Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Lord Jennings guffawed, breaking the silence between us. He asked how Gary and I were doing. I smiled and answered.

When he left, I whispered to Gary, “Thank you for being such an incredible escort, Brother.”

Gary turned red. Fool. Count Jennings did not know me well nor were we alone. By calling me by my first name, he was snubbing Gary as my older brother.

Meanwhile, Gary had no idea he was being so disparaged.

I pitied Mildred for having grown up with such a foolish brother. I was beginning to understand why she had married twice. If you had no money as a noble, all you had was your pride. Gary was so incompetent that he had neither money nor the wherewithal to protect his sister.

“Would you like a drink?” Gary asked me carefully.

I nodded, and Gary scurried off so fast, it was like he was running from a ghost.

“Hmph.” Now that I was alone, I felt more comfortable looking around. I fluttered my hand fan and scanned the room.

The ceiling rose into conical spires that were reinforced by six pillars, which connected to the walls. It looked expensive to construct. I searched Mildred’s memories, but all I found was that she had visited once about seven years ago.

“Wow, this place is pure money.”

I admired the pillars, which were painted gold. Who cares if I was in a fairy tale? When would I ever get to visit a castle like this in the modern-day world?

This was another reason I had accepted Gary’s invitation. It’s the castle. I would be coming back here next month for the debutante ball, but I would be so busy looking after the girls that I wouldn’t have the leisure to look around. I wanted to know what parties at the castle were like.

“Hello,” said a familiar voice.

Hmm, I wonder if this paint is real gold. I was in the middle of wondering if I could take a piece of the pillar to sell when the familiar voice made me turn.

There was an extremely handsome face very close to mine. Goodness me, he’s an attractive guy.

I smiled at Daniel. “I did not expect to meet you here, my lord.”

“I, as well, Mil...” He paused to read my reaction.

Go on, why don’t you?

He saw my expression and cleared his throat and went on, “...my lady, didn’t expect you to be here either.”

“It has been years, actually, since I have come to a party at the castle. Countess Murphy has caught a cold, so I have come in her stead.”

“I see.” Daniel nodded and offered me his elbow. “And where has Lord Murphy gone?”

“To get drinks. I think he will be a while.”

Daniel and I glanced at the bar. It was crowded with people who waited as the castle servants poured drinks for the guests. I spied Gary clinging to the very edge of the crowd.

“What brings you here, my lord?” I asked, and took Daniel’s arm.

Typically, one did not come to parties at the castle alone. A party like today’s was especially so.

“I came because I was invited. Do you disapprove?” Daniel raised an eyebrow.

Huh? He came alone? I was perplexed. “To a remarriage party?”

“Eup.” Daniel made a strange sound.

I regarded him with confusion. If he’s trying to beatbox, I’ll be kind enough to listen.

“Er, puh. W-what kind of party?”

“A remarriage party.”

Another beat came out of Daniel’s mouth. Boots and cats, and boots and cats, oh yeah. I followed along to Daniel’s beatboxing sounds inside my head until he collected himself.

“A-a remarriage party?”

You’re laughing too. I took my hand away from Daniel’s arm and stood in front of him. I spoke quietly so that no one else could hear.

“Her Majesty the Queen hosts a party every year at around this time.”

“What does that have to do with remarriage?”

You have to ask? I put my hand back on Daniel’s arm and patted it. I started explaining to him with the patience of an elder.

“The debutante ball is in just one month. All the nobles will get the chance to introduce themselves to each other there. So what other reason could Her Majesty have for hosting yet another party beforehand?”

“It is a pilot test for the debutante ball.”

I stopped in my tracks and looked at Daniel. Are you ignorant or just pretending? If it’s the former, I will be disappointed. It would mean he’s just another handsome idiot.

“You think so?” I tilted my head to the side. Daniel stared at me for a while, then sighed.

Every year, the queen hosted a party one month before the debutante ball. Anyone who had debuted the year before could attend, but most attendees were unmarried nobles over thirty. Most of the people here had not married yet or had lost their spouses through death or other circumstances.

Mildred had also attended this annual party seven years ago, but it wasn’t where she met Fred.

“So are you also here to find a spouse, my lady?” Daniel asked as we continued walking. His voice sounded oddly sharp. I glanced at him, then returned my gaze in front of me.

