Till late at night, I wondered about the dream and Mr Blackville's offer. I thought that it would be all right to share that secret with him.
He could help me find the way to change the future. I thought, lying down on my bed, reading the empty ceiling.
Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours, but my heart was somehow just forcing me to tell everything to him, although I've only known him for a very short time.
The only outcome was to trust him with my secrets, because it was somehow the only way to rest my mind at that time.
∙∞°
Cold travelled through my hand as I turned the cold doorknob to open the door, spotting Mary at the start of the corridor, when I called her, "Mary! Can you please come here?" I ordered her gently as I walked back inside the room.
"Anything you want, ma'am?" She asked me, smiling.
"Eh, yes! Can you please sit beside me? I want to talk to you for a moment." Her expression was one of a bit of astonishment as she was unsure about it.
"What can I do for you, ma'am?" Her voice was so unsure at that moment, as she scanned every corner.
"Mary! You are the most trusted worker in this house." I said to her, moving a bit closer, which flattered her.
"Thank you, ma'am! Anything I can do for you?" She smiled peacefully.
"Yes, please! So you know where the Blackvilles live?" I bit my lower lip.
"Oh, yes! My Lady, I know where the Blackvilles live. It's just two houses away from the Crunchers." She told me, smiling.
"Can you..." I stopped before moving a little bit closer to be in a whispering tone before saying, "Can you please take me there? I want to meet Lord Sebastian Blackville. And please don't tell anyone. This would be a secret meeting." My eyes started searching her face for an answer.
"It will be my pleasure to help you, my lady." She smiled kindly back at me.
"Thank you so much, Mary! And please call me Aureline, ok?" I smiled as I took a deep breath.
"Ok, my Lady! I shall go to arrange the carriage now." She replied again by saying 'my lady' until I said, "It's Aureline for you." I smiled as she stood up to reach the door.
"For sure, Aureline." She smiled elegantly and hesitantly.
Mary was the most trusted worker at our house, which is why I trusted her with a job like that. I usually don't trust anyone with my secrets, but this time it was different. This time, I need to take off the curtains to save the world and to save my family. This time it was important. There was no time to be shy or to wonder what the other people would think.
"Sister!" Said Helena, as she opened the door, peeking in.
"What is it?" I stood up, resting my book on the sofa. I walked towards her.
"Mother is calling for you." She stepped inside.
"But for what?" I questioned her in curiosity.
"There is a suitor downstairs, who is awaiting the diamond's presence." She smiled teasingly.
"Oh, come on!" I ground my teeth as I whispered to myself, as I wished it to be a dream, but my dreams are the truth, I told myself.
"Tell her that I'm coming." I spun back as I bit my index finger.
As I descended the stairs, Mary, spotting me, came to me. Her speed of walking was a bit faster than usual.
"The carriage is waiting." She whispered in my ear.
"We must wait a little," I whispered back.
"But why?" She asked me as we both glanced down at where the maids were walking.
"There is a suitor downstairs," I told her, biting my cheeks.
"Oh!" She exclaimed. "So what now?" She questioned.
"Don't worry. Let me see who the suitor is. Just stand outside the drawing room." I said as she gave me space to descend.
I walked inside the room, taking a deep breath. The room smelled like pastries, cakes and tea. I heard the laugh of my mother and a man.
"Oh, Aureline, there you are!" Mother said as she stopped laughing and sipped her tea.
"Lady Felixer!" The man stood up to have a better look at me. He was none other than Lord George Cruncher.
"Lord Cruncher! What brings you here?" I questioned him. My eyebrows were raised high.
"Lord Cruncher is here for a marriage proposal." Mother broke our contact as she burst with happiness.
"A marriage proposal!" I exclaimed. I knew that he came here for that purpose, but somehow I still reacted by raising my eyebrows.
"Yes, my lady. I hope you would not deny." His eyes requested me to say yes, but I couldn't marry a man who only fulfilled his desires without thinking about others, like he did last night with me. He knew completely that I was not feeling well. Even Lord Blackville spoke on my behalf, but he was blinded by his desire to have a dance with the diamond.
"I..." I glanced to the side to spot Mary standing impatiently behind Mama.
"I refuse to accept your proposal, Lord Cruncher." Finally, I rested my brows. It felt like a sudden relief.
There was a sudden silence in the room, as both Lord Cruncher and mother stared at my proud face.
"Aureline, but why?" Mother questioned me with a hint of anger in her voice. It looked like Lord George Cruncher agreed with mother's question, as he looked like he was about to cry.
"I cannot marry a man who only lives to fulfil his desires, without worrying about anyone else." There was no crack in my voice as I was completely sure about my decision. I felt proud as Mary smiled at me from outside the room.
"What do you mean by that, Lady?" Lord Cruncher's jaw clenched as his hands did the same thing.
"Aureline! How can you disrespect him like that!?" Mother's voice echoed through the room. She must've been thinking about her friendship with Lady Cruncher.
"I am not disrespecting him, Mother. I am telling the truth." I told her, completely agreeing with my soul and my heart.
"And, what I mean by that is, last night at the ball, you knew completely well that I was not feeling all right, but still you made me dance with you." I directed my face toward him.
His eyes were now ashamed with a hint of anger. Before leaving, he only bowed to my mother, saying, "Lady Felixer." He didn't even look at me. My mother stared at me.
"Mama, I just..." When I started explaining to her, she just cut me off, saying, "I don't want to talk to you right now, Aureline! Just go to your room." Her teeth were constantly grinding as she sat on the sofa, holding her head.
"But mama..." She again did the same thing and replied angrily this time, "Go!!!"
I saw her one last time, disappointed, before walking away. My walk was more like a run at that moment. Mary did the same thing and followed me.
"Have I done anything wrong, Mary?" I said a bit nervously as I sat gently at my bed.
"No, Aureline! You haven't done anything wrong. You just spoke up for yourself. You had the right to it." She sat beside me as she held my knee.
"But what about mother and Lady Cruncher's friendship? I think that I've ruined it." I went deep inside her eyes, knowing completely that we both were right.
"Lady Cruncher is an intelligent woman. I hope that she will understand." She smiled. She smiled to give me peace for some time.
"I hope so, Mary!" I smiled back.
Having a conversation with Mary always made me feel good. Since childhood, I have always played with Mary. She is the daughter of a former maid who worked in our house, but unfortunately, she passed away three years ago. Our childhood was spent together.