Chapter 2 Many times she envied her

After delivering the breakfast and placed it at the table in front of the mother and daughter pair, she was turning to leave when Lilith said," My tea has turned cold. I need another one."

Hazel internally scoffed and rolled her eyes. 'Of course it had to turn cold since you've been reading gossip sheets,' she thought.

She picked up the tray and was leaving when she heard Lilith excitedly say," Mother, Duke Raven is going to attend at the ball!" "Yeah, I read it just now. Have you prepared everything? I want you to look the prettiest at the ball," Scarlett said glancing at her daughter.

In Hazel's opinion, Lilith was beautiful effortlessly. Her blue eyes were striking and her long wavy blonde hair was a gem. However, Hazel thought that if they were to consider morals, Lilith would be sure to die a spinster because she totally lacked that.

But considering their society, where men mainly considered physical appearance, and where they wanted to show off at parties at who had the prettiest and elegant wife, she was sure that Lilith was soon going to be off the hook and it will be a man of high social class.

When the two were done with breakfast, Hazel started to prepare lunch. When she got done with the lunch, Scarlett sent for her in her room. "I need you to clean all my shoes and Lilith's," she was instructed and she nodded.

'Why not just choose a pair that you're going to wear for the ball!!!' she internally screamed as she walked to the closet to get them all.

As she was cleaning the shoes, her mind drifted to tomorrow's ball where Raven Atticus was going to make an appearance. How she wished she could go just to catch a glimpse of him at a far. But she knew better than anyone not to talk about it to Scarlett unless if she wanted to be insulted and her resting mother inclusive.

...

"Pull the corset!! The waist should be tight!!" Lilith screamed as she was being helped in fitting in the dress and Hazel did as told. "Are you a fool?!! So it's been your mission to suffocate me?!! Loosen the corset, I can't breathe!" she shouted and Hazel wondered what she really wanted but she knew better than anyone not to voice it out. Slightly loosening the corset, she asked," Is it fine here?" "Why didn't you do this in the first place? Get my hair pins," she said and Hazel searched among the drawers until she found them and handed them to her as she pinned her hair. Checking out herself in the mirror, she asked," How do you think I look?" "Good, but I think that you would look best if you let two strands of hair fall on either side of your temple," Hazel gave her opinion. "What does a nobody like you know?" commented Liling as she checked herself out in the mirror again. Hazel internally shook her head. Wasn't she the one who asked for her opinion? To her surprise, Liling did the same exact thing she had told her and she later said," Bring my silver sandal stilettos."

Just when she had just delivered the shoes, she heard a voice," Hazel!" "I will be right back," she said before rushing to Scarlett's bedroom.

"Give me my powder," she said and Hazel searched for the bottle until she found it.

"Is it in there?" Scarlett asked and Hazel opened to see that there was a little left.

"A little. But it is enough," she replied handing it to her and she grabbed the tin, looking inside of it. "Where did the rest go?! Are you stealing my things?!" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"I wouldn't dare," Hazel replied immediately.

She glared at her before taking a seat and started applying her makeup.

Hazel was just praying for the moment when the two get to leave so that she takes some rest.

Hazel stood at the front door as she watched the two ready to leave for the masquerade ball. Her eyes settled on Lilith who looked so beautiful in her pink silk gown. She had paired it with silver silk gloves and silver hair pins. Many times she envied her, if not all the time. She was a beauty and had beautiful things. Beautiful clothes, shoes, jewelry and among all, a mother who loved her.

"I want to find the whole house clean. We shall have beef stew for supper. Make the meat tender just like we want it," instructed Scarlett and she nodded. "Don't you dare leave the house," she added. "But I have to go- " "Where?!" "To the market to get some groceries," she completed. "I expect you to be back early," she said and she looked at her daughter Lovingly then said," Let's go my dear."

She looked at them through the window as they climbed the carriage that was waiting to take them to Scathloks mansion to attend the grand Ball. She wished they were kind enough to drop her off at the market since it was the same path but she knew not to say it.

When the carriage rode off, she also started to move towards the market so that she could buy the groceries.

"I am not surprised that you didn't attend the ball," Ms Margaret said when she saw her.

Hazel forced a smile and said," I don't have the suitable clothes to attend." "I doubt your evil aunt would let you attend even though you had them," she said as she placed the groceries in her basket.

"Thank you," she replied as she got the basket and started walking back to the house.

On her way, she saw a lot of carriages than usual on the road and she knew that it was because families were heading to the Scathloks to attend the grand Ball.

Masquerade balls were opportunities for the girls who had reached the marriageable age to get spouses.

For that reason, almost every girl would attend them, but of course except Hazel. She doubted she will ever be able to get married.

She knew that she was going to die a spinster because one, her aunt would never allow her to leave and two, no decent man would ever spare her a glance. Not only because of her looks and ugly dresses but also because of the reputation of her late mother.

People used to label her as the daughter of a prostitute and she didn't know how true that was. She therefore knew that no mother would let her son marry a person like her and for that reason, she had come to accept her fate.

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