The Promise of the Dawn

Chapter Seventeen: Becoming a 'Lady'

The drawing room was obnoxiously loud as I entered the room with Genevieve, but it seemed all the chaos instantly silenced the second I stepped through the door, all heads turning towards me with gazes I would much rather avoid, including the one I feared the most. Cael's.

It was impossible for me to read the expressions on everyone's faces as their eyes met mine, and the few I could read were ones I would much rather not be able to. They all seemed to be trying to look right through my fancy facade and uncover the real me. The one they all secretly despised. The village girl playing dress up in the Estate. I would never amount to anything to them, even with a man like Cael at my side.

Cael breaks the sudden awkward silence that's fallen over the room by walking over to me, taking my hand, and kissing it.

"I didn't think you'd come" He tells me as he straightens up.

"Believe me. I wish I didn't" I say under my breath as I glance around the room anxiously.

"Thank you for escorting her, Genevieve. You're dismissed" Cael says.

Genevieve curtsies in response, then briskly leaves the room, just as eager to leave as I was, but at least she had an easy way out.

"Would you like some tea? A biscuit?" Cael asks me, ushering me into the room.

"Oh... I'm okay... thank you" I reply unsurely as I'm ushered towards a table set up with a fancy spread of baked goods and teas.

"Please, you must try the tea. It's one of a kind" A young woman in a frilly pink dress replies, overhearing our conversation as she pours herself more tea.

"Simply delectable" another lady chimes in with a fake smile.

I'm appalled by their wardrobe choices as I look upon their dress styles, which seem much too modest in the bust to be so distinct in the rear. It was as if someone just shoved a pillow up their skirt and called it fashion.

"I'm really alright. Thank you" I reply.

"Please, I insist" The lady in the pink dress replies, sliding the teapot across the table my way.

I smile at her fakely, then grab the teapot. Just as I start to pour the tea into a nearby porcelain cup, the entrance of another lady distracts the guests, including me, and we all look up in greeting.

"Lady Blades! How are you this afternoon?" Someone asks the new guest as she arrives.

It isn't until I feel a burning sensation on my hand that I realize I was pouring tea this entire time, and that my cup is now overflowing. I curse under my breath, shaking my hand in pain and drawing the attention of all the tea party attendees to me, including Cael, and his father's.

Great. I was killing this.

"Who's this?" The new member of the party asks as she stands in the doorway.

Cael elbows me to indicate I should make an introduction and I stumble forward.

"I'm Amaris, My Lady. A-Amaris Barlowe. I- I'm-" I stutter.

"She's with me, ma'am" Cael steps in, saving me from more embarrassment.

"Oh. How quaint. I wasn't aware we were letting commoners join our circle" She replies, scanning me up and down judgmentally.

"Well... that's something we'll need to work on" The Duke whispers to Cael.

Any other time, I would've stood up for myself, but I felt out of place. Nobody stood up for themselves here. Instead, they just abided by the norms society imposed, and they prospered like that. So instead, I just step back timidly, casting my gaze to the ground in embarrassment.