Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 243
Cecilia was confined to a small room upon her return to Lasphillaâs townhouse from the Rosencrantz estate.
The door was locked from the outside, and even her meals were shoved through the door.
âBarley bread and milk, huhâŚâ
The treatment was hardly different from how a prisoner in a jail might be handled, apart from the fact that this was a nobleâs townhouse.
Surely, Bernarda wouldnât be so brazenly disrespectful. She wouldnât waste her time on something so unproductive when she was likely too preoccupied with figuring out how to leverage the relationship between Cecilia and Nigel to her advantage.
By now, Bernarda was probably busy exchanging letters with Adam. That left no time to scold or punish Cecilia.
As for who would handle such trivial matters in Bernardaâs stead? The answer was obvious.
âCaroline hasnât changed a bit.â
Cecilia sat at her desk, dipping the dry bread into the milk as she ate.
Ironically, on her desk lay several invitations, despite her inability to attend any of the events.
Some were sent by ladies she had met at the Pierce Duchyâs party, while others came from women who had belittled her at the Lope Viscountyâs tea party.
Cecilia, holding the bread between her lips, checked the invitations one by one. Without opening the envelopes, she examined the sendersâ names.
When she spotted the name of Viscountess Lope, Cecilia dropped the bread from her mouth and let out a bitter laugh.
âHow transparent⌠truly.â
Nigel and Caseyâs engagement had been broken off. Naturally, Ceciliaâs relationship with Nigel had surfaced.
It wasnât something that could have been concealed even if they had tried. If the other party had been a penniless commoner, the truth could have been sunk and forgotten with a generous payoff. But among the nobility, no amount of gold could suppress gossip.
This had divided opinions sharply. One faction openly ostracized Cecilia, while another sought to use her as a political tool.
The former mainly consisted of young, unmarried ladies, while the latter were married noblewomen who supported their familiesâ political ambitions.
Aside from Guinevere, the Rosencrantz Marquisate was known for its lack of social engagement. Once the elderly Marquis passed away and Guinevere lost her influence, the family was expected to withdraw further from society. Everyone predicted as much.
Thus, it was natural for people to want to establish ties with the heir ahead of time. The problem was that the heir despised opportunists like these.
Just as they had flattered Guinevere to curry favor with the old Marquis, this time they extended their hands to Cecilia.
That was how the world worked. Even those who read Bible verses nightly, confessed their sins, received blessings, and prayed before meals sought lives of comfort and luxury.
It was only naturalâthere was nothing to criticize. Seeking better, more comfortable circumstances was instinctual for all living beings.
Because of this instinct, humans couldnât abandon their attachment to the material world. They compared, criticized, and judged one another in private, while publicly smiling and offering hospitality.
People called such behavior superficial and opportunistic, but Cecilia believed it made them the most human of mammals.
Humans, while pretending to disregard reproduction, were obsessed with securing their lineage. That was why they planned for futures they wouldnât live to see and hoarded money they couldnât spend before their deaths.
Humans were the most animalistic of animals, and Cecilia had no doubt about that.
Didnât this situation confirm her belief? Even when empty honor was discarded, tangible rewards remained.
Among the stack of printed invitations, she found two letters.
One was from Viscountess Odridge.
[ To the dearâno, to the disappointing Cecilia,
How have you been?
I suppose you havenât been well.
Cecilia, I am not someone who enjoys meddling in othersâ affairs. However, having both ears and eyes, I could not help but hear the rumors about you.
I want to clarify upfront that I am no frivolous gossip. In fact, I heard about this much later than others, which should speak to my dignity.
I used to think of you as a mature lady who could be considerate of others. Was I wrong about you? Or are these rumors false?
If everything is true, Iâm afraid I can no longer maintain my association with you.
I almost didnât write this letter, but I was deeply moved by the conversation we shared that evening. I couldnât simply turn my back on you because I value loyalty and compassion, but above all, trust.
So Iâve decided to trust you for now.
I sincerely hope there are circumstances I can understand. ]
