5 | The Bet

The Reyes estate was already covered in snow. The journey wasn't as bad as Lydia had anticipated, as the road had been cleared for the guests. Despite the cold weather, Lydia had managed to catch a glimpse of the lake's bright surface behind the fir forest through the small window she had opened.

This beautiful atmosphere gave her some peace.

Lydia had decided to accept the Duchess's invitation at the last minute. Everything had been so rushed that finding a coachman and preparing her luggage had been a hassle. She still didn't know why she had accepted the invitation. The governess had reminded her of Lady Cameron, Lydia's mother's friend, suggesting that meeting Lady Cameron might be good.

Yet Lydia was aware that the Duchess had isolated herself from high society for a long time.

With the estate coming into view, Lydia took a final deep breath of the cold air as she closed the window.

She was sure Damian Darrington had only invited her to fuel gossip. Making a more forward move could endanger both his relationship with the princess and his reputation.

Lydia thought the event might go well if she ignored the gossip.

Perhaps she could meet new people.

She didn't want to be alone for the rest of her life either. Since there was no possibility of escaping from the high society she was in, she could find someone close to her from here. There were many nobles who shared her fate.

Lydia was snapped out of her thoughts as the coachman stopped the horses. As she got out of the carriage with the help of the footman who reached out to her, she was not expecting to see Lady Cameron.

Lady Cameron was not the Duchess herself, but the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess. Since the Duke did not have a male heir to continue his lineage, he had taken under his wing and designated as his heir his nephew, Damian Darrington.

"Welcome, Miss Lockhart."

When Lydia realized that the forced smile on the girl's face was not from arrogance but simply from the cold, she was quite relieved.

"Thank you for your invitation, my lady."

"Don't mention it! It must have been a difficult journey because of the weather."

"The roads were completely clear thanks to you, so there was no problem at all."

In the ensuing silence, Lydia's eyes wandered around involuntarily. Reyes Mansion was just as she remembered it from her childhood. Despite having undergone renovations several times, its exterior was still grand.

Lady Cameron, thinking she had waited long enough, suddenly burst in with excitement. She had maintained her serious hostess role up to this moment.

"Oh, it's so cold! Come on, let's go inside without waiting any longer."

Lydia couldn't help but smile as she saw that Amelia Cameron was still as excited and warm-hearted as she was in childhood.

Just then, the man watching them from the window of Damian's study at the Reyes mansion turned his head from the card players around the table.

"Yours has arrived, Damian!"

Without taking his eyes off the cards, Damian only moved his lips.

"Which one?"

This remark had suddenly made everyone at the table burst into laughter. One voice managed to suppress the laughter.

"You'd better start keeping a list."

Although Damian continued the game, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"No need, my memory is enough for me."

"The princess is at the top of the list anyway, do we need to remember the others?"

As the last words were met with a new wave of laughter, Lord Durham, who was watching from the window, left to freshen his drink. Coming over with the bottle, he refilled Damian's empty glass, and only then could Damian turn to him.

"Drinking from your hand is such an honor! Who has arrived?"

"Lydia Lockhart."

Although Lord Durham noticed Damian's sudden change in gaze, he couldn't tell if it was due to the game or the new guest. Meanwhile, Damian showed his cards and announced to the others that he had won the bet.

"Damn it! You must have cheated! You can't be this lucky."

"I'm not lucky, you're just very bad at this."

While Lord Durham's eyes were on Damian, who was heading towards the window, he withdrew his gaze when he saw Damian reaching for a new bottle, and turned to the others who were still feeling the pain of defeat, smiling.

"Don't be sad, gentlemen. Don't forget, lucky at cards, unlucky in love."

"Are you sure? Darrington seems to be good at both."

"Who knows..."

As Damian finished his refreshed drink and set it down, he quickly glanced at the others at the table.

"Since Lord Durham seems determined to take my place, I can leave."

Although the card players were pleased to hear this, Lord Durham's eyebrows shot up quickly.

"Where to?"

"Of course, to greet my guest..."

Accompanied by laughter from the men, Damian left the room with a new grin on his face, but as he entered the corridor, his expression completely changed. With his departure, Lord Durham turned back to the others, his eyes shining with more interest.

"Care to make a new bet, gentlemen?"