CHAPTER 81: TEA PARTY AT THE COUNTESS’S

To be honest, I had never had much to do with Countess Rowan before that moment.

More precisely, we had met a few times at balls and official receptions and exchanged a couple of polite phrases, but our paths had never crossed more closely than that. I couldn’t say that I knew her well.

Nevertheless, I had heard various rumors about the countess. In society, she was known as one of the most kind-hearted women in the Empire. It was said that she almost never refused to help — she participated in charity events and donated money to foundations, especially those that helped orphaned children.

For high society, where virtue was often just a pretty mask, this was almost surprising.

Of course, I was a bit skeptical about these stories — I’d heard too many times about "saintly ladies" who turned out to be just vain hypocrites. And yet... in my heart, I remembered glimpsing the countess at social gatherings: her soft voice and smile, which really seemed sincere to me.

Perhaps that was why I chose her invitation. Deep down, I felt that Countess Rowan was just the kind of woman worth getting to know.

So yes, I decided to go to her tea party with Ruby this Saturday.

When I told the girl about the upcoming trip, her eyes immediately lit up. Ruby was happy about any event if it meant we would be there together.

It didn’t matter to her where we were going. She always clung to any opportunity to spend time with me, and I couldn’t help but feel how it warmed my heart. So I hoped that she would also enjoy visiting the countess.

Besides, this trip was organized especially for her. I hoped that at this event, Ruby would be able to meet and make friends with other children from noble families. Yes, I sincerely hoped that everything would go well.

On the appointed day, our carriage arrived at the countess’s house.

The journey did not take long, but the girl spent the whole time fidgeting with the hem of her dress, looking out of the window, and glancing at me excitedly.

I was also a little nervous, although I hid it carefully.

Countess Rowan’s estate looked just as one would expect: spacious gates decorated with climbing roses, and a garden behind them overflowing with flowers and greenery. The path to the house was paved with pale gray slabs, and the sunlight played beautifully on their surface.

The countess herself met us at the gate.

"Ah, Lady Weinstein, you really did come!" she exclaimed, and there was genuine joy in her voice.

She curtsied slightly, and her smile was so warm that there was not a hint of pretense in the gesture.

The countess was a middle-aged woman with soft features, light hair styled in a simple but elegant hairstyle, and clear blue eyes. She truly resembled an angel — as if she glowed with kindness.

"Countess Rowan," I replied with a slight bow. "Thank you for the invitation."

I stepped down from the carriage, allowing the servant to offer me his hand. Ruby followed me out and shyly hid behind my back, clutching the hem of my dress tightly.

"No, thank you," she replied with slight embarrassment. "I have sent you several invitations, secretly hoping that you would accept one of them. And now you are here — I am truly happy!"

We exchanged greetings. I decided to seize the moment and presented her with a small gift I had prepared in advance.

"Countess, I hear you are a connoisseur of tea and collect rare varieties. Allow me to present you with this small gift."

I handed her an elegantly decorated box. A few days before the trip, I had asked Edison to obtain a rare variety of red tea that was prized throughout the Empire.

"Oh," the countess’s eyes widened slightly, and her face reflected sincere joy. "Lady Weinstein, this is... this is very kind of you!"

She handed the gift to a servant, and I noticed a hint of admiration in her eyes.

"You’ve arrived just in time," the countess continued, turning back to me. "Tea has already begun. Allow me to show you in and introduce you to the others."

"Thank you," I nodded.

But at that moment, her gaze shifted to the figure behind me.

"Ah... and this, I presume, is your niece?" Her voice sounded warm.

I brought Ruby forward, placing my hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, this is my niece, Rubiella. Ruby, say hello."

The girl bowed her head timidly.

"I... welcome Countess Rowan."

The countess’s blue eyes lit up with warmth, and a tender smile appeared on her face.

"What a charming girl! It’s a pleasure to meet you too," she said with genuine enthusiasm.

"In that case, your niece can spend time with the other children while we have our tea."

"Yes, of course," I replied, trying to keep my voice calm, although I was just as nervous for Ruby as she was.

At that moment, one of the countess’s servants approached — a young man in an immaculate dark doublet, reserved and courteous. He bowed slightly and gestured for the girl to follow him.

