Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Score one for Allie!
“Thank you,” Sophia said sweetly. “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. I did send an RSVP in place of my sister, so I’m not sure why it didn’t make it here.”
“Things do get lost in the mail, although I’m not sure why you’d send one in Lady Alicia’s place when it’s quite clear she’s capable of attending,” Lady Blair said, sipping her tea. “This tea is lovely, Lady Georgina. Do you know if it’s available for purchase anywhere?”
“I’ll have to ask my father to find out and let you know.” Lady Georgina’s bright smile was back, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the compliment on the tea or the subtle dig at Sophia. “Oh, Lady Sasha, is it true that your father was approached by Count Rothman regarding a marriage to Lord Gerald?”
Lady Sasha nodded gracefully. “Fortunately, Father is discussing each offer with me before he responds, and I requested that he reject the proposal.”
“Indeed, that’s a good choice,” Lady Vivian replied. “Lord Gerald is quite the rake. He was recently at the Magic Tower flirting with one of my colleagues. Miss Polly sent him away with a suspicious unidentified rash on his person when he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
I fought back a smile.
Miss Polly, whoever she was, sounded like a hoot.
“Speaking of the Tower,” Lady Blair said with a sly smile. “Have you and Lord Ivan set a date yet?”
A shy look crossed Lady Vivian’s face, and her cheeks darkened ever so slightly. “The wedding will be this autumn.”
Lady Georgina sighed. “How lucky you are to marry someone you love.”
“I think it’s more that I’m lucky to have fallen for a man my family deems suitable,” Lady Vivian replied. “Oh, Lady Elisa, are you familiar with the Magic Tower?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I’m still familiarising myself with the capital.”
“Lord Ivan, my fiancé, is to be the next leader of the Tower,” she explained. “So, my father has allowed us to marry despite the difference in the social status of our families.”
Right.
Lord Ivan was the second son of a Viscount and not someone Duke Trelawney would have ordinarily allowed to marry his eldest daughter, but he had an outstanding aptitude for magic that put him on par with the duke himself and thus, the young lord had won him over.
Besides, being the head of the Magic Tower was not an easy thing. He’d likely be granted a higher title after taking over anyway as nobody lower than a marquess had ever held the position.
Wow. I was beginning to impress myself with how much I knew about a world I’d been a part of for all of five minutes.
“That’s wonderful for you, Lady Vivian,” Lady Elisa said with a genuine smile. “My uncle has broached the topic of marriage, but he said he’d like me to debut and spend some time in society first.”
“Very wise,” Lady Sasha said. “Although it’s true that we as noble daughters are largely used for political or commercial gain, sometimes we can be lucky with who we fall in love with, just like Lady Vivian. Aside from the genuine love they share, her marriage will strengthen ties between her family and the Tower and provide more powerful descendants in her familial line. If I’m correct, Lady Elisa, I believe Count and Countess Sayle were a love match, were they not?”
“They were,” Lady Elisa confirmed. “I remember hearing the story when I was younger. They met at the ball the Imperial Family holds during the capital’s harvest festival, which was my aunt’s debut, and fell in love at first sight. They courted for two years before her father assented to the marriage.”
“How romantic.” Lady Georgina clasped her hands together and turned to me, eyes sparkling. “What about you, Lady Alicia? Has Marquess Vermillion opened any discussions yet?”
“Not yet,” I replied contritely. “I’m sure you’re aware that I recently had an accident at home, and I’m still recovering. This is actually my first outing since I woke up.”
“Yes, you fell down the stairs, didn’t you?” Lady Blair asked, cocking her head. “I remember my brother hearing about it from Lord Vincent when he came to spar. You were unconscious for quite a while.”
“Two weeks,” Sophia said, jutting into the conversation. She pressed her hand to her chest and looked down. “We were all terribly worried she wouldn’t wake up.”
More like she was terribly worried that I would wake up.
I glared at her before quickly catching myself.
Not quickly enough.
Lady Vivian caught my eye, and another one of those tiny smiles appeared on her face. “Yes, I’m sure you were,” she said slowly. “Lady Alicia, forgive me for asking, but how does one manage to fall down the stairs?”
“I’m told I tripped on the hem of my dress.” I kept my voice light and airy. “However, I don’t really remember it at all. The physician said it’s a form of amnesia—my brain has blocked out the event as it was so traumatic for me.”