As the sun rose on a new day, Lady Austine extended an invitation to Princess Ashley to join her for tea at the Ruthven mansion. The invitation was discreet, without Lady Emilia's knowledge. Lady Austine's intentions were shrouded in mystery as she sought to forge an alliance with the princess, perhaps with a shared goal of undermining Lady Emilia's position.
Sensing a chance to further her personal goals, Princess Ashley enthusiastically accepted the invitation. Unaware of the delicate maneuvers taking place behind the scenes, she arrived at the estate with a sense of expectancy.
A sense of mystery permeated the mansion as Lady Austine and Princess Ashley struck up a conversation over tea. With one lady searching the other for information and looking to unearth ulterior reasons, their discourse was full of veiled clues and subliminal insinuations.
Unaware of the ulterior motives at work, Lady Emilia smiled warmly as she entered the room and extended a sincere hello to Princess Ashley and Lady Austine. She said, "Good morning, Aunt Austine, Princess Ashley," with a genuine and pleasant voice. "What a delightful surprise to see you both here."
Lady Emilia joined the conversation as she sat down at the table and made herself a cup of tea. She listened intently to the small talk between Lady Austine and Princess Ashley, her senses keen to any minute changes in the mood. Lady Austine urged and desired that Princess Ashley be selected as Duke Matheo's spouse.
Lady Emilia was surprised by Lady Austine's insistence and was saddened to learn of her aunt's actual motivations. Glancing at Princess Ashley, she could feel the tension building as the conversation suddenly took a strange turn.
"Princess Ashley is a delightful young woman," Lady Emilia cautiously said, a hint of anxiety in her voice. "But the matter of Duke Matheo's marriage is one that should be decided by him and him alone."
Lady Austine pressed her point, her gaze hardening and her eyes sparkling with resolve. "But consider the benefits, my dear," she said, her voice convincing. "Princess Ashley comes from a prestigious lineage, and her union with Duke Matheo would solidify our family's standing in society and he can be a prince, right?."
Lady Emilia was caught between her sense of fairness and her family's loyalty, and her mind was racing with contradictory feelings. She was aware that Duke Matheo's happiness was of the utmost importance, and she could not swallowed the idea of forcing him into marriage against his will. Lady Emilia calmly said, "I understand your perspective, Aunt Austine," a hint of resolve in her voice. "But ultimately, Duke Matheo's heart is his own, and I trust that he will make the decision that is right for him."
Princess Ashley didn't say anything during the discussion, keeping her face expressionless while she heard what was being said. With their destiny entwined in ways they could hardly have imagined, Lady Emilia couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were going through the princess's mind.
As the conversation neared its end, Duke Matheo entered the room, and Princess Ashley rushed to embrace him tightly. Lady Emilia felt a pang of hurt, but Duke Matheo gently pushed away Princess Ashley's arms and took a seat beside Lady Emilia, reassuring her with his presence.
he spoke to Lady Emilia as his voice pleasant and comforting. "I'm here, Emilia," he reassured her by placing his palm over hers. The words "You are the one I love, now and always." were a comfort to Lady Emilia's broken heart, reducing her doubts and anxieties. Leaning into his embrace, she took comfort in his unwavering presence.
As Princess Ashley observed Duke Matheo's show of adoration for Lady Emilia, she was filled with quiet rage and bitterness. She was trying hard not to show how she really felt, but her clenched fists and stiff stance said otherwise. She was jealous of their obvious bond even more because she knew in her heart that her chances of gaining Duke Matheo's heart were dwindling.
Princess Ashley remarked, "May I Excuse first, I have to go back to the palace, thank you for inviting me for this tea, Aunt Austine ."
"Of course, Princess Ashley," replied Lady Austine, her tone laced with subtle satisfaction. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to catch up in the future."
A mixture of relief and worry flowed through Lady Emilia as Princess Ashley left, her footsteps resonating through the mansion's great hallways. She was aware that Princess Ashley's exit would provide a brief break from her plans, but she was also afraid of the extent to which she would go in order to gain Duke Matheo's love.
With a cunning twinkle in her eyes, Lady Austine nodded, grasping the chance to magnify her own merits in Duke Matheo's view.
"I have to admit, Princess Ashley really does have a certain something," Lady Austine said in a calm and collected manner. "But if I may be so bold, Duke Matheo, allow me to present another example of a young lady who embodies the qualities befitting of a duchess."
Lady Austine gestured with well-honed grace to Lady Emilia, who stood quietly beside Duke Matheo.
Glancing at Lady Emilia, Lady Austine's eyes glowed with a chilling intensity that made Emilia's skin crawl. With a tone full of contempt, she stated, "You may have won Duke Matheo's heart for now, my dear, but mark my words, your presence here is merely a temporary inconvenience."
Lady Emilia responded to her aunt's cold gaze with a mix of disapproval and rebellion. Even though her heart was trembling, she answered, "I will not be intimidated by you, Lady Austine," in a firm voice. "I love Duke Matheo with all my heart, and nothing you say or do can change that."
A spiteful smirk flicked at Lady Austine's corners of her mouth. With a hint of malice in her voice, she shot back, "We shall see about that, won't we?" "Mark my words, Lady Emilia, your days of happiness are numbered in this house."
Lady Emilia was left to consider the sinister ramifications of Duke Matheo's aunt remarks.
As he heard Lady Austine's bitter remarks about Lady Emilia, Duke Matheo's brows pinched in indignation. His fists clenched at his sides as his jaw tensed, hardly able to control his growing rage.
He yelled, "How dare you speak to Lady Emilia in such a manner!" in a low, menacing voice. "She is my betrothed, and I will not tolerate any disrespect towards her in this house."
Lady Austine only responded with a gloomy chuckle, her expression unwavering. "You may be blinded by infatuation, Duke Matheo, but I see through the facade," she grumbled. "Mark my words, you will come to regret your decision to align yourself with that insignificant girl."
With his voice brimming with rage, Duke Matheo stepped towards Lady Austine, his eyes blazing with outrage. His tone was steely resolve, "You may be my aunt, but if you continue to spew such venomous lies about Lady Emilia, I will not hesitate to take action."
The words of Duke Matheo echoed through the room, and Lady Austine's face contorted into a mask of scorn and frustration. She tossed her head arrogantly and stormed out of the room, her footsteps resonating through the hallway like distant thunderclaps.