pardon me if there is something wrong with my words, I only said it to comfort Marchioness Tweeddale."
"Thank you, Lady Evans but engagement to royalty is not something you should make for jokes." Marchioness Tweeddale was honestly pleased with Diana's idea. That was the only good thing that came out of Diana's mouth today.
"Yes, Your Grace. Of course it's not like I wish our engagement to be called off. I just happen to remember that His Majesty the late Emperor once annulled his engagement to a princess from Blois Dukedom before he married Her Majesty, Ariana the Empress and I learned a lot from that story."
Diana's words jostled everyone's memories.
The scandal that occurred at that time was not a secret but the nobles had agreed to forget it because they were all supporters of Albert II. As a result, that fact became new to the younger generation of nobles.
Like the shock Penelope was experiencing now. As the young Duchess of Clearance, Penelope thought her knowledge of royal history was good enough but this was the first time she had heard of a scandal involving the late emperor.
She was barely conscious when she asked. "Is that—"
"Your Grace, that's something that happened in the past. The late emperor's first engagement was arranged when he was very young and he did not understand love. But as his majesty grew up he met the love of his life, Her Majesty Ariana the Empress." Marchioness Lancaster fulfilled her duty to stop Penelope. With a few words she turned the scandal into a romantic fairy tale.
"Ah… Is that so?" Penelope had many questions but she knew she shouldn't be asking for the details. Marchioness Lancaster was there watching over her.
Diana and the noble women secretly glanced at Ariana, confirming her expression. It would be natural for her to be angry but Ariana maintained with perfect composure and demeanor.
"Lady Evans, you better be careful what you say. You sound like you're trying to disgrace Her Majesty." It's inevitable for someone like Marchioness Tweeddale hoped the Empress would be up in arms.
Instead of feeling humiliated, Ariana rather praised Diana, "Well… It's a beautiful story, isn't it?