Chapter 329 - Looks Like I Was Wrong...
The Sun was moving towards the horizon when the carriage of the St. Claire's family reached the estate.
The guards rushed to open the gates when they noticed the carriage which was speeding in their direction.
They had been informed by the Butler that the carriage bringing Madam and Young Miss would be arriving around this time so they had been prepared to welcome them.
The horses slowed down as they entered the premises of the estate and moved at a steady pace towards the entrance of the Mansion.
Yvonne's eyes scanned the surroundings and found that there was no one present outside.
'No one came out to welcome us.' She noticed this oddity when compared to the numerous people who had come to send them off this morning.
Even Raylene was quick to grasp this change as her brows furrowed.
'Is Ruthy so busy that he could not come to greet us?' She wondered and her lips bent into a frown.
Turning towards her daughter, they both glanced at each other then out the window when their means of transport finally came to a halt.
The coach driver hurried to open the door for them but did not dare to offer his hand to the Lady to help her alight the carriage.
The servants were well aware of how the Earl did not like any man coming close to the Countess, hence he stood with his head lowered after he opened the door for them.
'I cannot jump from here as it is too high and it would be unladylike for my mother to do the same.' Yvonne made a calculated guess and frowned.
They had no way of getting down from the carriage without making it seem vulgar in the terms of this society.
However, their troubles came to an end when the little girl and her mother heard sounds of rapid footsteps coming from inside the Mansion.
"That must be your Papa." Raylene announced while glancing at her child before the person had even arrived.
'I certainly hope so.' Yvonne nodded but the apprehension in her heart did not fade away.
There was never an instance where the Countess had gone outside the estate and the Earl was not present to greet her upon her return.
Therefore, this was a strange occurrence that she and her child were waiting yet the Earl had not made an appearance to help them out of the carriage.
Yvonne's eyes moved towards the entrance of the Mansion where the owner of the footsteps was finally visible.
However, while Raylene's bright eyes dimmed a little, Yvonne's amethyst eyes narrowed at the sight before them.
'Why is he here?' The little girl frowned when she saw that it was the Butler who was rushing out.
An ominous feeling rose in her chest when she observed that behind the Butler was not the man whom they were expecting but a couple of maids who had followed him.
Raylene still had hope that her husband was somewhere behind them but those hopes crashed when the three servants reached the carriage yet there was no sign of the Earl.
"Madam." The first maid offered her hand to the Countess which she accepted with a blank face.
The other maid helped the little Miss of their family.
Yvonne felt uncomfortable when a different person from her mother and nanny carried her to help her down.
However, she pressed that uneasy feeling down as she fixed her concerned eyes on her mother.
'He did not come outside… What does this mean?' She fretted that her worst fears had turned into a reality.
Turning her gaze to the Butler, she narrowed her eyes but the old man lowered his head to avoid her gaze.
This only intensified the fear in her heart that something untoward had taken place during their absence.
Not only was the Butler silent as he avoided their gaze but also the two maids behaved in a shifty manner.
By now, Raylene had sensed the odd atmosphere surrounding them which was giving rise to numerous doubts in her mind.
"Let us enter, Vonny." She proposed, not letting her discomfort at this situation appear on her face.
Witnessing her composed attitude, Yvonne smiled and held her hand before she could offer it.
The little girl's actions were to share her strength with her mother as they both walked into the Mansion.
The eerie silence inside their house was something that they had never witnessed before.
The usual hustle and bustle of the servants as they rushed to finish their chores before the sunsets were absent and even the sight of a servant passing by was missing.
The Butler and the two maids followed the ladies of the household and stopped when they did.
"Where is the Earl?" Raylene interrogated as she glanced at Butler Limo from the corner of her eye.
This time her voice was stern and there was no space for error on his part.
Therefore, he bowed his head before he began speaking.
"Master has asked Madam to return to her room. He shall meet you there when he is finished with his work." He relayed the message that the Earl had personally given to him.
Yvonne's eyes narrowed as a vicious glint flashed through those amethyst irises.
There was no doubt that something was amiss inside their Mansion and at the center of this was the Master and the Butler.
'Did he…' She clenched her jaw at the thought of her father straying away from the right path due to momentary distractions.
She was the one who had orchestrated this entire plan, she was the one who wished to expose the wicked maid, and she was also the one who had decided to test the Earl's loyalty to the marriage that he was in.
However, somewhere deep down, she had faith that he would do the right thing and be true to his wife.
This was also why, every time she thought of what the outcome might be of this test, she hoped that everything would be alright.
'I was hoping that I would not need a backup plan since he seemed to love her so much.' She recalled her naivete as she glimpsed at her mother.
Whenever she discussed this plan with the Butler, it was always about what they would do once they exposed the maid.
Never was it about how she would have to deal with the situation once he cheats and betrays his wife.
How would they cope with the fact that their family was destroyed?
Would they have to move out or would they have to stay in the same house with the man and woman who had wrecked their home?
There were thoughts that she had never taken seriously.
The sole reason for this was the trust that she had subconsciously formed in the man she called 'Papa'.
He had been there for her, he had supported her decision to continue training with the Captain, and he was aiding her in whatever way feasible.
Therefore, her heart had placed her faith in him even when she was not fully aware of this truth.
'But it looks like I was wrong to trust him.' She grimaced that she had led this family to ruin with her seemingly brilliant scheme which had now backfired.
Her father had not come out to greet them and now the Butler had asked them to return to their rooms as the Earl was busy.
'What is he so busy with that he doesn't have the time to meet us after our long journey?' She glowered and stared daggers at the Butler.
However, the old man did not meet her gaze which further heightened her suspicions that she was right about the assumptions she had made about what might have taken place in their absence.
"Take us to Papa." She commanded as she continued to stare at him.
Butler Limo's irises shook as he felt sweat running down his spine at her orders.
Noticing his silence and his failure to move from his spot, Raylene too narrowed her eyes as he was disobeying her child's orders.
"Vonny has said something, Butler." She uttered with a chilling tone that they had never heard before.
Disobedience and disrespect was something that she would never tolerate as the Madam of this household, hence she fixed her burning gaze on him while waiting for his answer.
'Are you willing to disobey me and the Countess to serve your Master?' Yvonne glowered as she too glared at him.
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