Not at all. I don’t need a spouse. I’d said so many times already, but Mildred already had two marriages behind her, and I was from the twenty-first century. I did not want a third marriage.

“Well,” I said.

I didn’t need to tell all that to Daniel, so I answered vaguely. If someone told Gary I refused to marry a third time, he would never let me hear the end of it. I did not want to give him an avenue to attack me.

“What about you, Lord Wilford?” I directed the question to him. Daniel didn’t have a spouse either.

“If you are speaking of remarriage, no. If I marry, it would be my first.”

“Ah, in that case, you may have the privilege to call it a first marriage party.”

Daniel chuckled at my generous concession. Did he like that? I could feel him shaking from laughter. I smiled.

“Mildred.” Gary approached with two glasses, having somehow managed to get drinks for us. His forehead was shiny with sweat. He looked back and forth between me and Daniel. “I did not know where you went.”

He was scolding me for walking around without telling him. Ah, is that so?

I spoke with an especially friendly voice. “I must have lost track of time with Lord Wilford.”

It was not polite to leave one’s partner alone for too long. Nobles who had received a proper education knew that if they had left to get drinks, they should come back so their date didn’t feel abandoned.

Gary seemed unaware of this, probably because I was just his younger sister.

Once he understood that I was really saying, You left me alone for too long, Gary flushed. When his face returned to its normal color, he greeted Daniel.

“Thank you for keeping my sister company, Lord Wilford.”

“Not at all.”

“I wouldn’t want to keep you from your date.”

“That’s all right. I came alone.”

Gary cleared his throat. Oof. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. Gary had basically asked Daniel to leave us alone, and Daniel had gracefully parried the attack.

I like this man. I giggled internally as I took my glass from Gary.

Near the entrance of the hall, a servant blew a trumpet. The room fell silent and everyone turned as the servant announced the queen’s arrival.

The queen, huh? I stepped back as the crowd pressed in.

I tried to remember what the queen looked like. When Mildred was Miss Murphy, then Lady Rivera, she had attended parties at the castle every year, but I couldn’t recall her ever seeing the queen’s face.

Mildred had only ever seen the queen from far away, when she was still a princess. Mildred wasn’t that interested in either the prince or princess.

The crowd parted for Her Majesty. She stopped at the center of the room and spoke. “Lift your heads.”

It suddenly occurred to me that the queen would become Ashley’s mother-in-law if she married the prince.

Ah, my future in-law!

Thinking about it that way, the queen suddenly felt like a friend. She probably didn’t even know that I existed, but I suppose one always felt one-sided intimacy with celebrities.

With Daniel on my right and Gary on my left, I listened to the queen’s opening remarks thanking everyone for coming and wishing us a good time. I wished Daniel was on my left too, not because I wanted to do anything with Daniel, but having two handsome men around me would only double the fun, wouldn’t it?

Once the queen finished her address, the music resumed. The crowd gathered toward the walls, emptying the dance floor. A couple stepped into the opening and began to dance, as was customary.

Marriage was like a business in noble society. A husband managed the land to sustain their house and raise their family, while a wife took care of housekeeping, birthed the next heir, and educated them.

While looking for their best match, nobles had to search within the nobility. This was why the castle hosted a remarriage party as well as a debutante ball. Merry music was played and happy couples came out to dance, but no one was eager to be the first.

Thus, whoever held the highest social rank in the room was obliged to dance with their partner first. However, the queen had come alone, so the couple on the dance floor was likely some marquess and marchioness.

As I wondered who they could be, a second couple stepped onto the dance floor, building a circle for a regency dance.

Daniel extended his hand, inviting me to dance. “My lady.”

I considered it, but Gary interrupted my thoughts. “Mildred must dance with me first.”

“Really?” I asked in surprise.

Gary stiffened. I could see Daniel biting his lip. No, no. I can’t be doing this. This was Mildred’s brother. I couldn’t embarrass him in front of a stranger.

“I don’t mean that I do not want to dance with you, Gary. It’s just that it has been seven years since my last dance. Are you sure you want to dance with me, gentlemen?”

Mildred had learned to dance, of course. She was a noble daughter who had debuted. I, on the other hand, had never danced before. I wish I could say I hadn’t been a total klutz.

Unfortunately, it was me in Mildred’s body now. I had no idea if I would be able to dance like her.

“If it pleases you, my lady, I would love to dance with you.”