The Uncommon Villainess

Chapter 17

Preparing to organize a tea party exhausted me a lot, mentally. My mother kept reminding me about the party every single day until the day of it. Although I was not the one that responsible for managing it but I knew every details of the progress as I was overseeing everything to make sure it was perfect.

My mother, the Duchess organized the tea party initially for me to socialize more. At some point mother realized I had no friend except my siblings and she worried I would be an outcast among nobles. I cringed at her words but her intention was good so I just accepted her decision.

The tea party was held in our main garden and mother placed extra care in the flowers for it to bloom beautifully when our guests were there. A long table was placed at the patio and it was decorated with some roses.

The tea were prepared in white teacup with beautiful abstract embroidered on it. Freshly baked snacks and sweets were made together for today tea party.

As I was doing some work before going to the garden, undoubtedly I was the only one arrived late for the tea party. I had informed mother that I was going to be late but I didn't know that I was going to be 'this' late.

I fastened my pace and my gaze unexpectedly met with my mother's and she glared a little at me. I gulped at her and showed an apologetic smile towards mother. She just shook her head and beckoned me over.

       "Everyone, this is my oldest daughter, Ava." Mother introduced me as soon as I stood at her side.

       "I'm sorry for being late."

       "That's alright my Lady. We just arrived anyway." A middle age lady with dark blue gown spoke while smiling at me. Beside her there was a young lady with pink laced gown staring at me, curiously.

Why?

Later mother informed me that the dark blue gown was the wife of Duke Ellington, Duchess Raelynn Gower and she brought her only daughter, Lady Danica Ellington.

I scanned the crowd and saw a face that I knew - the heroin. I forgot she was one of the guests when I received the invitation list from mother. She came with her mother, Baroness Miuccia Storm and her oldest sister, Brynlee Fulke. Looking at three of them, I knew Willa got most of her beauty traits from the Baroness since Baroness was a well known beauty at her prime age. Not to mention Baron Arrow Fulke also was a handsome man, thus it was normal for them to have such beautiful children.

The tea party mostly filled with meaningless gossips nobles always love to speak. You would know everything once someone started talking. Rumours spread like fire and that was one of the reason why I always avoided to start conversation with nobles and attended any party.

      "Prince coming-of-age ceremony just around the corner. Will you attend it my Lady?" I was peacefully sipping my tea when someone threw me that question. I looked up and saw the lady smirking at me while holding her tea. I instantly turned at my side and my mother was twitching  while my sisters put down their own teacups and sat straightly.

       "As the prince's fiancee I surely will attend it. Isn't it weird for me to skip it? Don't you think so Lady Rieka Hillium?" Straightly looking at her eyes, I uttered those words. She was taken back at my answer and coughed a little bit. Then, she smiled slightly.

       "Of course my Lady. You're right." I thought she would finished her speech but she continued with another.

      "I thought you would not be attending since there is a rumour about your distant relationship with his royal Highness."

Looking around I could see almost all the guests anticipated my answer while maintaining their nobles act. Sighed, I inwardly reminded myself that in the eyes of nobles, Ava Langston is not a suitable match for the prince. Even after the news of my engagement broke out, they took it lightly as the ladies still chasing after the prince.

       "Well, our intimacy are ours to keep. I don't see reason why we need to show it."

       "There is no smoke without fire. But I will accept it as false like you say, my Lady." I could feel my head throbbing at that.

What is actually you want to say to me?

I just smiled at her and silence filled our surroundings for a long time. The long silence was broke by my mother as she wanted to end our tea party. After that our guests started to leave one by one. Not too long after that I watched my mother stormed her way to my father's study room. Emmy and Livia stood close to me and we left the garden to chase after our mother.

*******

The terrible tea party ended with my mother ranted her heart out to my father. As the conclusion my father advised me to pay no attention to the rumours. I listened to him but mother seemed unsatisfied with my father's action.

       "My lady, there is an invitation letter from the palace." Clarissa placed down the letter on my table. Judging from the timing it must be letter for the prince's coming-of-age ceremony. I just looked past the letter and continued to do my work. A lot of issue need my attention and I need to finish it fast.

After an hour, Sir Hobert came with bundle of papers. He came to informed me about Boaz Valley issue. He told me that some illegal trading has been ongoing in Boaz Valley and the youngsters were the victims for slave trade. It has been around for around a year and some high officers involved in it. That was the reason why no report had come to my father about it. It was insiders wrong doing after all.

Sir Hobert had been collected enough evidence for me to submit it to father. Without wasting any time I immediately went to my father's study room and reported about it to my father. Father was perplexed at my report but we immediately devised a plan after that. The next day, father with some police officers arrested the perpetrators and they were put in jail.

My mission was to build back Boaz Valley to be a suitable place for the youngsters to live. I proposed to build an orphanage for them and an institution around the same place. Father liked my idea and instructed me to prepare a complete proposal for that.