CHAPTER 82: TEA PARTY AT THE COUNTESS’S (2)

At that moment, I nearly choked on my tea.

The hot liquid burned my throat, and I struggled to keep from coughing. Carefully placing the cup back on the saucer, I looked up.

All the ladies were looking at me.

Some were unabashed — their eyes literally pierced me, eagerly awaiting an answer. Others, on the contrary, covered their faces with elegant fans, as if trying to hide their interest, but the flickering glances from behind the lace slits gave them away. There was a palpable tension in the air of the conservatory.

To be honest, I could not have imagined that it was here, today, that I would have to face this question.

"I’m sorry...?" I asked slowly and deliberately calmly, as if I hadn’t quite heard her.

Lady Maxwell, a pale young woman with slightly trembling fingers, took the fan away from her face and looked down, embarrassed.

"The thing is," she said cautiously, as if afraid of offending me with a wrong word, "that lately... such rumors have been spreading actively in society. And... since this topic concerns many of us, I... I decided to ask you personally, since you are here today."

I raised my eyebrow slightly.

I could have wondered where such ridiculous rumors could have come from. But, to be honest with myself, the answer was obvious. It was enough to remember what had happened not so long ago...

In the end, remembering this, I could only sigh heavily. Roger Dickens had asked me to dance at the imperial banquet in front of everyone. It was probably a stunning and unexpected event, including for me. So it was no surprise that such rumors were now circulating in society.

And yet... I clearly didn’t like it.

"No," I finally said in an even tone. "That is an absolute lie."

A murmur ran through the rows of ladies. Someone froze, another gasped softly, and a third squeezed her fan so tightly that it crunched quietly.

"But... how can that be?" one of the women on the other side of the table couldn’t hold back. "Many of us saw with our own eyes how Lord Dickens Jr. asked you to dance! How can you say there’s nothing between you after that?"

I cleared my throat, trying not to let my voice waver.

Yes, there was no point in denying the obvious. They had all witnessed the incident. But I wasn’t going to let them believe in a non-existent "relationship" either.

"Sir Roger did indeed ask me to dance," I admitted. "But it was not because we have any special relationship. He simply wanted to show me respect."

"Respect?" repeated the lady with the pointed nose, looking at me with a slight sneer.

"That’s right," I confirmed, straightening up and looking her straight in the eye. "As many of you probably know, I have been the junior lord’s tutor for the past few years. I teach him the arts. And at this banquet, he just wanted to thank me for my work."

Doubt was reflected on the faces of those present. Hidden smirks, skeptical looks — no one dared to object aloud, but it was clear that my explanation did not fully satisfy them.

"But," another lady cautiously interjected, "isn’t that a rather unusual way to thank a tutor?"

I lifted my chin slightly.

"Perhaps," I replied coolly. "But that’s how it was. There is nothing between me and the younger Lord Dickens. Absolutely nothing. And you can be sure of that."

Silence fell over the conservatory. Even the birds behind the glass walls seemed to fall silent, as if listening to my words. Several ladies lowered their eyes to their cups, one nervously adjusting the ruffles on her sleeve. Lady Maxwell blushed, as if she regretted asking the question at all.

I took a leisurely sip of tea, trying to appear calm. But inside, I was seething with a variety of emotions: irritation at the persistent rumors, annoyance that they had dumped this on me right here, and... a slight anxiety. I knew my words had not completely convinced them.

And yet, before anyone else could ask another awkward question, salvation came just in time.

At that very moment, Countess Rowan’s soft but confident voice rang out, like a lifeline thrown at just the right moment:

"All right," Countess Rowan said, speaking as if she were putting an end to the matter. "Lady Weinstein has made it clear that these are just groundless rumors. There is no point in continuing to discuss them."

She graced the gathering with her angelic smile, calm but at the same time unquestioning.

"But..." one of the ladies ventured, her eyes burning with impatient interest, as if she were eager to extract even a shred of information.

"I think that’s clear," the countess interrupted her again, gently but firmly. Her voice was friendly, but behind that facade lay the unyielding nature of the lady of the house. "And now, ladies, let’s return to the topic of our tea party. As I said, today we will discuss the new land reform recently approved by the Council at court..."

At that moment, the attention of those present was diverted elsewhere. The women reluctantly but obediently complied.

I allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief.

Although the ladies did not look entirely satisfied, no one dared to argue with the countess. Of course, I could not avoid their glances, which were still full of curiosity. But the conversation had already moved on to another topic, and my name was no longer mentioned.

Now they were discussing amendments to the law, their consequences for the landed aristocracy, new responsibilities and privileges. The topic was important and serious, and gradually the passions surrounding the rumors about my personal life subsided.

During this process, I listened more than I participated. There was no need for my voice — there were more than enough active interlocutors at the table who were ready to argue on this topic. Besides, I didn’t really understand the politics of the empire or follow all this anyway. So it was easier for me to stay on the sidelines.

"To be honest, I still can’t believe that commoners are now allowed to freely dispose of the land they lease. It’s absurd! What will happen to our income?" The elderly baroness was the first to express her indignation.

"But it’s fair. The reform protects tenants from the arbitrariness of landowners. Now they have guarantees that taxes and fees will not rise excessively. Is that a bad thing?"

"It’s bad for us," another interjected dryly. "If commoners start behaving too freely, who will maintain order? What will happen next? Will they consider themselves our equals?"

Countess Rowan nodded gently to the ladies, as if trying to maintain balance:

"There are positive aspects to the law. Now tenants will be obliged to keep the land in order and will not have the right to litter it. And that, no matter how you look at it, is beneficial to us. After all, wasteland is of no use to anyone."

"Hmm, perhaps..." the baroness said thoughtfully, but she still looked dissatisfied.

"Well, in any case," the countess said calmly, "change is inevitable. The aristocracy must learn to look at the bigger picture. If the common people are satisfied, there will be fewer riots and more stability. And in the end, it will be beneficial for everyone."

There was silence for a few seconds. Then one of the ladies nodded slightly, and the others began to agree with her opinion.

All this time, I just sat at the table, sipping fragrant tea and remaining an outside observer. The ladies’ discussion was lively enough that I didn’t have to intervene — I could calmly enjoy the moment and listen to the others’ conversations.

Unexpectedly, I felt much more comfortable here than I had expected. The conversation about the rumors had been smoothly smoothed over, and now the atmosphere was much less tense.

Unlike previous social events, here I did not feel any particular hostility from those around me. You could say that at that moment, I finally allowed myself to relax a little.

Nevertheless, my thoughts kept returning to Ruby. I couldn’t stop worrying about how she was spending her time. I hope she’s managed to make friends with the other children, I thought, taking another sip of tea.

Some time had passed since the tea party began. Everything seemed normal until suddenly a loud, piercing scream rang out nearby.

I jumped. The scream came from the garden, where the children of the guests present were playing under the supervision of the servants.

"Oh, has something happened?" Countess Rowan asked anxiously, her blue eyes widening. She immediately got up from her chair.

"Yes, we need to go and check!" one of the ladies agreed. The other ladies began to exchange glances and hurriedly headed for the garden, their faces reflecting their concern for their children.

I followed them, my heart pounding with excitement. Thoughts raced through my head: I hope Ruby is all right. I hope nothing serious has happened...