Chapter 36: The Tea Party (3)
'' She doesn't like me, and I understand that. The duke also knew that and decided to use his drawing room for the tea party.'' Annalise smiled.
''His grace's drawing room?!''
''This is his grace drawing room?''
''My husband did talk about it, but I did not expect it to be so beautiful.''
The ladies and the madams wondered in awe as they examined the beautiful room.
''Yes, this is the duke's drawing room,'' Annalise's smile became brighter. Dante really helped her, and she was grateful for it.
Not too humble, not shabby, not too flattery, not too extravagant, and very polite, some madams who were sharp-eyed nodded inwardly, as Annalise was just like a noblewoman. Her beauty was even pleasing to the eye and an additional point.
Some noblewomen snickered in their hearts about the duchess shooting herself in the foot. She did not want the mistress to use the garden, and the duke gave her something better, his drawing room.
He favored her to this extent, yet the duchess still had time to think about flowers that could wilt anytime.
''How sad, I would love to have seen it,'' Viscountess Winsley's eyes drew down as she wanted to see the rumored beautiful garden.
Some ladies were also the same, but not as much as the viscountess. In the noble society, she is known as the flower lady. A married woman, obsessed with flowers and even wears clothes that have flowery designs. It was like her personal signature that no one could steal from her. Even now she is wearing one; a blue gown with repeated white flower designs.
''I am sorry, viscountess. You will have to see the duchess for that,'' Annalise said apologetically.
''It's fine.'' The viscountess shook her head and tried to smile. Although regretful, she knew there was nothing she could do, since she was not the owner.
''Excuse me, madam.'' Olivia came with two presents, making everyone look at her. She bowed to annalise, then to the rest before walking to a table that held gifts from the present noblewomen.
Olivia, being like this, made annalise uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Olivia said she has to get used to it as she is the wife of the duke.
Marchioness chauvez smirked as she saw that things were going her way and decided to start the main show of today's tea party.
''Madam, why don't we open the gifts?'' She asked annalise after Olivia went back to her place by the door.
''Alright.'' Seeing the kind marchioness changing the topic made annalise happy, and she looked upon Olivia to start bringing the presents.
Olivia got her signal and bowed, then walked across the large room to the same table.
She started with the presents in the front and carried two wrapped ones in different colors to annalise. She dropped them on the small table by annalise's side and stood aside.
Annalise took the purple-wrapped one that had a card attached dangling with a thin rope.
''Baron sharmack,'' Annalise called out, and seeing a woman signifying herself, she then smiled gratefully, ''Thank you.''
''You are welcome, madam.''
Olivia helped her untie the gift and opened it, since she was heavily pregnant. Annalise thanked her silently and removed the gift from the box.
''It's a book about pregnant women. It helped me a lot when I was pregnant, madam,'' The baroness explained.
''Thank you. I will read it well, Baroness.'' Annalise appreciated her thoughtfulness, as she needed something like this.
Olivia collected the book from her hand and placed it on another empty table beside annalise. She then gave annalise the other present that she had untied, and the latter took it from her and the card inside the box.
''Countess Winslow, thank you for the gift,'' Annalise recognized her from the empress's tea party.
Once she took the gift out of the box, the countess also gave an explanation, '' Babies love to crawl. Madam can use the mat anytime to play with the baby.''
''Thank you so much, countess,'' Annalise also appreciated, and that's how the tea party went from noblewomen explaining to annalise, giving them flattering words of appreciation.
''Marchioness chauvez,'' Annalise called out. She was anticipating what kind of present the kind woman would give to her.
After Olivia had opened the gift, she took out an extravagant jewelry box. A little surprised by the sparkling box, she looked at the marchioness for an explanation.
Everyone gave something for the baby, yet the marchioness gave a jewelry box, something for women used to beautify themselves.
''It is matching jewelry for both mother and child, madam. You can open it to see the design.'' The marchioness revealed quite proudly that she was the only one who thought of this present.
She wanted something that would touch the mistress's heart. So that when the duchess was out of the way, and she was in the duchess' seat, the pregnant woman would not forget her.
The mistress could also be helpful to her daughter, who married outside the capital because of that hateful duchess.
Annalise did as she was told and unlocked the box with the key that Olivia took from inside the present box. She then opened and exclaimed with wide eyes, ''Wow….It so beautiful, marchioness.''
The jewelry was out of her expectation.
''Thank you,'' she said, her eyes brimming with tears, happy tears. She never believed that one day she could enjoy something like this.
Other women were curious and, thankfully, annalise lifted the jewelry for them to have a look.
''Wow..''
''How beautiful..''
''Marchioness chauvez, from where did you get this?''
''How thoughtful of the marchioness.''
Different appreciative comments came from each seater sofa that had more than one woman on it. Marchioness's head swelled with pride as she also wanted to achieve this.
'The duchess would be jealous once she sees the mistress with luxurious jewelry like this,' She thought, hoping to see the duchess's jealousy for her own husband's mistress.
It was a bangle, small and big. The golden metal was interwoven in triangular shapes, and tiny white crystals were embedded in the triangular spaces.
It might be expensive, but it was really beautiful and thoughtful.
''Thank you, marchioness,'' Annalise said again, not taking her eyes off it. Anyone could see that she adored the gift.
''You are welcome, madam, but my gift was not to make you cry.'' Smiling, the marchioness knew she had achieved her goal of gaining the mistress's trust, and that was okay.
'Now it is time,' She glanced at the maid, then looked at annalise, wiping her tears with a white handkerchief from Olivia.
''Madam still has two more presents to open,'' Olivia whispered, making Annalise to nod and wipe her tears well. She held onto the handkerchief and then ordered.
''Please bring them to me, Olivia.''
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