Free Web NovelChapter 150: Chapter 150
A ripple of motion drew the women’s attention as two figures stepped out through a tall arched doorway that led into the garden. Gracil and Ansel were locked in quiet conversation as they stepped outside from a doorway to the garden, right into the line of sight of the gathered women.
Mina’s look of mortification vanished at once. In its place bloomed a radiant smile, one so dazzling it could have outshone the midday sun. When Gracil turned and waved in her direction, her entire expression softened in a way that left no doubt of her feelings towards him.
The change was so swift, so complete, that Circe could practically see hearts in Mina’s eyes.
Her gaze was locked on her husband, her attention drawn to him as though the rest of the world had faded away.
Elara giggled deviously at the look on Mina’s face, but Mina didn’t seem to be bothered by her friend’s laughter at that moment. Her gaze was solely on Gracil as the couple shared a heated look with one another.
Mina looked utterly transfixed, like a woman who was madly in love, and seemed to forget that she still had company.
Before they all knew what was happening, Mina was on her feet, her chair scraping softly against the floor as she all but floated toward Gracil like she was being pulled to him by a thread.
Circe watched Mina go with a frown on her face, unsure of what she had just witnessed. It was as if she were watching a spell take hold. Mina and Gracil met just beyond the hedges, and within seconds, disappeared from sight behind a corner.
She watched the couple long enough to see them disappear out of sight behind a corner together, and it was only then that she noticed Ansel standing where Gracil had been moments before, frowning at the couple’s retreating backs in disbelief.
He looked as stupefied as Circe felt in that moment, and she realized that he had been ditched just like the rest of the women.
The sight of the man left stranded mid-conversation, and forgotten was almost comical.
There were only two reasons that came to her mind for why he was there. He either accompanied his mother here or was just here to discuss something with Gracil, as their families were so intertwined. Circe and Nieah were the only odd ones out.
Circe turned to her side and found that Elara was still quietly giggling like a naughty child with a hand over her mouth.
Circe then looked at Maelis and found that the woman didn’t look the least bit perturbed.
When Maelis caught Circe’s puzzled look, she offered a reassuring smile. "Oh, don’t trouble yourself, dear. We’re quite used to this," she said, glancing fondly toward the path Mina and Gracil had vanished down.
Then she paused and took another look at her youngest son, who still seemed to be frozen to the spot and bewildered by what had just happened "Well, all of us except my son, that is. He’s been away at sea for so long, he doesn’t know how frequent these little displays can be."
Maelis tilted her fan toward her chest and sighed wistfully. "Ah, to be young and in love again. To crave the sound of each other’s voices."
Elara was still giggling like a deviant. She leaned back with a wicked grin. "Lady Maelis, I’m quite certain the sound of each other’s voices is the last thing those two are craving right now." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Nieah, who had been sipping wine from her cup, promptly choked. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Maelis turned and lightly swatted the younger woman with her fan, a scandalized look on her face. "Hush now, you don’t say such things in front of guests," Maelis admonished, but from the tone of her voice, it was obvious that she was holding back a laugh of her own.
Elara didn’t look repentant at all. Even when her giggling ceased, a sly smirk still stayed on her lips, like a woman who knew far too much and delighted in her audacity.
Meanwhile, Sasha still hadn’t returned, and no one appeared too inclined to look for her. It was her brother’s home, after all, she knew her way around well enough.
When Mina finally returned to the table, it was hard to hide the rosy flush on her face and neck from what she and Gracil had done together when they wandered out of sight. She tried, with limited success, to smooth her hair and composure before taking her seat again.
Gracil returned next, and he and Ansel resumed where they had both been headed and along with their quiet conversation like the interlude had never happened.
Mina cleared her throat as she adjusted on her seat, as though that would be enough to distract them from the fact that she had just run off with her husband to do only heaven knows what.
"Ah, where were we?" Mina said, with the most innocent smile Circe had ever seen on a person.
The situation was just so ridiculous that Circe couldn’t help. Laughter burst from her, warm and genuine, catching even her by surprise. It tore out of her so unexpectedly before she even had the mind to try to stop it.
This was the first laugh that she had ever shared with this group, perhaps even the first genuine laugh that she had shared with people other than her family when she still had one.
And Ragnar too, her mind recalled unhelpfully. She had shared genuine laughs with him too, laughter that came from a place of ease, maybe even affection.
Sasha joined them again, and the luncheon went on smoothly. And though Sasha refrained from making any more snide comments, she still maintained that annoyed look on her face, like everything around her personally offended her.
But despite the tension she brought back with her to the table, everyone just decided to ignore her attitude for the most part.
