The Echanting Duchess

Chapter 52: The Duchess and the Princess

"What?" Princess Avaria asked with a shocked expression on her beautiful face. Her reaction was convincing enough as if she had not heard of the news yet.

Atallie took her cup, "I decided to attend today's tea party without the permission of His Grace," she repeated.

"How bold Your Grace is!" Princess Avaria exclaimed with amusement in her pale yellow eyes. "I have not heard of anyone who tried to challenge the authority of the greatest warrior of the kingdom." She took her cup and brought it close to her mouth.

"Only Your Grace might be the first one," Princess Avaria continued. Then, she took a sip from her cup.

Atallie's cold amber eyes drooped down as she reached her cup. She played on its brim as she said, "I don't know about that, Your Royal Highness, but I only know that I had to make it here."

"I am truly glad to have you here, Your Grace. And do not worry, it will be no trouble for me to intercede and speak up for you when His Grace finds fault in you disregarding his authority," Princess Avaria said with a generous smile.

"Then, I thank Your Royal Highness for your benevolence," said Atallie.

Afterwards, the conversation didn't continue.

Princess Avaria tried to start another conversation in favor of her to let the duchess feel down and left out. However, after trying a few times, she seemed to noticed that Duchess Atallie was either not easy to deal with or was just too dumb to have a conversation with.

In the end, she was the one who could not even hold her smile any longer. Her cheeks and lips were already stiff and her pale yellow eyes were already seething in annoyance. Meanwhile, Atallie was still sitting nonchalantly as she calmly and gracefully took her time to enjoy her tea.

The emotionless duchess is like a puppet! Soulless and immovable - and dumb!

Princess Avaria sneered in her heart. She was truly exasperated.

The tea party ended well. Even with the strange atmosphere hanging around.

Princess Avaria excused herself in reason of having to attend to her Royal duties. However, she generously let everyone roam around to take a look and enjoy the blooming flowers and the magnificent royal garden.

Everyone was free to view around until for an hour at most.

Though the time was too short and fleeting, being allowed to freely enjoy the royal garden with such time was already a privilege and honor.

And although an hour is not much, no one dared to really stay until the time ran out.

Most likely, some would stay only for several minutes up to half an hour.

No one would really finish the allotted time to save their own faces and reputation. And Princess Avaria was aware of it. Thus, her generous one hour was just for keeping her face as well.

Atallie, together with Lizbeth, decided to go for a walk as well before returning to the duke's residence. After all, she had drunk quite several cups of tea and enjoyed the delicacies as well.

And since the offer was out for them to enjoy the garden, of course, given the opportunity, Atallie was not someone who would shy away from that.

Afterall, as a lady, she also ought to enjoy such nice things in life.

"Your Grace, I chance upon some rare flowers over there. I would like to take a look at them more closely," Lizbeth said. Her address to Atallie changed from Madam to her noble title since they were outside. It would be more appropriate and formal in this situation.