"Lees, why is Heather acting like that?"
Diane asked while sipping hot chocolate in the living room.
Diane and Neris had to stay indoors for a while due to the cold, as claimed by the McKenna Earl's couple. Neris smiled wryly and said:
"She thinks you and I are making fun of her. Earlier, she pretended to be a bad person in front of others to make them chase us away. She thought that even if we defended each other, no one would believe us."
"What?"
Diane's arms got goosebumps again, just like earlier. Although Heather had said mean things to Diane since childhood, it was never as blatant as this.
Heather's words were not entirely lies, as she didn't fabricate non-existent events.
As Diane tried to find the right words, Neris took a sip of hot chocolate and summarized:
"It seems like Heather's specialty is distorting the meaning of others' words, so if we don't say anything, she won't be able to do that."
That's right. Diane felt relieved as Neris accurately described the uneasy feeling she had towards Heather. However, she still had concerns.
"But what if she doesn't stay quiet? What if she spreads exaggerated rumors?"
"Diane, has Heather ever done something like that to you before?"
Neris looked at Diane seriously. Diane fiddled with the horn-shaped cup containing hot chocolate and nodded.
"...Yes."
"Is it related to the horse incident that Betty mentioned?"
Diane's ears turned slightly red.
"...Yes."
Neris patiently looked at Diane's eyes and asked her to continue.
"Tell me more. I'm curious."
"It happened last year around this time."
Diane started telling the story, recalling her memories.
Last year, Diane received a beautiful horse as a gift. Although she was old enough, it was not a toy to play with, but a delicate decorative item with precious stones on its eyes and bridle, and a sweet, candy-like color. Everyone was envious of it.
However, on the second day after receiving the horse, while the party was still ongoing and there were many guests, the horse was found broken. Diane was very upset and tried to find the person who broke it.
The suspects were quickly narrowed down to three: Heather, Muriel, and a maid who worked at the mansion.
Heather and Muriel had entered the room where the gifts were stacked almost simultaneously, and the maid was the last one to enter and discovered the broken horse.
Heather and Muriel became each other's alibis, so the maid was the only suspect left. Although the McKenna Earl's couple was not one to judge hastily, they had no choice but to suspect the maid since there were no other suspects.
In the end, the maid was fired from the mansion without a letter of recommendation after working there for three years.
Diane couldn't accept it. The maid had worked honestly for a long time, and even if she had broken the horse, she would have confessed honestly.
Moreover, it seemed like Heather had stopped the maid from saying something to Diane, which also bothered her.
However, no one believed Diane's claims. Soon, rumors spread among the adults that "Diane is jealous of Heather and intentionally suspects her."
Angelo Railing was very upset, and the McKenna family's adults kept telling Diane that she shouldn't suspect Heather, as she had an alibi and was a kind and innocent child...
Although Heather was called a kind child, Diane knew that children could also lie to adults. However, Muriel was furious and accused Diane of trying to frame Heather.
"So, you're saying I'm lying to cover up for Heather? You're suspecting me?"
Diane was confused. If Heather was the culprit, why would Muriel take her side? Muriel was family, after all.
Continuing to claim the maid's innocence would make her seem foolish and untrustworthy to her family. Diane was just an eleven-year-old girl, and eventually, she started to doubt herself.
Around that time, Muriel scolded Diane again in front of others, and Heather intervened, speaking kindly.
"You're still young and kind, so you're being deceived by the wicked intentions of the maid."
Others, even Betty, praised Heather's kind heart and adult-like speech. However, Diane was certain that Heather didn't speak with good intentions.
Yes, the one who broke the horse might have been the maid. But Heather had emphasized "young" and "kind" with a subtle tone and a strange gaze, looking down on Diane.
Heather had been giving Diane that gaze occasionally since she started visiting the McKenna mansion. The young Diane had finally realized the meaning behind that unfamiliar gaze.
Contempt.
Diane immediately turned against Heather, claiming that she was being looked down upon.
Although Diane's expression was not as articulate as she would have liked, she was still young and lacked the vocabulary to convey her thoughts. The McKenna Earl's couple thought their daughter was just acting according to her likes and dislikes.
At least, from their perspective, it seemed like their daughter was being stubborn, while Heather was showing a surprisingly calm and collected response for her age.
"...Muriel is my friend, and Uncle Sieve and her father work together, so it's inevitable that she'll keep visiting. I'm sorry if I've been stubborn, and Mom and Dad even gave her a gift."
Diane's face looked gloomy as she finished speaking. While telling the story, she also reflected on whether she had misjudged the situation.
Was it possible that she had been trying to pin a crime on Heather just because of her unpleasant gaze? Anyway, Diane had no evidence.
