"You think that the king would agree? I mean, Geoffrey is his son."

"The situation now seems good. The king favors me and is starting to get suspicious with Geoffrey's activities."

Serena furrowed her brows, Geoffrey was the king's son, why would he be suspicious with his own son's activities? 

Charlton seeing her expression explained, "It's a bit complicated how politics work. Geoffrey is next in line to the throne and my uncle's health is not as good as it used to be. He fears that Geoffrey's influence has already eclipsed his."

"I see… so, when will your mother be arriving?" 

"If not next week, probably the week after. If everything works our splendidly, perhaps after a month…" Charlton was saying but stopped when Serena covered his mouth with her own. He looked at her in surprise.

Serena smiled as she pulled away, "Don't jinx it. Anyway, we have to head back now."

Charlton smiled as he nodded his head. "I'll call you later this evening."

--

Serena re-entered the tea party first. She saw Leonard giver her a warning look, but she chose to ignore him. She sat back on her seat.

"That took a while." Cornelia commented.

Serena smiled, "I had an upset stomach." She said outright.

There was an awkward silence after that. Which lady would admit to that?

Christopher chuckled breaking the awkward silence. "Is it the food?"

Serena pleasantly surprised with his wit decided to humor him. "If it is, then you would have to compensate me heavily." 

This time, Christopher laughed. 

--

Meanwhile…

"Ms. Evans, don't you think that some people are just too shameless? Not knowing their place and are overreaching?" Anna sarcastically asked with a smiling face.

Emily smiled back, she has a holy image to uphold, but it's just herself and this Anna this time. She also knew that unlike Serena, this girl does not have as much rapport with everyone else. She has worked these 2 years not so that she could just let everyone step on her. Anyway, she was the next grand duchess, and this girl, who was she? Just a daughter of a duke who would be married off soon. What match can she make? Serena already has Geoffrey. 

"You think so? I think some are more shameless what with trying to gain someone's attention when the other person is obviously uninterested." She replied.

Anna's eyes widened in shock and anger. No one has ever dared talk to her that way. With anger and humiliation, she took the cup in front of her and splash the tea on Emily's face.

Emily could only thank the gods that the tea was no longer hot or else her face might get burnt. She wanted to be angry too but knew that she won't win in that kind of battle. Anyway, the action just showed how dumb this Anna girl was. 

She has been defeated by Serena many times, but to be defeated by a girl who did not even go to school, younger than her, and everything else inferior to her except for the womb they came out from? It would be a shame if she lets this bitch go.

--

Charlton reentered the garden and tried not to sigh as he walked back to his seat. When he was near enough his seat, about 3 steps away, what welcomed him was the sight of Anna splashing Emily with tea to the face. His eyes widened while everyone looked at the three of them. 

He immediately wanted to make a turn. What's with this timing? He just arrived and haven't even sat down yet. However, with how things were looking, he knew that everyone already associated him with the situation. He wanted to facepalm. 

Okay, how about taking a step back and making a turn to go to Serena's table and excuse himself from his host? Marvelous idea.

He was just about to do that when the two girls spotted him.

"Lord Daniel, I'm sorry that you have to see that, this girl, Emily, she provoked me." Anna began to explain.

Charlton wanted to say, 'I don't really care, so you two just do your thing and I will just disperse somewhere.'

Emily wiped her face with her hands. Then, she started dabbing her eyes as if sobbing.

"Lady Anna, I know you have some admiration for Lord Daniel. But there's no need to take it out on me if he doesn't see you that way. Lord Daniel and I are just friends, and the only reason he asked me for a dance during the Charlotte's ball before the interlude was because of that." 

Charlton looked at Emily with a raised eyebrow, did she have to word it that way? Should he just deny her words outright? But what would that make him seem like?

Thankfully, before he could speak, Christopher approached, Serena and their former schoolmates in tow.

"What happened here?" Christopher asked.

Anna, seeing her brother went to stand beside him. "Brother Christopher, this Ms. Evans has been rude to me. I don't like her in this party any longer. She's a lady who does not know propriety."

Christopher knew his younger sister's attitude and most probably she started it herself. However, he was his sister, so he did not admonish her and just apologized to Emily.

"Ms. Evans, please overlook this matter. My sister is still young…"

Emily shook her head. "It's alright Lord Cross. I don't know what I did to offend Lady Annalys but thank you for your graciousness. The tea party has been wonderful, but I believe it's time that I take my leave."

Then, Emily looked at Charlton.

Charlton stared back. What? Was she expecting him to help her or whisk her away? No way.

Serena wanted to laugh at the side. The drama was just too funny to watch. In the end, she brought out her own handkerchief.

"Miss Emily, please, wipe your face with this." Serena said as she gave her a friendly smile.

Ah, what a nice feeling it was. How to describe it again? Oh yeah, like the Chinese idiom said, "When a snipe and clam quarrel, the fisherman benefits."

Serena felt like she's the fisherman.

--

TBC

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