My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 42-Pigs and Wolves

We arrived at the Di'Mello's townhouse when the sun was starting its descent. Lucky for us, Lady Di'Mello had yet to arrive home from her errand. This meant Eloise was still our host and had a duty to entertain us. She brought us back to the same drawing-room where I had pleaded a week before for her help.

There were few words exchanged since our arrival until we sat on the velvet armchairs of the drawing-room. Mostly done between Eloise and her servants, who had prepared some beverages and snacks for us.

Only when we were absolutely alone, did Jenni push herself up. "This whole afternoon has been of a terrible irresponsibility." She said, walking around the room, her feet as restless as her mouth. "I kind of expected this of my sister, whose kind heart cannot see beyond her duty. However from you, my ladies? First daughters of respected dukedoms?" she stopped by Eloise's side, their eyes fixed on each other. "I would have expected much more than a head over your shoulders."

"Jenni, this is too much." I warned. Neither Eloise nor Amelia were at fault for my request. And I wouldn't allow for the blame to fall on them.

But if either took offense, they didn't show it, as Eloise went to take a sip of her cold saffina tea and Amelia nibbled on a shortcake. As if nothing had happened. In the end, I was the one most affected by Jenni's words. Her discredit of me over my "kindness" hurt me more than I was comfortable admitting.

Jenni, by now, had turned to me, her finger pointed. If it weren't for her massive anger, I would have gasped at her lack of decorum. "This was incredibly dangerous. We could have been kidnapped, robbed, hurt... this is no joke!"

That made me furious.

"Joke?! Do you think I asked for their help for a joke?!" I raised myself, my hands grasping my dress, wrinkling it under my nails. "I needed to know! To understand my role in her fate. And if not today, it would have been another day, another year. It doesn't matter. I would have found out."

Jenni scoffed. "Father just wanted to protect you, so before you ac-"

I laughed, causing her to bleach. "Protect me? Lady Raphaela was only a child herself. She did not even hurt me. It was a lie. A lie I fabricated, and he knew. The worst she did was spew some nasty words to try intimidating me." I let out a long overdue breath, crossing my arms. "I can handle those and, in all honesty, I simply couldn't care less about them. Such harsh punishment was unnecessary."

It was Jenni's time to laugh, hard and sharp. "You think it would have stopped at some words?" she then grew quiet and her expression dangerous. "No. It wouldn't. If we continued to allow it, it would have only escalated further. We needed to stop it. To cut it from the root."

I stared straight into her stormy blue eyes, seeing strikes of red for the first time. Her anger was as shocking as the way she spoke. But I wouldn't cave in so easily.

"That didn't work so well, did it?" I asked, coming closer to the table, feeling my knees gently touch it through the fabric of my skirt.

My words caused Jenni to shake uncontrollably, the memories of Lady Beatrice and that damned priest still fresh. And although there were no wounds or scars visible, that day had left its mark on the family.

Jenni gripped the back end of Eloise's armchair, her eyes unfocused for a while before the fire came back in and she took aim. "More the reason we should have been harsher. Being a Mountnero is like having a target painted on your back, every day and every hour. In the end, is to destroy or to be destroyed."

Her words hung in the air. Heavy and hot, and so similar to Fanny's speech that night. I get it. I understood what they meant. It was clear and wise to defend ourselves, but was it necessary for all of this?