Okay, let’s scratch that part with the correct path and getting used to outer appearances. Her father really wanted her to choose the prince at all costs. And this man was good at what he was doing.
She took a sip of tea and rubbed her temple. Celia still carried her night robe. When Lora had woken her that morning, she immediately asked for the folders with those three men.
Number one on the stack was Baron Falone. His son worked as a secretary for Celia’s father, so he wasn’t the youngest anymore. According to the records, he was in fact already 64 and had divorced five times. He had seven children, the oldest was over 40 and the youngest just seven. He was also known to get himself very young wives and was a notorious cheater.
Celia looked at the picture again and immediately grimaced in disgust. Baron Falone was a short, plump man who was missing half his hair. But the really bad thing was that smile of his, as if he were saying: I’ll get you as well.
“I assume Baron Falone does not meet your expectations”, stated Lora, who was standing directly behind her and looked unabashedly into the folders.
“No, Lora. Baron Falone is not necessarily my favorite.”
“You should just take the prince. After all, you’re pretty enough to be chosen as Queen later.”
Celia almost resented her maid’s remark if she hadn’t flattered her at the same time. “Too kind of you, but I’d rather kiss a toad.”
Lora shrugged her shoulders and looked again at the picture of the baron. “Your father seems to have met your taste well in that case.”
Celia gave her maid an annoyed look, which she simply ignored. So she just took her cheeky answer as given and took another look at her father’s second candidate.
This guy was 23 and had a higher rank than her. Duke Kreel. He was a drunkard and spent most of his time in the casino. She had also heard that when he was drunk he was prone to violence and had hit a woman before. In appearance, however, he wasn’t as bad as Baron Falone. He was a bit lanky and slightly bigger than her, with long blonde hair and narrow lips which somehow made him look insidious.
“A choice you can live with”, Lora commented here again without being asked.
Celia dropped her head on her hands. “You should think so.”
It couldn’t get worse than the abuse at home, after all, he spent most of the time away from his home. If only it weren’t for the fact that his piece of land is currently administered by his cousin. Since he has always had a tendency to gamble, his father laid down in his will before his death that his nephew should manage everything. His own son was to receive some kind of pocket money and move near his cousin so that he could take care of him. Basically no problem for Celia if the cousin wasn’t Duke Castillon. Her sister’s husband.
So if she chose the Duke, she would live very close to her sister. Her brother-in-law would probably use his administrator duties as an excuse to visit her when her husband was away. And while he was approaching her, her sister would think they were having an affair and might try to poison her.
Oh, her father was really clever. He knew really well that she couldn’t choose him. So that was a big fat no to the second candidate as well.
She already had the last folder in her hand and was about to open it … but then she just threw it in the corner. Why even bother to take a look? Knowing her father, he had saved the worst for last.
This meant probably she had to write an apology to the Crown Prince. How humiliating!
“Lora, please help me get dressed!” She had to do something useful now. On the one hand because she wanted to distract herself and on the other hand because she had to buy time. She had not yet given up hope completely. Since she now felt cornered, an escape was a passable option.
“What are you thinking about?” Lora asked as she tied her corset.
“About whether I should get out of here”, Celia replied honestly. She wasn’t afraid that her maid would betray her. Even if she could treat Celia better … and more respectfully, her loyalty was to her. Indeed only because she really hated her father, but the reason wasn’t relevant.
Lora nodded. “What a brilliant idea, Lady Celia. You probably already have a place to stay and work to buy some food.”
She pouted, looking at her fingernails. “I would have found a solution for that”, she defended herself weakly.
“Of course, Lady Celia”, came the ironic reply.
“I could do it … you could also help me”, Celia tried again.
Her maid stopped in the middle of plaiting her hair. „Me? What am I supposed to be able to do? Give a recommendation to my employer so you could work for your father? I don’t think that would be that appealing to you!
…
I hate it when she is right.
After that she gave up the defense for the time being. Of course she knew herself what a stupid idea that was. In the books she liked to read, the women always seemed so strong and independent. But she simply lacked experience.
After she was all dressed and done, she decided to go into the garden with Lora and cut the roses.
Although the work was exhausting in the long run, it actually helped Celia to distract herself a little. Almost as if her worries weren’t there.
“Are you going to choose one of your father’s men? Or have you come to your senses and take the Crown Prince?”
… well, almost.
“I don’t know yet,” she lied and her maid snorted in disbelief. Why did this woman always have to see through her so quickly? “I think we should enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and continue to work in silence. My engagement is now secondary.”
