However, to defend herself, anyone who faced Nobert Ashbon’s face would inevitably have the same delusion.
He was looking at her as if he were gazing upon something incredibly precious and noble.
His red eyes, staring at her with longing, ensnared her breath with their deep, rich light, and the scent of the man, along with the warmth of his body, sent a shiver down her spine.
For a woman who roams through every season and day in search of love, this moment felt like the beginning of love.
Ariella thought, slowly fluttering her long eyelashes.
But this was a story that had nothing to do with her.
“Thank you. I almost showed a disgraceful sight in front of everyone.”
Ariella smiled brightly and detached herself from him, who had been so close for a moment.
The way she seamlessly continued the dance was so natural that most nobles didn’t even realize she had stumbled.
“When the song ends, I will need to converse with the guests for a while. Will you be leaving right away, Your Grace?”
As if nothing had happened, she asked, but Nobert remained silent with a stiff expression. Although he had caught up with the dance in time, his handsome face was clearly marked with either anger or confusion.
“Or…”
Ariella winked and continued in a soft voice.
“Could you wait for me on that balcony for a moment?”
She added in a whisper that could easily be misinterpreted as her trying to seduce him.
“…I will do so.”
Nobert nodded obediently. Somehow, it felt like the grip on her waist tightened, but Ariella chose not to point it out.
The lively dance tune, as light as her heart, was nearing its end.
***
As Nobert slipped away from the crowd to the balcony, the nobles, who had been waiting for an opportunity, surrounded Ariella and bombarded her with endless questions.
“Lady Ariella, where did you get that dress made? It’s so beautiful. Excuse me, but could you introduce me to your seamstress?”
“And the hairpiece! It’s really pretty. Is it from the same place?”
Most of the questions were trivial and light-hearted. Although Ariella couldn’t reveal the name of the dressmaker, she answered the other questions with care.
Then someone subtly asked a sensitive question.
“Is it true that Lady Lizzy was your maid?”
All eyes turned to the young lady of the ducal family who had posed the question. Everyone was curious but hesitant to voice what they had been too afraid to ask.
[The new princess, Lizzy Bedford, was once Lady Ariella Bedford’s close maid.]
Had it been a few days since this rumor began to spread? A piece of information that hadn’t appeared in any articles was now circulating from mouth to mouth.
She had heard that Lizzy had grown up unhappily, separated from her parents, but that she had worked as a maid was a different story.
For the nobles, the lives of the poor or those in a workhouse were far removed from their own, seen merely as unfortunate tales that didn’t concern them. Thus, they could easily feel pity.
However, maids were a presence that existed naturally beside them. Rather than pity, they were often seen as insignificant, and sometimes even contemptible.
So if Lizzy had truly been a maid, her treatment would undoubtedly change from what it had been when they were unaware.
The nobles created time to verify whether the rumor was true or not with their own eyes. The unexpectedly high attendance at Lizzy’s debutante ball was due to this reason.
“…That’s a question I cannot answer.”
Ariella coldly turned her head away from the young lady of the ducal family.
When she adopted a serious expression, the other nobles subtly criticized the rudeness of the young lady who had asked the question. Yet, they were too busy exchanging excited glances with one another.
Ariella didn’t provide a proper answer, but that in itself was an answer. Not denying it implied acceptance.
‘It seems Lady Lizzy really is of maid origins!’
It was a fact that would eventually come to light. Unless they could sew the lips of the servants and acquaintances shut, there was no such thing as a secret that could last forever.
However, the reason Ariella had instructed Amira to spread such rumors a few days ago was that she understood the importance of timing.
A spark that would have easily died down could burn brightly and for a long time if utilized in a situation that drew attention.
Today, Lizzy had made a memorable impression, adding quality firewood to the hearth, ensuring that the spark wouldn’t die out anytime soon.
And Ariella intended to enjoy the warm glow of the red embers beside the hearth with gratitude.
The maid who took everything from the lady she served. Lizzy Bedford, adorned in expensive dresses and jewelry, could not shed her vulgar nature.
