"Mirabelle had black eyes with very beautiful white hair. I saw her for the first ti when there were traveling slave traders selling slaves in neutral territory. I imdiately knew that your mother was a beautiful person despite being covered in mud with an emaciated body from malnutrition," Duke Pellington told Arielle.
"I took her to my castle, and she beca one of the servants there. After a few months of being a maid at my place, Mirabelle left without saying anything. I couldn’t find her for a few years, and it turned out that she had worked in a manor belonging to King Hugo, which was also in the border area that I still controlled. So, I couldn’t bring her back ho."
Duke Pellington didn’t want to talk about why Mirabelle left his castle. The reason why Mirabelle left was because of the treatnt of his first wife, who didn’t like Mirabelle’s existence.
His first wife learned of his desire to marry Mirabelle and she threw the girl away. Duke Pellington couldn’t do anything at that ti because he had just beco a Duke to replace his father, who had died.
He didn’t want to make Arielle had a bad impression, so he didn’t reveal it.
"And a few years later, I found out that Mirabelle already had a daughter with King Hugo. At Princess Andrea’s birthday party, I knew right away that you were Mirabelle’s daughter."
For so reason, after knowing her mother’s na and background, Arielle beca increasingly empty. Her chest felt tighter. Arielle never thought that she would hear and learn her mother’s na.
Arielle wanted to et the woman. She wanted to ask herself if her mother’s na was really Mirabelle.
Was she really once a slave? What did she do while she was a servant? Who were her friends? And did she love her? Arielle wanted to et Mirabelle and ask her everything.
"Mirabelle was a good woman," said Duke Pellington. The man took out a necklace with blue diamond from his trouser pocket. "This is Mirabelle’s only belonging. She had kept this necklace since I t her, and it seems like she dropped it when she left my castle."
Duke Pellington took Arielle’s hand and placed the necklace on the girl’s palm. Arielle saw a very beautiful diamond.
"Didn’t you say that my mother was a slave? Then why did she have such a beautiful necklace?"
"I don’t know, I just found her with it. Mirabelle never wanted to talk about her past."
Arielle gripped the necklace pendant slowly. Was it true that it belonged to her mother?
"Duke Pellington..."
"Yes, Arielle?"
"I really hope you’re telling the truth," said Arielle, who felt sad as if she was piling up so much hope and would be left disappointed later. She was afraid that the necklace that Duke Pellington had given her was just a fake, so she would feel sentintal.
Maybe if she was Arielle from a few months ago, she would easily believe and cry in Duke Pellington’s arms. However, lately, she had learned a lot from her siblings. One could just use sothing sentintal to manipulate other people.
"Hmm? Why do you say that? Didn’t your father tell you anything about your mother?"
Arielle just kept quiet and gripped the necklace once again. She smiled and gave the necklace back to Duke Pellington.
"Thank you so much for your kindness in telling so much about my mother. It’s just that I can’t accept this."
"Why? This is your mother’s heritage."
Arielle understood that, but if Arielle accepted it, she would only be sad later. The woman nad Mirabelle had passed away, and Arielle didn’t think it was the right ti to dwell on the past.
Maybe if her mother was still alive sowhere, she would receive the necklace to find her whereabouts. Also, Arielle had absolutely no mories of her mother.
Arielle was happy to know that her mother was nad Mirabelle. It was enough to stop there. To be honest, Arielle would miss Tania more if she left her than getting to her long-dead mother.
"Knowing my mother’s na is enough for ."
"Princess ..."
Arielle got up from the garden bench, and Duke Pellington got up, too.
"Princess, you should know that I am very happy to see you again... Back at Princess Andrea’s birthday party, I didn’t dare to talk to you. Therefore this opportunity feels very valuable to ."
Arielle shook her head. She didn’t like the fact that Duke Pellington knew her mother and now he was proposing to her as a wife. The girl could not understand the mindset of her father and brother, who would have the heart to accept a proposal from such a man.
Maybe the old Arielle would have just given up and felt that marrying Duke Pellington was a better way to leave the palace, but Arielle had learned a lot now. She had learned how to read and write. Arielle could find work on her own in the village if needed.
What’s more... her heart had been waiting for soone to co and get her.
The girl’s body jumped in surprise when Duke Pellington suddenly touched her shoulder. Arielle took a few steps back, causing Duke Pellington to laugh awkwardly.
"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It’s just that I didn’t expect that you would be wearing the dress I gave you. You look very beautiful in it."
Arielle looked at her clothes and imdiately crossed her arms in front of her chest to cover it.
"Th-thank you for the dress. I’ll excuse myself, Duke Pellington. It’s already very late."
Arielle turned quickly, leaving Duke Pellington, who started to look her up and down. The man’s gaze was so uncomfortable it made Arielle feel uncomfortable and wanted to run away from there.
Duke Pellington grabbed Arielle’s hand quickly. The girl panicked.
"For the necklace-"
"Arielle," called Alexis, who suddenly appeared.
Duke Pellington imdiately unhooked his hands and bowed respectfully to Alexis.
***
In a different place, Andrea sighed in disappointnt when Alexis appeared suddenly, making Archie chuckle at his sister’s annoyed face. B
However, even though he seed to be enjoying the spectacle before him, Archie was greatly relieved when Alexis appeared to separate Arielle from Duke Pellington.
Even if Duke Pellington was going to do sothing bad to Arielle, Archie couldn’t do anything about it as long as Andrea was by his side.
Reviews
All reviews (0)