Chapter 299 - Prepare For The Future
While the girls from the higher noble families were enjoying the snacks that had been brought out from them, there was another little girl who had just awakened from her sleep.
Yvonne rubbed her eyes with his fisted hands and then hopped out of her bed.
With the help of her maid, she bathed and got dressed in leisure but was just in time for lunch.
'I feel light and free today…' She blinked her wide eyes while staring at her reflection in the mirror.
Her chest felt warm and there was a strange sense of relief that filled her entire being.
She could not make out where this strange sensation in her heart had come from but she had no complaints about it.
'Maybe I had a pleasant dream.' She assumed as this could be the most plausible explanation for these feelings to arise in her heart.
She shrugged these curious thoughts away from her mind as she was just glad that her longer than usual sleep had helped her release the stress in her body.
Her maid was waiting to take her to the dining hall where the entire family would soon be partaking in lunch.
"I should sleep in more often…" She muttered while walking next to her maid, causing the old lady to chuckle while shaking her head at the cute mumbles of her young miss.
However, what Yvonne did not know was that someone had entered her room while she was still asleep.
The young boy who had promised to keep her safe at all costs was the reason for the light and free feeling she was experiencing right now.
Those simple words that he had uttered held enough power to make her feel secure even when she was deep in her slumber.
This could be proved by the smile that had formed on the sleeping girl's lips after her brother had left the room.
Now, clueless as she was about everything that had taken place after the assessment and the events of this morning, Yvonne reached the dining hall.
Her maid pushed the door open for her and she smiled as she entered the room.
Inside, Rutherford and Raylene smiled at her while Howard gave her a simple nod of the head.
'Still, an improvement when compared to the sneers and glares he used to shoot my way.' The little girl was taught to be grateful for the small mercies she received.
Thus she sighed and took her seat at the table while waiting for the food to be served.
'This is what a blessed Sunday brunch feels like!' She felt the urgent need to shed tears while scanning the multitude of delectable dishes placed before her.
Memories of her old world where she would only wake up and leave her room to feed her growling stomach were resurfacing at this moment.
Sunday brunches were something that CEO St. Claire looked forward to more than a billion-dollar deal.
'Okay, that was an exaggeration. I would sign the deal on Saturday then stay in bed and head for brunch on Sunday.' The greedy girl corrected her thoughts as to what she truly would do.
While she was reminiscing the days in her previous world, the maids served fresh fruit juices with chunks of fruits floating in them.
The summer heat was increasing with each day and she was grateful that her mother had commanded the chefs to prepare cool drinks to alleviate their body heat at various points of the day.
'I wish I had a mimosa in my hand right now.' She sulked as she downed the entire glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Her go-to drink on any day was her champagne-filled mimosa but right now, her young body could never get a taste of that beautiful drink.
So she had to make do with what was available at hand.
Though the alcoholic content was missing, the citric taste of the orange made her face scrunch together as she shuddered at the cold sensation that ran down her throat to her round belly.
"Was it that good?" Raylene inquired as she held in her laughter at seeing her daughter's strange actions.
Only now did Yvonne realize that she had been the center of their attention.
"It was good…" She muttered with a nod.
'But I wish it had champagne in it…' She swallowed the truth which could have gotten her in trouble if she had made it known to them.
During lunch, Howard was still guilty about the information he had gained this morning from his father so he kept his head down while trying to focus his attention on the food on his plate.
Raylene had noticed his silence throughout their meal but her mind misinterpreted this to be him sulking.
"You can come to visit us at any time you feel like it." She reminded him that he was always welcomed here no matter the time or date.
Howard was surprised at this sudden suggestion from her but realized that she had misunderstood him when he saw his father's understanding smile.
"Yes, Mother. I will be back often." He promised and then glanced at his sister.
This was a promise not just to his mother but to his sister as well for whom he had decided to work hard and improve the relationship between them.
Yvonne had no clue about the complexity of his thoughts as she was lamenting her sorry state which deprived her of the taste of her beloved champagne.
With this, lunch came to an end and Raylene offered to help her son pack his belongings for his trip tomorrow.
Howard's weekend holiday would end tonight and he along with the other boys would journey to the Royal Academy early in the morning in order to attend the classes which would begin at their usual timings.
This meant that there would be no time for them to prepare in the morning so the concerned mother decided to finish packing right away to avoid any mishaps tomorrow.
'She is not wrong to plan ahead for the future.' Yvonne agreed with her and watched as the two walked away.
Turning her head to the right, she found her father standing in the same place as though he was waiting for her to leave first.
However, Yvonne did not take the first step, instead, she raised her hands and gestured that she wished to be carried in his arms.
This demand of hers elated the father who had been in an awful mood ever since the wicked servant had been apprehended.
He had been blaming himself for not controlling the house with a tighter fist to ensure that not a single of them would ever dare to even dream of concocting such a scheme against his family.
So at this moment, with his child in his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck to stabilize herself wiped away all of the guilt he had been feeling.
'She is safe now and I will make sure that she remains that way.' He smiled at the girl but there were flames of determination blazing in his eyes.
Yvonne had not noticed this as there were certain thoughts floating around in her head after what she had heard at lunch.
'Prepare for the future…' She recalled Raylene's words and decided that it was time to do just that.
Therefore, she looked at her father who had already managed to revert to his normal face without letting her catch a glimpse of his fury.
"Papa, can we talk?" She inquired cautiously which brought out a roar of laughter from the big man.
The confusion on her face morphed to a glare when she felt his hard knuckle knock her forehead.
"Is this why you asked me to carry you?" He questioned and received his answer when she widened her eyes before coughing.
'She is becoming easier to comprehend the more I interact with her.' He realized and was pleased with his progress.
'How did he read my actions?' Yvonne panicked as she had indeed acted cute to get him to agree to her request.
Rutherford shook his head at his child's thoughtful face as he began walking away from the dining hall in another direction.
'I need to improve my acting skills!' The little girl glowered at her weakening acting prowess which caused her to be discovered by her father in an instant.