The risk is beautiful

Chapter 02 - Remember that time ?

Remember that time ?

After the diner, everyone retired to sleep. Ariana found herself falling asleep rapidly after her long day even though the idiocy of the Viscount was nagging at the back of her head.

Said Viscount did not fell asleep so easily as he paced around in his study, blaming himself for his careless words. He would apologise to her in the morning. He was running his words in his head, trying to come with the perfect speech. He just had is friend back, he could not loose her so fast.

The next morning after breakfast, Ariana sat with Eloise in the drawing room, answering the incessant questions of the young woman on her studies. Anthony entered the room, ready to deliver his best apology.

"Eloise, do you mind giving me a minute with Ariana please?"

Reluctantly, Eloise made her way out of the room, throwing a glare at her brother when she passed him.

Ariana was still rather angry at the Viscount for his words. She knew he was here to apologise. When they were children, he would often offend her and wait for the next day to find her and apologise. She could tell in the way he was holding himself straighter than usual and by how he was wringing his hands together behind his back. Suddenly, Ariana saw the boy she used to know standing in front of her, having prepared a speech to apologise after careless words. She could not help but smile at the sight as if no time had passed.

"Good morning." Said Ariana. It was the same words she would tell him all these years ago, a way of telling him that she was ready to listen.

"Good morning." Answered Anthony with a small smile that hinted he remembered too.

"I am sorry, Ariana for my words. I do know that you are entirely capable of taking care of your duties and that you do not need a man to do so. My words were careless and stupid. If there is someone able to fulfil these expectations it is you."

"It is fine." Sighed the young lady. "I just did not expected this from you. Do you know how many men came to my door these past few months, telling me that I could never do the work of my father? That because I was a woman, I would not be able to maintain the Earldom and that I would lead it to its loss?"

"Well, there are wrong. You are more capable than most of the men I know. I truly believe that you are able to take care of your lands and its people just as well as your father used to. You were right, my opinion of myself is too high and so is the opinion of most men on themselves. Thankfully, you are here to bring us down to earth."

They shared a smile and as she used to, so many years ago, Ariana pronounced the words that meant forgiveness.

"You better not forget it, you idiot."

On the other side of the door, the family was listening to the conversation. Daphne kept scolding her younger siblings for them to be quiet. Finally Benedict heard her and let out a breath of relief.

"She called him an idiot, he is forgiven. Everything is fine."

The day was spent rapidly. Violet and Daphne giving advice to Eloise and Ariana about the upcoming season while the men were out in business.

At diner that night, the atmosphere was much less tense than the previous day. This time, Hyacinth had took the side of Ariana and she watched the young girl receiving peas, thrown at her by her brother Gregory while she struggled to send them back.

"I have found that the spoon is much more proficient than the fork to fly peas." Ariana whispered to Hyacinth, who smiled mischievously before rapidly switching her tools and making peas rain on her brother who scoffed indignantly at his sudden struggle.