On the other hand, Neris smiled lightly. Her clear and sharp eyes quickly scanned the luxurious decorations in the living room.
The red silk ribbon and glass balls decorated the branches of the artificial Christmas tree instead of a holy tree. The entire McKenna mansion, not just the living room, was lavishly decorated, which was only possible with immense wealth.
So, it wasn't surprising if there was more than one person with ulterior motives.
"You don't need to doubt yourself, Diane."
Diane's eyes widened as if Neris had read her mind. Neris spoke calmly, looking at Diane's innocent face.
"We were more certain when we came here in the carriage."
"Yes, we were... but when I saw her face again, I wondered if she had bad intentions. There's no evidence that she spread the rumor, Liz..."
"I told you before, I trust your judgment."
Neris's words, like those of a trusted friend, stirred up Diane's heart. The small doubt that had initially seemed insignificant grew into confidence and courage, filling Diane's small body.
"She really was bad!"
Diane muttered and took a deep breath. Neris nodded.
"This is your house, and you invited me, but she's trying to chase me away. And on top of that, jealousy?"
Neris's eyes scanned the room again, and she let out a cold laugh.
"Diane, do you remember what I said?"
"When?"
Diane remembered most of Neris's words. Which one was it? Neris raised an eyebrow at Diane's innocent question.
"Some words are necessarily derived from the context of the conversation, and some are not, Diane. You claim that Heather's words are suspicious, but why did the rumor spread that it's because of 'jealousy'? There are many more plausible reasons to suspect someone, don't you think?"
Diane only understood about half of Neris's words, but she managed to recall what Neris had said about Muriel.
Neris nodded firmly, her small head held high.
"You didn't show any signs of jealousy first. Why would you be jealous of Heather Railing? Yes, Diane. The rumor was probably spread by her. It's highly likely that she broke the horse too. But she claimed that the reason for your suspicion was jealousy. Then, who is really jealous?"
Who was really unbearable, full of themselves?
The family members, of course, loved the servants, always wore the best clothes, and received beautiful gifts from noble guests like a dream.
The child who thought they were smarter than others, yet had to flatter and fawn over their peers.
It was an easy story to understand, but Diane had never thought about it that way before, despite usually being perceptive.
After a moment, Diane looked at Neris with an incomprehensible expression.
"Then, why did Muriel say she and Heather entered the room almost at the same time?"
"I didn't see it myself, so I'm not sure. But Diane, tell me. Is Muriel a clever person?"
"No!"
"I thought so."
Haha. Diane couldn't help but laugh at Neris's witty response.
The laughter filled the living room, making it feel warm and cozy like a winter morning. The golden light of the winter sun seemed to sparkle in the room.
Neris looked dazed for a moment, then quickly regained her composure and focused her eyes. Diane, unaware of the brief change, smiled brightly and asked:
"Did Heather deceive Muriel?"
"It's not impossible that Muriel and Heather were in cahoots and broke your precious gift. But Muriel doesn't seem like the type to lie that well."
At least, not to the level of an adult. Anyone could see through such a simple lie.
Diane nodded seriously.
Neris placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. The simple action seemed so elegant that Diane was momentarily captivated.
Neris usually acted like an adult, but sometimes, when she relaxed, she looked like a high-born lady.
'Not that she didn't seem uncomfortable usually.'
Neris could even master the most complex poses taught by Sheridan with ease, as if she were sipping chocolate.
Diane thought that she was probably the only one who had seen Neris make such a gesture. And with that thought, she felt a little proud.
Neris, unaware of Diane's thoughts, spoke in a low, contemplative tone.
"Entering the room before or after? I don't remember where the horse was found. If Heather had broken the horse and hidden it among the other gifts, Muriel might not have seen it. There were many gifts, so she might not have checked the horse's material carefully."
"I don't know where it was found. When I realized the situation, it was already on the table."
Diane recalled that Muriel had entered the room after Heather. Had Muriel claimed that the horse was intact? What Muriel had said at the time was-
"I didn't see the broken horse."
Neris found the answer in Diane's expression and smiled coldly.
The chocolate, which had been hot and steaming at first, had cooled down and become thicker. Diane's face fell as she smelled the sweet aroma. Neris looked at Diane's pouting lips and spoke after a brief silence.
"Diane, Heather is not a big problem. I think it's just a minor misunderstanding among children, so your parents and brother are being kind to her. But if you clearly express that you don't like her, they won't let her come over. I'm worried about other people, though."
The people Neris was concerned about were Angelo Railing, who was interested in the McKenna family.
Sieve McKenna, who worked with him.
And Nualan McKenna, who was hiding behind Muriel's sharp words.