Chapter 136: The Shape of What Awaits
Chapter 135: The Shape of What Awaits
Lyria’s POV
Duke Thorncrest laughed again.
It was not loud, nor was it cruel. If anything, there was something almost effortless about it, as though amusement came to him as easily as breathing. I found myself noticing it more than I intended.
He turned slightly toward Baron Redwick, one brow lifting in faint amusement.
"It seems," he said lightly, "that Her Highness finds our words rather difficult to believe."
Baron Redwick adjusted his spectacles with a small, practiced motion, his gaze settling on me.
"That would appear to be the case," he said. "She looks quite... astonished."
I felt my face grow warm again.
"I—" I hesitated, then forced myself to speak properly. "I-it is n-not that I d-do not b-believe y-you, m-my l-lords, but..."
My fingers tightened faintly against the fabric of my dress.
"You are m-men of n-nobility," I continued, my voice soft but steady despite the stammer. "S-surely... you d-do not truly th-think that m-me l-looking for b-books on e-etiquette m-means I am... s-smart."
"That would b-be w-wrong, w-would it not?"
There was a brief pause.
Duke Thorncrest glanced toward Baron Redwick for a moment, and then they turned back to me.
Baron Redwick’s lips tilted upward, a smile threatening to break through.
"We mean what we said," he replied.
Duke Thorncrest nodded once, the movement easy.
"Entirely," he added.
I blinked.
That... had not been what I expected.
Baron Redwick regarded me for a moment longer before speaking again, his tone measured, thoughtful.
"From what I have observed," he said, "your situation is... quite special."
"You have spent time near Princess Jacinta as a shadow," he continued, "but observing is not the same as participating."
My breath caught slightly.
He was not wrong.
"Society," he went on, "is not merely about appearances. It is a structure—rigid, intricate, and often unforgiving. One must know not only how to stand, but when. Not only how to speak, but how to respond."
His gaze sharpened just slightly.
"And one must do so quickly."
I swallowed.
Because I understood what he meant.
Even if I had never been fully part of it.
Duke Thorncrest folded his arms loosely, nodding in agreement.
"He is quite right," he said. "Especially about the replies."
There was a faint shift in his tone then—less teasing, more... aware.
"You are no longer someone who can remain unseen," he continued. "Whether you wish it or not, you will be noticed now."
My fingers curled slightly.
"Watched," he added.
The word settled heavily in my chest.
"And once you are watched," he went on, "you become... interesting."
He smiled faintly.
"Or entertaining."
I did not like the way that sounded.
"You will be stepping into gatherings," he continued, "into rooms filled with people who have spent their entire lives learning how to speak without saying anything... and say everything without appearing to."
"A spectacle, in some respects," he added lightly, though there was an edge of truth beneath it. "New, unexpected, and talked about."
My chest tightened.
"And that means," he continued, "that a single misstep—just one—will not go unnoticed."
These were the exact reasons why I had come to the library.
Baron Redwick studied me for a moment, then spoke again, his tone softening slightly.
"There is no need to be overwhelmed," he said. "Awareness is simply the first step."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added,
"And you have already taken it."
I did not know what to say to that.
Before I could attempt a response, he seemed to come to a decision.
"I may have something suitable for you," he said.
My head lifted slightly.
"A book," he clarified. "One that may serve as a proper introduction. Hold on a moment while I retrieve it."
And with that, he turned.
Without hesitation, he moved further into the library, his steps measured as he disappeared between the tall shelves.
Duke Thorncrest remained where he was, his posture relaxed, his expression no longer as openly amused as before.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he exhaled softly.
"My apologies," he said.
I blinked.
"I beg your p-pardon?" I asked.
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze settling on me in a way that felt... more direct than before.
"For last night," he clarified. "I’m sorry for dragging you out without thought."
"I-it is f-fine," I replied after a moment. "I was n-not h-harmed."
"That does not make it proper," he said lightly. "I know I apologized before dragging you out, but I have yet to apologise for being inconsiderate toward you."
Then, after a brief pause, he added,
"Honestly, it was a plan between me and Duke Valenridge."
"R-really?" I asked him.
Duke Thorncrest nodded. "I had seen you before... this time we did not run into each other. You had no idea I was even there. But on the day of the painting competition, I saw you sneaking out of a building after everyone was gone."
"I found it curious," he said.
"You did not behave like a servant," he added. "Nor entirely like someone accustomed to being watched."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"You behaved like someone trying not to be seen."
"And then," he continued, "there was the matter of the scent."
My head lifted slightly.
"S-scent?"
He nodded.
"As Earl Hawthorne mentioned," he said, "there has long been a particular fragrance associated with Princess Jacinta."
My chest tightened slightly at the name.
"It is... distinctive," he added. "Difficult to ignore."
"That same scent," he continued, "was present during the competition, and one thing I was certain of was that it did not belong to Princess Jacinta."
"And now, that same scent surrounds you," he said, looking directly at me.
I shook my head faintly. He was not the first one to tell me about a scent that apparently was wholly mine.
"Your Grace, p-perhaps you have the wrong person. I do n-not w-wear p-perfume," I said to him.
Duke Thorncrest studied me for a moment, his gaze thoughtful.
"Are you quite certain," he asked, "that perfume is the only thing capable of giving a person a distinct scent?"
