"They are beautiful," Alessandra said, complinting the flowers in Lucina's garden. Seeing all the different colors and sizes co together to create one big, beautiful painting made her want to start working on her garden once the repairs were finished.
Instead of inviting won over, Alessandra wanted to lay around on the grass with Edgar and eat there. She could use the distraction of gardening to ignore everything else in town.
'I need to see what the budget for the garden is once the repairs are finished,' Alessandra noted for later.
Alessandra walked behind Thea and Wren, who had beca talkative as they walked around the garden. It was like they had never hid in a corner a mont ago.
"Duchess."
Alessandra looked away from the flowers to the right of her, where Erin stood. After two weeks of Erin having soone else co to asure her or dropping off the dresses before Alessandra could co out to greet her, seeing Erin here was a sight for sore eyes.
"Hello," Alessandra said, feeling a bit awkward with the greeting. She rembered seeing Erin in town and Erin avoiding her.
"It is good to see. I made Lady Lucina's dress, so she gave an invite. I was happy to hear that you would be here. Can we please talk about why I have not been around? Alone," Erin added, as there were two young girls by Alessandra's side. During their ti apart, Alessandra seed to beco a different person. Her na was constantly brought up by her custors.
"Excuse for a mont," Alessandra said to Thea and Wren.
Erin watched the young ladies walk off a little bit, where they would still be in sight when Alessandra was finished. "First off, I apologise for avoiding you. It had nothing to do with you. I was just going through a lot with my engagent to Dale. I felt embarrassed about what happened with his parents because I had been speaking so highly about our relationship, but his parents were angry and chased away. I hope you didn't think that I used you for your connections and then turned my back on you."
"I didn't," Alessandra replied. Once again, Eleanor inford her about what happened with Erin and Dale. She looked at Erin's finger, where a ring was shown off. "It was odd, but you needed your space, and I was fine with that. However, I wonder what you thought of back then when you had to avoid . I would have comforted you."
"I know. That is what fills with guilt. I was hoping you would push your way into asking what was wrong," said Erin.
"I've played peacemaker far too long. Sotis it is nice for others to approach to make things right. I am not angry with you, Erin. You avoiding because of your troubles is not sothing that upsets . I knew in ti you would co to . I knew that it was nothing I had done since you were still sending dresses. Congratulations on your marriage, Erin," Alessandra said, as Erin had longed for this mont since they t.
"Thank you. You would have been invited, but it was a quick wedding at the church with just Dale and . We decided to get it over with so our parents could just shut up. Dale's family has so wealth, so my mother isn't too upset, and with my growing business, Dale's parents are starting to open up to . We could have avoided all that drama if we had made our relationship known from the beginning," Erin said.
Alessandra was glad everything worked out for Erin in the end. She had been so suspicious of this Dale Scott she had never t, since everything about him was a mystery and he was not walking around with Erin. If not for Simon being found to be the person the guards were looking for, she would have pointed Edgar to Dale for the sake of making sure Erin was safe.
"So, everything is fine between us?" Erin asked, still feeling like there was more for her to explain or apologise for.
"Erin, I don't know what else to say to convince you that I am not angry with you. Here," Alessandra said, taking hold of Erin's left hand so they could walk together.
Erin jumped on the spot one ti and then looked around to see if anyone had noticed it. "It is good to be back by your side. I am sure the Duke enjoyed not seeing around," she said.
"Honestly, I don't think Edgar thought of you or noticed that you weren't around," Alessandra honestly answered. "He will realise it when you co to our ho. His ability to ignore soone or not notice when they aren't around is out of this world. I am lucky to be his wife, or I would be forgotten. Though there are tis when I wish he would forget that I am ho and find soone else to torture."
"Then I can't wait to see his face when I visit to deliver your new dresses. I wanted to see you today to see how you are doing with everything that has happened to your family. I know you weren't close to your stepmother, but how are you taking her death? Do you feel relieved now that the town knows about her and Kate? You must have had so many people giving their apologies to you," Erin said, walking with Alessandra to catch up with the young ladies who were patiently waiting.
"Apologies for the way anyone treated ? No, and I don't need them. No one wants to acknowledge they were wrong for believing I was cursed and for the things they said. They've just turned to talking about Katrina and Kate. I hear what the town is saying from the maids, and I am not surprised that I am said to be a curse that caused the baron's ho to fall. They are expecting it to happen to Edgar," Alessandra shook her head as the town reached a new level of ridiculousness.
"I am satisfied with it being out in the open, and I don't have to explain what life was like with my father to anyone," she added.
"Will you be going to the festival to celebrate the queen's blessing? I heard that many of the Collins are now in town. Everyone is hoping you will hold a ball to start off the season earlier than planned. Balls an good business for . Dale has created a space in our ho to act as my dress shop. I hope to see you tonight so I can let you see what he is like," Erin said.
"Unfortunately, I won't be attending the festival tonight. I will be staying ho with Edgar. I would love to enjoy the night walking around, but there will be too many people looking for news about Kate, and I do not want to be bothered with it. I wouldn't say no if you wanted to invite Edgar and over to your ho to et Dale," Alessandra replied.
"Deal," Erin said, pulling Alessandra closer as they walked.
"I'm sorry I kept you two waiting," Alessandra said to Thea and Wren when she caught up with them. It was good to have Erin around again, and now she had these two young ladies to get to know.
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