"Allow me to escort you, young lady," he said softly.

Ruby took a step forward, but paused for a moment, glancing quickly at me as if seeking support. I leaned down and patted her on the shoulder.

"Ruby, don’t worry," I whispered so that only she could hear. "Just go and be yourself. You’ll do great."

The girl bit her lip, nodded, and finally made up her mind. She cautiously followed the servant. I watched her until her silhouette disappeared behind the arched door leading to the garden.

My heart sank — I wanted to rush after her, as if I were leaving her alone in a huge and unfamiliar world. But I forced myself to stay where I was. She needed to learn to be among other children, and I had to trust the process.

"Lady, please follow me," the countess’s voice rang out, bringing me back to reality.

I nodded and followed her along the wide stone path that led to the greenhouse. When we entered, a truly enchanting sight unfolded before me.

Countess Rowan’s greenhouse was a veritable oasis of beauty.

High glass arches let in soft light, bathing the entire space in golden hues. The walls were covered in greenery — vines and rare plants cascaded down from hanging pots, and among the lush camellia and jasmine bushes, small songbirds flitted from branch to branch. Their melodious chirping was interspersed with the soft rustling of leaves and the clinking of porcelain.

In the middle of the greenhouse stood several tables covered with lace tablecloths. On them were tea sets made of the finest porcelain, elegant dishes with cakes, fruit, and sandwiches. The delicate aroma of tea and pastries wafted through the air.

About ten ladies were seated at the tables. Their dresses were richly decorated with lace and ribbons, their hair was impeccably styled, and their faces were powdered and lightly perfumed. The conversations died down when they noticed me, and a short but noticeable pause hung in the greenhouse.

"Ladies," the countess said with a touch of solemnity, "Lady Weinstein has joined us for tea today."

I took a step forward and bowed my head modestly in a gesture of courtesy.

Surprise was reflected on the ladies’ faces. One covered her mouth with a fan, another exchanged glances with her neighbor, and their eyes betrayed genuine confusion.

Meanwhile, I took my place at the tea table, which was next to Countess Rowan.

In fact, such tea parties were a tradition among noble ladies.

They gathered almost every week to discuss the latest news, exchange stories, and, of course, gossip over a cup of fragrant tea. For them, it was an everyday occurrence, part of a familiar social ritual.

Nevertheless, since it was my first time attending such an event, I still felt a little out of place.

"Ah... Lady Weinstein," one of the women in her thirties was the first to break the silence. "I really didn’t expect you to visit us today."

Her voice betrayed genuine surprise, but also a hint of caution.

The same confusion was reflected on the faces of the others; they made no secret of the fact that my visit had come as a surprise to them.

I nodded reservedly and smiled slightly as I raised the cup of tea to my lips.

"I’ve just been feeling rather bored at home lately," I said casually, "and I decided to get out and about a little."

"Ah, I see," replied another lady. "Then it’s good that you came to see us today. Our tea parties are always quite entertaining."

"I hope so," I smiled softly, pretending to feel completely at ease.

"Well, then we can begin..." Countess Rowan began, glancing around at those present. "Why don’t we discuss..."

"Excuse me!" a woman’s excited voice suddenly rang out.

The countess’s remark was interrupted by one of the ladies sitting a little way off. A slight blush played on her cheeks, and her fingers nervously fiddled with her lace dress.

"Yes?" The countess turned to her in surprise. "Lady Maxwell, did you want to say something?"

"Yes..." The young noblewoman was slightly embarrassed, but she gathered her courage. "Actually, I wanted to ask a question."

"Of course," the countess nodded, smiling gently. "Please, go ahead."

"Ahem..." The lady coughed awkwardly, her gaze sliding over those present as if seeking support. "Actually, it’s a question for Lady Weinstein..."

"What? Me?" I wondered silently, raising my eyebrows in confusion.

I was somewhat surprised by this, as I had just taken my seat at the table and hadn’t even had time to say or do anything. But before I could react, Lady Maxwell blurted out:

"Actually, this question is on the minds of many of us... Is it true that you are in a relationship with Lord Dickens Jr.?"

Silence fell over the conservatory. All eyes immediately turned to me, and their attention was as palpable as the heat of the sun’s rays.