I Will Love You

Chapter 13

There was something very strange going on downstairs, which I don't even dare step on, because knowing Diana as I do, that must be chaos. I have no idea why furniture sounds are being moved, I can't find any reason for that, but it certainly exists ...

I stare at the sheet of paper without any risk in front of me, wondering what the subject of today's letter will be, while I wait for my father to reply to what I just sent. I look away at the door beside me, looking through the glass gaps at the flowers in the garden of the house, now they have turned only dark green cables with small and delicate buds waiting anxiously for spring to blossom and rejoice the garden.

“The memory of happiness is no longer happiness; The memory of pain is still pain. ” Lord Byron once said, I remember all the moments that I felt happiness in its purest and most sincere form, but I don't feel it anymore when I remember how I smiled in all those moments, but I still feel the pain that I felt when my mother lost the sparkle in her eyes, the sparkle that enchanted me so much when I was younger, I still feel sad when I remember going to her room to talk about how I had fun in the country with Diana, and seeing her staring at the wall, without any emotion.

I stretched my arm to the quill, put in the small black ink cartridge to my right, ready to ask how my mom is doing and if she still breathes, if daddy still opens the window every morning so she can breathe fresh air and can maybe, in sometime see the blue sky.

- Get ready!

The door to my room opens abruptly. Diana walks quickly to my closet, opens it and is silent for a few seconds, before taking a yellow dress with white ruffles and straps around the hem and tossing it on the bed.

- What's going on? - I ask her as I return the quill to the inkwell. - Why do I need to get dressed?

The woman beside my bed lets out a long breath.

- We have a new couple in Spiez, with a title little known but that has a lot of power.- Diana justifies.- The woman, Mrs. Herlly is coming to have an afternoon of tea with us and with the other women.- His hand slides slowly over the beige dress on your body.- Wear this and make an elegant hairstyle.

- It's just tea, Diana ... - I say without understanding.- I see no need for all this ...

- Lily, do you remember when Mom sent us to get dressed because we would go somewhere with very good suitors? - I nod, trying to understand where she wants to go.- This is one of the situations, her husband certainly knows great suitors with total ability to be your husband!

This wedding story again.

- Sure!

I will not be debating with Diana in this state of mind. When we were children, it was impossible to talk to her when she assumed this authoritarian pose, there would always be some answer on the tip of her tongue.

As my sister asked, I put the dress on before stretched over the cotton bedspreads. I put on the sandal with gold accents and fixed my hair, already hearing some familiar voices downstairs. Which means I need to go down now.

I quickly opened the door to my room and felt my heart freeze when I saw Nicholas dressed very well in an impeccable black suit and vest. I smiled at the image of Diana saying that if he didn't get dressed he shouldn't step down, and he chose the most logical option, although obviously he won't be attending tea and will run away somewhere.

“Did she oblige you too?” I ask, leaning the door behind me.

Nicholas smiles, tucking the little daisy in his coat pocket.

- Actually I'm not going to participate in the tea, - Nicholas says without much excitement. - Diana wants me to stay at the piano, to impress Mrs. Herlly who might introduce me to a possible bride.

I make sure not to laugh, I honestly can't imagine this man on an altar, despite the undeniable beauty, I don't think he would be the pretender of someone's dreams.

- I didn't know you play the piano.- I assume, walking towards the stairs.

- You will be admired by my talent! - Nicholas says smugly. - I am impeccable on the keys.

I roll my eyes down the stairs. On the bottom step, I see Nicholas's hand in front of me, as a sign of chivalry, safely descending the bottom step. I walk beside him towards the room where the voices came from, I watch the people there ...

Katelyn… Shirley… Mary… Abigail… The long-awaited Mrs. Herlly has not arrived yet.

I approach the chair in silence, with Nicholas on my heels, he stands behind the chair, probably trying to find out about it as I ...

-I heard she is a very elegant woman! -Shirley says.- And that her husband is very kind and present.

- I would love for Charles to be like that.- Katelyn counters sadly.

- They told me they saw her enter the mansion yellow with beautiful dandelions in the hat, of all colors. - Abigail speaks indifferently. - And a purple dress that didn't match her at all, what kind of elegance is this?

I open my mouth to bat, but before a sound comes out of my mouth, I feel a rough touch on my bare shoulder. I look at Nicholas and he shakes his head, as if it would be better if I kept quiet. But…

- Perhaps the elegance of the place she came from, we don't know where she came from, Abigail.- I replied gently. - I believe she is a very virtuous and kind woman ...

The women, very well dressed by the way, looked at me without understanding my reasoning, but they soon ignored it and went back to commenting on the rumors they heard about Spiez's new resident. That despite not knowing it, I already believe that it will have a bad start in the city, considering the amount of rumors about it that are already around…

A few more comments about the woman, about what she probably should be like and how she didn't fit into Spiez's society, and suddenly we heard a loud knock on the door echoing through the entrance.

Women who previously made inappropriate comments stood up together and put the most welcoming smile on their faces before going to the door. I got up, preparing to accompany them, but unlike them, willing to really meet Mrs. Herlly. I looked at Nicholas, who for some reason stayed behind my chair all the time.

-It would have been better if she had been silent! -He says punching me with black eyes.- But it's good that I exposed your opinion, I found it very consistent.

- Thank you.- I smile.- Let's welcome our guest.

The man just nodded, before following me into the entrance hall.

Diana opened the door, probably with higher expectations than they should have, it's just tea. The door opened completely, showing a beautiful woman, with curly and voluminous hair, her black skin perfectly reflected by the weak sun, a big and expressive smile, dressed in a dress glued to her torso and light in the hem, in black.

- It will be a very profitable afternoon, ladies.- She entered the room without caring about the faces of astonishment.- Anaya Herlly!