𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 ✔

Chapter Eleven

"Be careful of the Tessiers." Madam's expression was very serious, as was her tone.

I remembered Papa, too, had said something like that before I left. "Is there something about them that I should know?"

"I suppose you, like the general public, are in the dark about their dealings and family traits." She sighed, "How do they appear to you?"

"Well, if I am being quite honest, they have always seemed rather lovely. Specifically, Justine, ever since I was young, I thought her to have been the most beautiful person, inside and out." I felt so ignorant even though anything had yet to have been said about their character.

"Unbeknownst to many, other than very few families in the world including mine, the Tessiers are not as they appear. Putting it short, they are compulsive liars who will stab you in the back with any chance they get. They like to set people up and watch the chaos that follows, and like their relatives, the Duprés, they hold grudges." Madame explained. "However, it goes much deeper than that. They are master manipulators, actors, and are trained from a young age to do any and everything they can to attain power and hold it over others. The count is very charismatic, and can easily convince you that you have done wrong when it was he. The countess on the other hand is very well versed in playing the victim, so do not cross her unless you wish scandal upon your entire family."

"Appearances can be deceiving, I suppose." It was still hard for me to believe that Justine and her family weren't good people. But, if Papa of all people warned me about them, then they must not have been as nice as they had originally presented themselves. And after witnessing firsthand the tricks of the wealthy, I preferred to assume all were horrible until proven otherwise.

"You have no idea." Alveary added.

"The Macleays are quite the opposite. They find no point in making friends and are quite harsh, yet they have an affinity for honesty no matter how brutal it may be. They come from Ireland, which is one of the many conquered countries in the Empire. The Baron, Lord Macleay, has been in quite a few wars before and after the creation of the empire under is Highness Emperor Leroux, and for the most part has a horrible temper. His wife, the Baroness, Lady Macleay, refrains from speaking to anyone lower than herself, and if she were to speak it would be to call someone out on their weak ideologies. You would do best to keep away from them altogether, which shouldn't be that hard because they rarely speak to anyone, let alone to strangers."

I had never met the Macleays and knew very little about them. What little I did know was that, besides Lottie, they had a son who rarely, if ever, went to the offerings, so I had no idea what he looked like or how old he was.

"The situation with the Duprés is delicate, so if she attempts to embarrass you in front of everyone, carefully mention how you saw her beg for her daughter's life despite it being against the law. If she continues on and blames you for her daughter's death, remind her the price of breaking said law loud enough for everyone around you to hear. That will surely end the discussion and make her walk away. Her face was stern. "Do not let her emotional ravings keep you from putting her in her rightful place, do you understand?"

"Yes, Madame. I understand completely." I knew there was no other way to end the personal vendetta the Vicomtesse had against me, but telling the woman she killed her own daughter in front of everyone was too terrible of a thing to do. No matter how true the statement was, I did not think I could bring myself to tear her down in that way. I did not know the woman personally, nor the things she is suffering through alone. What if she too, like Madam, had been going through things no one would ever begin to understand unless they were close with her.

"It is important to refer to everyone with title by their title. Even mama. The quickest way to angering the entitled masses is for a low born to address them informally." Alveary added.