Chapter 3

The following morning, I was still thinking about what had happened last night and wondering what would have happened next if Henrik hadn't showed up and ruined things. 'Damn you, Henrik.' If he hadn't showed up or had showed up later instead, I could have found out what I had done to upset Lander.

I had replayed what happened from when I walked into the pavilion to when he started glaring at me and I still couldn't figure out the exact thing that had annoyed him. 'Could it really have been because I was talking loudly?' I thought just as I heard the door to my room opening.

"Lady Katherine. You have a guest," Celia, my maid, announced, and I opened my eyes.

"A guest?" I replied as I sat upright. 'Could it be-'

"It's Lady Faye of Viscount Theron's family."

The enthusiasm immediately melted away from my body and my shoulders sagged. 'Of course, it's someone random. Why would Lander be here to see me?' I got to my feet and cleared my throat before remembering that I had no idea who that was. "Um… Did she say why she's here?"

"No," she said and I pressed my lips together because I wouldn't know how to act when I saw her since I didn't know if she was a friend or someone who didn't like me.

"Okay. Take me to her."

We left my room and as we made our way through the estate, I realized that I didn't know my way around it. I would have to subtly ask Henrik or Celia to give me a tour later.

After a little while, Celia and I got to the room where Lady Faye was and when we walked in, she lifted her eyes from the magazine she was reading. I smiled at her, not knowing what to say, and as I sat in the chair across from her, she spoke.

"I apologize for coming without any notice, Lady Katherine."

"Ah, no, it's fine."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"Don't mention it," I replied, giving her a dismissive wave, and she returned my smile before drinking from the tea cup in front of her. From her demeanor, I could deduce that she seemed like a confident person, but apart from that, there was nothing. I couldn't tell if she was here with good intentions or not.

She looked up at me again and when she saw that I was still staring and smiling at her, she drew her brows together. "Is... something wrong?"

"No, I was just…" I didn't want to ask her why she was here because it might come off as rude, and since I wanted to fix Katherine's reputation - my reputation - I should be nice. "Admiring your beauty."

I wasn't lying. She was actually quite beautiful and her black hair and green eyes complemented each other perfectly.

"Oh," she muttered monotonously, the corner of her mouth quirking up, and when she didn't say anything else, I decided to drink from my cup too.

'Hmm, the tea tastes good.'

"Have you really gone mad?" she suddenly asked, surprising me, and I descended into a short coughing fit after my tea went down the wrong pipe. I totally hadn't been expecting that question. "You don't look like you have."

"Thank you?"

"Everyone is saying you have. Among other things…"

"What… What else are they saying?" I asked with a nervous laugh while fiddling with the table cloth. 'Katherine, your reputation better not be beyond fixing.'

"Apparently, you might be planning to harm the crown princess," she replied and my eyes widened.

"What?!" I remembered that a woman had muttered that when I was smiling while watching the crown prince and princess and my hands tightened into fists. That is NOT a rumor I want associated with me because what if something actually happens to Raven soon? I would be the first person to get suspected!

"They also say you and Lord Lander Van Hyden are in a relationship."

Heat rushed to my face at that and I stuttered. I had only explained what happened to Henrik, I had completely forgotten about the women that had come to the garden with him. "T-That's not true."

'Has Lander heard about this?'

"The both of you were seen in one of the palace's gardens -"

"Why are you here?" I blurted out and she raised a brow at me.

"You wrote to me. You told me to come over whenever I had the chance to."

"... I did?" Katherine sent her a letter?

She tipped her head to the side, giving me a small frown while a maid walked into the room. "The Duke and Lord Waine have entered the capital, my lady," the maid announced and Faye immediately got to her feet.

"I'll be taking my leave now."

"Huh?"

"If you want us to meet again, you should set up a meeting. Preferably somewhere that's not here."

****

Lady Faye had already left and her mentioning that Katherine had sent her a letter had reminded me that I needed to learn more about Katherine, so I was currently on my way back to my room to try to find Katherine's diary. I didn't actually know if Katherine had a diary, I just assumed she did because a lot of noble ladies had one when I was reading the novel. It would be so helpful if Katherine had also one.

"Oh," I said when I saw the duchess and two maids about to walk into a room. "Good morning, mother," I called out with a wave and the duchess glanced at me before scowling and walking into the room with the maids.

"? …What did I do now?" I muttered and turned to face Celia who was clutching the sides of her dress like her life depended on it. "Did I say something wrong?"

"You… You keep calling her mother."

I furrowed my brows before remembering that she always reacted weirdly whenever I called her mother. "Do I not call her that?"

"You never call her mother."

'Huh?' I scratched the back of my ear and cleared my throat while Celia stared at me with surprise written all over her face. "Wh- What do I call her?"

"…Duchess."

"Why? Isn't she my mother?" I blurted out in both confusion and frustration and Celia looked even more surprised.

"She's Lord Waine's and Lord Henrik's mother, my lady."

'Ah. So she's the stepmother? That's why she always reacts weirdly? Does she hate me or something? Also, I have another stepbrother? …Where's Katherine's mother? Is she-'

"My lady, are you feeling alright? Should I get the physician?" Celia asked, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I shook my head sideways after seeing how worried she looked.

"No, I'm fine. Let's keep going."