Chapter 101: A Noble in Disguise

Chapter 101: Chapter 101: A Noble in Disguise

Following the voice, everyone turned toward the entrance.

Reeve was striding into the pavilion, his brow furrowed and his expression tense, as though he had hurried there after hearing the commotion.

Without hesitation, he crossed the room and positioned himself in front of Lillian.

Elysia wasn’t surprised to see him.

After their chess game, when Cassiel had told her he would take her to meet someone, the person he had brought was the guard assigned to protect Lillian after their visit to Benedict’s memorial.

That guard had reported that the young man Lillian had met on the hill called himself Riven.

He had described him as handsome, elegantly dressed, and carrying himself with the refinement of someone from a good family.

Cassiel had later told Elysia that he had investigated the matter.

Riven had indeed gone to the hill that day.

The young man Lillian had fallen for was not a merchant at all.

He was Reeve Alderdice, the son of the Duke of Merlinspire.

He had simply concealed his true identity.

Lillian didn’t know.

And neither did Melissa.

Elysia had intended to reveal the truth today, but she hadn’t anticipated Melissa arriving early and immediately turning the pavilion upside down.

Melissa’s eyes swept over Reeve with undisguised hostility.

"So, you’re the paramour?"

Reeve’s brow furrowed.

"Lady Melissa, mind your words."

"Mind my words?"

Melissa’s voice sharpened.

"I’ll say what I please!"

She pointed accusingly at him.

"You seduced my daughter, hoping to climb the social ladder through my family, through Draevenor Manor! Dream on! My daughter is meant for a noble house!"

Reeve’s expression remained calm, though his eyes hardened.

"And what of Lady Lillian’s wishes? If she doesn’t desire a noble house, would you force her?"

Melissa scoffed.

"I am her mother!"

Her voice rose.

"I would never harm her!"

Then her gaze raked over Reeve from head to toe.

"Even as a concubine to some lord or duke, it would be better than becoming your legal wife!"

She sneered.

"One look at you tells me you’re doomed to an early grave. A man like you will never amount to anything..."

Reeve’s frown deepened as her insults continued.

He said nothing.

Instead, he reached back and gently covered Lillian’s ears.

Lillian’s eyes widened.

She hadn’t expected him to do that.

Elysia felt a headache beginning to form.

She had tolerated enough.

"Lady Melissa."

Her voice was not loud, but it carried clearly across the pavilion.

Melissa finally paused.

Elysia took a steadying breath.

"We have other guests arriving shortly. Lady Lillian, please retire and tend to your face."

Reeve understood immediately.

He glanced at Lillian, then gave a slight nod.

Without another word, he guided her away.

Lillian followed him, tears still clinging to her lashes.

Melissa stared after them.

"You two! Stop right there!"

But Reeve and Lillian were already leaving the pavilion.

Melissa turned back to Elysia, her face twisted with displeasure.

"Your Grace, if you bear a grudge against me, take it out on me! Do not ruin my daughter’s life like this!"

Elysia looked at her steadily.

"I am not ruining her life."

"Marrying her off to a merchant isn’t ruination?"

Melissa gave a bitter scoff.

"If you’re so fond of traders, why didn’t you beg the King to let you marry one?"

Her eyes flashed.

"Instead, you shamelessly married into Draevenor Manor!"

Elysia’s expression cooled. Before she could respond, a servant hurried into the pavilion.

"Duchess Yvette has arrived."

Melissa’s eyes immediately brightened.

Yvette entered the pavilion a moment later.

She was the additional guest Elysia had invited today, hoping that her presence might help smooth the way for the proposed marriage.

Melissa’s expression transformed almost instantly.

She hurried forward.

"Yvette, you’ve finally arrived!"

Yvette took one look at her and immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"What’s happened?"

Her gaze moved over Melissa’s agitated face.

"Has someone wronged you again?"

"It’s our esteemed Duchess here!"

Melissa dabbed at the corner of her eye, though there were no tears to wipe away.

"I merely mentioned that my younger daughter is of marriageable age and hoped she might help find a suitable match."

Her voice became pitiful.

"My requirements aren’t even high. I only ask for a family of comparable standing."

She turned toward Elysia.

"And what does she do? She tries to marry my girl off to a merchant!"

Melissa’s voice trembled with indignation.

"Is this not bullying us widows and orphans?"

Elysia’s frown deepened.

"Lady Melissa—"

"Her Grace even invited that vagabond to the manor today!"

Melissa continued as though she hadn’t heard.

"He was flaunting himself right before my eyes—"

"Lady Melissa!"

Elysia finally lost patience.

"Mind your language. Don’t say such things in front of the man’s own mother."

Melissa paid little attention to the warning.

Instead, she turned back to Yvette and continued lamenting.

"You see? Such airs! She won’t even let me speak!"

Yvette patted Melissa’s hand sympathetically.

Then she looked toward Elysia.

"Lady Lillian is, after all, Lady Melissa’s daughter."

Her tone carried a gentle note of admonishment.

"And the prospective husband would be Lady Melissa’s son-in-law. Surely you cannot simply silence her and forbid her from raising an objection?"

Elysia was momentarily at a loss for words.

A flash of triumph crossed Melissa’s eyes.

Yvette then asked, "You’ve seen this young man yourself?"

Melissa nodded vigorously.

"Indeed! Shifty-eyed, the very picture of a scoundrel!"

She spoke with growing conviction.

"Meeting a young woman in secret without even seeking her parents’ permission! In my view, he’s likely fatherless and motherless, or perhaps the son of some low-born mistress!"

The words were vile enough that even Yvette frowned slightly.

Still, the young man was an outsider to her, and she had no particular reason to involve herself in the matter.

So she merely said, "If I had a daughter, I certainly wouldn’t marry her into such a family."

Encouraged by the agreement, Melissa straightened.

Then a new thought occurred to her.

"Speaking of which, Yvette..."

Her eyes gleamed.

"While you have no daughter, you do have a son, still unmarried, do you not?"

Yvette began to answer.

"Yes, he—"

Footsteps sounded from the entrance.

The interruption drew everyone’s attention.

Melissa turned.

The moment she saw the person entering the pavilion, her eyes blazed with reignited fury.

"You dare show your face again!"

Yvette stopped mid-sentence.

A flicker of irritation crossed her face.

She followed Melissa’s gaze.

Her son had entered the pavilion.

They had been invited together that day, but for some reason, Reeve had been distracted throughout the journey.

Usually, he would wait for her after they alighted from the carriage.

Today, however, he had gone ahead without her.

Strangely, despite leaving first, he seemed to have arrived even later than she had.