Free Web NovelChapter 187: Chapter 187
The afternoon sunlight brightened the spacious lawn, where white canopies had been arranged in neat, orderly rows between the trimmed hedges. Beneath each canopy stood several round tables draped with cream-colored linens, surrounded by sturdy wooden chairs painted in a crisp white finish. Most tables seated four to six guests, with enough room between them for people to stroll comfortably without brushing shoulders.
Some guests were already seated, chatting over delicate pastries or sipping chilled lemonade. Others stood in small groups beside the walkways, their crystal wineglasses filled with dark blood that glimmered richly in the light. Many of them would eventually drift toward an open chair once conversation lulled or the sun grew too warm.
Maids moved gracefully across the lawn, carrying fresh plates, refilling drinks, and helping older guests settle into their seats. Their quiet efficiency gave the gathering an effortless sense of refinement. freewebnøvel.com
Near one of the shaded corners, by the blooming rose beds, a lady sat with her violin propped beneath her chin. She played a light, airy tune, the soft music gliding over the lawn as easily as the breeze that stirred the petals. When the song ended, her audience clapped with warm enthusiasm, and she rose to give a delicate curtsey before taking her seat again.
Circe joined in the applause, smiling along with the others and exchanging polite compliments. But in truth, she had barely heard a single note, nor did she register half of all that was being said around her.
Her mind had been wandering since the moment she arrived, pulled back again and again to what had happened three days ago. Her pulse fluttered at the memory, and warmth crept into her cheeks before she could stop it.
"Your Highness?"
Mina’s voice tugged her sharply back to the present. From the faint strain in her tone, it was clear this was not the first attempt to capture Circe’s attention.
Circe blinked and turned toward her. She sat between Mina and Elara, and now both women were watching her—Mina with puzzled concern, Elara with thinly veiled amusement.
"Your Highness, did you hear what I said?" Mina asked.
Circe hadn’t heard a single word. She hadn’t even noticed Mina had been speaking. It hadn’t been intentional, her thoughts had simply drifted away again.
"I’m sorry," Circe said, offering a sheepish smile. "Could you say it again?"
A few nearby guests glanced over at them. People remained curious about Prince Ragnar’s human wife, and many still watched her more than they watched anyone else.
When Circe had arrived earlier, she had caught more than a few withering looks, disapproval thinly masked beneath polite facades. Some were offended by her presence simply because she was human. Others, she suspected, disliked Ragnar and thus disliked anything associated with him.
But one sharp, warning glare from Elara had silenced every unkind whisper. Circe had been quietly grateful for it.
Now, Elara leaned in with a soft, teasing giggle. "Your Highness, do share your thoughts with us. Whatever they were must have been quite delightful to hold your attention so completely. Is that a blush I see?"
Circe stiffened, the heat in her face deepening. There was no possible way Elara could know what memory had ensnared her moments ago yet the comment made her feel unmistakably exposed.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," she said, smoothing her expression into something neutral. "I simply lost myself admiring the lovely surroundings. You have a beautiful garden, Lady Elara."
The garden truly was beautiful. The scent of roses mingled with the freshness of cut grass, and on the far side, near a marble fountain shaped like a pair of swans, several quieter tables had been arranged for guests who preferred more private conversation.
The lingering awkwardness that had clung to the three of them after the luncheon had long since faded. Now, the two women treated her as though she had been part of their circle for years rather than this being only their second and third meeting.
Their warmth still surprised her. It amazed Circe how quickly they had made room for her, how naturally they included her when everything should have told her she did not belong.
Mina took the moment to lean in even closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially so only the three of them could hear.
"I heard that Lady Cecilia has found herself a new lover," she whispered, eyes gleaming with mischief.
Elara rolled her eyes. "Lady Cecilia takes a new lover almost every year. That’s hardly news. I’d be more surprised if she didn’t. I heard her last one was dreadfully dull. "
But Mina only grinned and shook her head. "I thought the same at first, but this one is noteworthy. Her new lover is none other than Lord Garrik."
"That’s absurd," Elara hissed, keeping her voice low. "Lord Garrik is married."
"So is Lady Cecilia, yet no one seems to be making a fuss," Mina replied with a sharp, smug smile, her fangs glinting faintly. "Have you not noticed how often they suddenly find themselves in the same social circles? And how conveniently they excuse themselves from events at the very same time?"
Circe glanced between the two women, her brows furrowing in disbelief, wondering how much of what they were saying was true and how much was gossip embellished for amusement.
"Who is Lady Cecilia?" Circe asked, following the subtle gesture Mina made toward the woman in question.
She turned to look, expecting to find someone close to her own age, like most of the young women scattered around the garden. Instead, she found an older woman with sharp features, greying hair, and an expression so unwelcoming it bordered on hostile.
"Oh," Circe murmured under her breath, earning another round of stifled giggles from Mina and Elara.
Around them, guests drifted from table to table, laughing and chatting as they mingled in easy clusters. Unnoticed by most, two pairs of eyes had fixed on Circe from across the lawn, watching her quiet exchange with Mina and Elara with close, silent interest.
