"Your place is here, Miss Lockhart."
Before settling into the chair pulled out for her by the servant with a graceful gesture, Lydia couldn't help but glance around the long table. Although not all the guests had taken their seats yet, the table already looked quite full. The buzz of conversation had enveloped the surroundings.
The chairs on either side of Lydia were still empty. Considering she had attended this event to force herself to socialize and engage in conversation a bit, this seemed like a rather unpleasant joke from God.
Fortunately, Lydia was accustomed to loneliness, so she had no qualms about waiting.
Before long, the people everyone was eagerly awaiting, the stars of this event, appeared. Damian Darrington had come to dinner with the famous foreign princess and they had taken their seats at the other end of the table. The princess, adorned with pearls, had bathed the dining room in light with her white dress. Beside her, Lord Darrington seemed to have withdrawn himself in his black suit, but Lydia knew that somehow he managed to be more striking than the princess.
Lydia could see from her distant corner that the two made a perfect couple, and it stirred an unsettling feeling in her that wouldn't easily subside.
She hoped that the reason was the privileges Damian Darrington had with his good looks, despite his arrogant and selfish personality.
"Aren't they just wonderful together?"
Lady Amelia Cameron, who filled the seat beside her, had an ironic smile on her face. Lydia replied to her with her usual expression, ignoring the uneasy feeling inside her.
"It must be impossible to claim otherwise."
"Isn't it? But I don't think they have a future. The princess should start looking for a husband among our old and ugly princes. After all, Damian is just a baron!"
Lydia barely suppressed her astonishment at Amelia's frankness.
"I remember Lord Darrington is the heir to Duke Reyes,"
"Unless he receives an official document declaring him as the heir, it's just a thought, Miss Lockhart. And even if he did, the royal family wouldn't accept the son of a baron who committed suicide due to gambling debts just because society worships him!"
Somehow, what she heard had eased Lydia's discomfort a little, but as she thought about the reason for it, the uneasiness resurfaced. Why had Damian's life suddenly started to concern her?
It must be the effect of stupid gossip.
Afraid of Amelia continuing on this topic, Lydia intervened.
"If you'll excuse me, I'd like to express my gratitude for sending your own servant for me."
Because hiring a carriage to bring her to the estate was quite expensive, Lydia hadn't even considered hiring a servant for herself. Her nanny didn't like long journeys, so she had come alone, but thankfully, a servant had been sent to take care of her without even being told.
"It's not a problem at all. Lizzy is a very obedient and skilled girl. She's also very discreet."
"I completely agree, my lady."
Despite arriving at the last moment, Lizzy had quickly and carefully done her hair, making Lydia feel a little better about herself.
Just then, applause erupted at the other end of the table. The foreign princess had recited a few lines of poetry in her own language, which was enough to garner praise from those around her. However, the same poem was in Lydia's memory. She even remembered the lines that the foreign princess had forgotten and mixed up.
But Lydia had to stay silent; no one gave her the right to speak. As her gaze involuntarily focused on the princess, she noticed Damian's eyes, which had moved away from the princess. Instead of admiration, there was obvious disdain and boredom in his slightly narrowed green eyes.
Damian, ending this brief moment that revealed his true feelings, was now scanning the table for something new to entertain him when inevitably, his eyes met Lydia's.
Upon seeing the smug smile on Damian's lips, Lydia immediately averted her gaze from him. If she didn't want her mind to be further clouded by gossip, she had to avoid anything that would attract his attention and pretend he didn't exist.
Amelia, who was more than helpful to Lydia in doing this, suddenly burst into tears.
"Is something wrong, my lady?"
"I remembered Leon!"
Lydia continued to look puzzled, but then she realized that Amelia was referring to her late brother, Leon. Since Leon had turned fourteen before the accident, his engagement to Amelia was one of the topics of conversation.
Of course, his death had shattered all those plans.
As Lydia remembered her brother, she felt the old pain that still felt fresh, but she didn't think Amelia could feel the same. She finally understood why Amelia was so interested in her.
Amelia was so dreamy that she would rely on her deceased fiancé to defeat her cousin, Damian.
"Leon was like a fallen angel from heaven, if he were here, everyone would see how empty and fake Damian's devilish charm is! He was so good and kind to me! A true gentleman! Life without him is so empty! My love..."
Lydia never told her how her brother was like this to everyone.