Chapter 168 - Hundred And Sixty Eight
A servant pulled out a chair for Suzy. She settled into it gracefully, offering a soft smile and a whispered "thank you" to the servant. Noah stood attentively at her right hand side, while Irene, a trusted lady’s maid, stood at her left. Suzy surveyed the scene, her gaze sweeping over the assembled ladies.
Viscountess Daphne, her face beaming with a youthful enthusiasm, broke the silence. "Welcome, Your Grace," she said, her voice bright and cheerful. "I’m so happy you could make it."
Suzy took a moment to observe the Viscountess. She appeared to be around the same age as Isabella, perhaps a year or two older, radiating a youthful exuberance. She was, in Suzy’s estimation, still very much a child in the ways of the court. Suzy’s gaze then shifted to the other ladies seated around the table. They were, for the most part, of Cassandra’s age group or slightly older, their expressions a mixture of polite curiosity and thinly veiled scrutiny. Her eyes finally rested on a familiar face, seated close to Daphne. It was Eleanor. A flicker of annoyance crossed Suzy’s face. "Why does this woman have to be in every gathering I attend?" she thought to herself, a sigh escaping her lips internally.
Eleanor, noticing Suzy’s gaze, offered a small, knowing smirk as she took a delicate sip of her tea.
Suzy turned back to Daphne, offering a polite smile. "It’s a pleasure to be here, Viscountess," she replied, her voice calm and composed.
Daphne, oblivious to the small tension in the air, proceeded to introduce each of the ladies present. They were a collection of wives and daughters of various noblemen, their titles ranging from Lord and Count to Marquis, Baron, and Earl. Daphne, herself, was married to a Viscount, a fact she seemed particularly proud of. Eleanor, of course, was the widow of a Duke, and the daughter of a viscount.
When Daphne reached Eleanor’s turn, Eleanor interrupted her, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I believe the Duchess and I have been acquainted several times," she said, her gaze shifting to Suzy. "So we know each other quite well."
She turned her full attention to Suzy, a smile playing on her lips. "Don’t we, Cassandra?" she asked, her voice laced with a subtle challenge.
Suzy returned the smile, her own expression carefully neutral. "Of course, Miss Montgomery," she replied, her tone equally sweet. The air was thick with polite but underlying tension.