For a moment, I even thought about selling the invitation. But the thought disappeared as soon as I saw the price—eight million crocks.
“Then I should leave today. The banquet is in two days.”
“That’s probably for the best. The nearby inns might already be full.”
I counted the money I had left. The travel cost to Cedric’s estate… If I used all the money on transportation, I might just be able to find a very cheap place to stay. That was only if there were still rooms available.
I stood up.
“Then I’ll get going now.”
“Okay. I’ll come down when I finish up here. The trial is in a week, so I’ll see you at the courthouse.”
I nodded and left the office right away. I had to leave quickly if I wanted to get one of the cheaper rooms.
I rushed back to the boarding house and packed my small amount of belongings. When I ran away from Cedric, I had two suitcases. But I had to sell one of them and all my fancy dresses because of money. The only things I had left were a clean dress I had saved for emergencies and my wedding ring.
I took out the wedding ring from the corner of my suitcase. The ring, with its shiny diamond, sparkled too brightly for a place like this. Thinking of Cedric, I pushed it deep back into the bag.
As I was carrying my suitcase out, Mrs. Fern came out too. She seemed to have dressed up today, wearing a frilly dress. Meanwhile, I wore the cleanest dress I had, but it was very plain.
She looked at me and asked,
“Where are you going?”
“I have something to do.”
“You’ll be back before rent’s due, right?”
I held back my anger and nodded. After all, I had no excuse for being behind on rent. Just then, a woman in a fancy dress came in through the door. As soon as she saw Mrs. Fern, she said brightly,
“Oh, you’re ready already. Let’s go!”
They both laughed and left together. I opened the door again and stepped outside. A large carriage was waiting outside. Mrs. Fern left, laughing as she got into the carriage. I checked my pocket and counted my money again. I couldn’t afford a carriage like that. Instead, I had to take the public carriage that left on a schedule.
When I got to the stop, several people were already waiting. Luckily, the carriage arrived soon. I got in and squeezed between the crowd. I had to sit very close to the person next to me for hours, but I couldn’t complain. Everyone else was doing the same, so I just stared out the window and endured it.
As we got closer to Cedric’s estate, people started getting off one by one. When most of the people had left, the coachman opened the middle door and said,
“From here on, there’s a surcharge. If anyone wants to get off, you can.”
Surprised, I asked,
“How much more?”
“It’s the Jedburgh family’s land, so it’s quite expensive. Ten crocks.”
“Then I’ll get off here.”
After I got off, the carriage quickly left. I had 100 crocks left. I had to save every bit in case something happened. And I still needed a place to stay.
I looked around. It was a wide plain with not even a hut in sight. A few sheep were grazing now and then. All I had was one suitcase, yet it felt so heavy. I looked down at it.
“There’s not even much in it.”
I only packed two outfits and a few other things. I had sold almost everything when I ran from Cedric. The only thing I kept was the wedding ring in case of an emergency. I knew it would sell for a good price if I needed to.
I walked slowly along the road that seemed to stretch forever. Luckily, there were signs to guide me. My legs were aching by the time I reached a small village. I looked for an inn first.
Once I found a room and looked around, I saw Cedric’s grand mansion in the distance. The view wasn’t bad, but the area looked similar to the small room I had been living in. Still, this was the best I could afford, so I didn’t think too much and unpacked.
Then I asked around for directions to Cedric’s mansion. Two days later, I headed there.
The coachman told me walking might be faster than taking a carriage, so I walked quickly toward the mansion. Carriages passed by nonstop, raising dust as they rushed past. I covered my nose with a handkerchief and kept walking.
The lights grew brighter, and soon I saw Cedric’s large mansion. Nobles in fancy dresses were greeting each other in front of the carriages. Thankfully, I didn’t see any familiar faces, but considering my plain dress, I didn’t want anyone to notice me.
Since today was the banquet, the mansion looked very clean and grand on the outside. When I came to meet Cedric’s mother before, it had looked gloomy and unkept. Now it just looked luxurious and well-maintained.
I stood in front of the iron gate, staring blankly at the mansion, when I heard a sharp voice nearby.
“What do you mean I can’t go in? I was invited too!”
I turned to see a man arguing with the gatekeeper.
“Only those with invitations can enter.”
“I didn’t leave it behind on purpose! I just forgot to bring it!”
“Even so, you need the invitation.”
“Unbelievable! I’m telling you, I was invited—”
Just then, a calm voice interrupted.
“What’s going on here?”
A man in a neat suit stepped in. The other man continued, frowning.
“They’re trying to kick me out just because I forgot my invitation!”
“Our master gave special instructions. It’s for security, so please understand.”
The man in the suit then gave an order to the nearby guards. The guards took the man away. People nearby glanced over and whispered. Since I was already holding the invitation, I stepped forward and spoke to the man.
“Hello. I’d like to see Duke Jedburgh.”
He was about to turn away but stopped when he saw me. When our eyes met, he spoke in a tired voice.
“Do you have an invitation?”
“Yes, but I’m not here for the banquet. I’m here because of the trial. I’d like to talk to him.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
I remembered what Felix had said. After all, this invitation was from Cedric to Felix.
“Yes, I do! I think if you say it’s Felix, he’ll understand.”
He looked me up and down and then suddenly asked,
“Are you Miss Revril by any chance?”
“How did you know?”
I was so surprised that my eyes widened. He explained calmly,
“I think I remember seeing you here when I used to work here. I’m the butler now.”
I didn’t recognize him at all, so I had nothing to say. Then he stepped aside and said,
“Please come this way.”
Not knowing what else to do, I followed him. I glanced around, but luckily no one seemed interested in me. The butler led me through the garden and into the back door of the mansion. It looked like the servants’ entrance, which was good since it kept me out of sight.
We walked through the hallway, and soon we reached a large ballroom. As we passed by, I saw people in bright, elegant dresses under shining chandeliers. They all looked happy and were laughing cheerfully. Their laughter was loud enough to catch my attention.
I stared for a moment, then looked at my own dress. It was dull, with a worn-out hem. I couldn’t look at the ballroom anymore and turned my eyes forward.
After walking a while, the butler stopped in front of a large door. I hadn’t seen this room before. He opened the door and said,
“Please wait here.”
He left right away. I slowly stepped into the drawing room. Since the ballroom was in full swing, I guessed they brought me to a room deeper inside the mansion. I hadn’t seen this room during my last visit.
I looked around in curiosity. Then I noticed a familiar face in a portrait. It was someone I didn’t want to remember—Cedric’s mother. Below the portrait were several white flowers that looked like they had already wilted.
Just then, I heard a knock at the door.
