The Grand Plan

Chapter 2: The Calm Before the Storm (2)

As her protest to the late invitation, Charlotte arranged so that her carriage would arrive last at the Graford residence. Carefully, Charlotte exited the carriage. She nodded and dismissed the coachman.

She wore a dark blue gown that matched well with the color of her eyes. Baroness Riverion insisted her to bring a parasol for the outdoor tea party. Powerless in front of her mother, Charlotte brought the parasol but left it on the carriage. It will be fine as long as her mother didn't find out.

"Greetings, I'm Charlotte Riverion. Pleased to be invited to this tea party," Charlotte curtsied gracefully like how a baron's daughter should behave.

"Welcome, the star of our afternoon tea, Miss Riverion," Margaret Graford smiled.

Everyone presents laughed at Margaret's sarcastic joke. Charlotte and Margaret's eyes met. The two were talking without muttering any words.

Being a baron's daughter and a lady not closely acquainted with the group, Charlotte spent most of her time enjoying the tart on her plate and sipping her chamomile tea. Out of everyone here, Charlotte might be the one who ate the most sweets.

"Have you heard the rumor?" Lady Bronte, The Marquis of Bronte's daughter, uttered in a considerably lower tone.

"About Prince Damian?" Lady Herron, the younger sister of The Marquis of Herron, confirmed.

"Yes."

"Of course," said Lady Duval, daughter of Count Duval, "who hasn't heard about it?!"

Actually, I haven't heard it, was the words Charlotte didn't say out loud. She swallowed her words along with a mouthful of cake.

"What happened?" asked another lady.

"Some people saw Prince Damian with Lady Susan last week."

"Well, isn't it old news? Prince Damian is always with a different lady each night," Lady Herron laughed.

"Yes, but apparently His Highness is also with Lady Zetia at the same time."

"What?! A duke's daughter and a marquis's daughter?! I didn't know what to say," Lady Herron was speechless.

"Right!" Lady Duval nodded before shifting the topics, "Putting that aside, I also heard another interesting rumor."

"I suppose there are too many rumors going around. Do we have enough time to discuss it all?" for once, the organizer of the party opened her mouth. Margaret said sarcastically, but everyone except Charlotte laughed thinking she was jesting.

Lady Duval continued her stories, "I heard that Prince Damian might intervene himself with the rebel forces. Some children in Brick saw the prince asking about names on the petition."

Charlotte's ears suddenly perked up like an alert wolf scenting its prey. She didn't care in the least about scandals in the royal family. Nonetheless, politics was within her interest, especially things regarding the petition.

The ladies were all in disbelief, but full of curiosity. However, everyone knew thoroughly that curiosity killed the cat. A minute later, they managed to laugh it off as passing stories.

Nothing much interest Charlotte, except for another rumor regarding the other royal prince that Lady Duval brought up.

"The Crown Prince? Prince Logan? What happened to His Highness?"

"The day before yesterday, late at night, the prince was having a romantic date on the lake at Uchiha Park."

"Oh, I wished I was the lucky lady he brought there," Lady Bronte asked the identity of the woman in a roundabout way.