Chapter 111: Suspicious Kindness (2)
"Why would he say that?" Isabella finally responded with a light chuckle, averting her gaze to her food while keeping her demeanor calm and composed. She picked up her fork and knife, elegantly cutting through her meal and picking it up with the fork to stare at the slice.
"My husband and I.... Because he doesn’t like someone or something, that doesn’t mean I should despise it too when I am not the one offended." She answered, taking the meal into her mouth. "I understand your point, but the thing is whoever he has problems with has nothing to do with me. I have been staying here by myself with no female of my age to speak with, and now that you’re here, why should I throw it away because of some silly misunderstanding you had with my husband?"
Isabella’s expression made Madeline believe she found it absurd, and she pulled back. "So he won’t harass you for talking with me?"
"Why would he?" Isabella looked at her with an assuring smile. "How about after breakfast, you and me, we’ll go around town and I’ll show you the fanciest places to visit in the upper East quarters. You can’t be part of this family and not visit such places, it’s considered a disgrace."
"Hmmn?" Madeline blinked in surprise. "A disgrace?"
"When other ladies of our class start talking about such places like the winged-Tavern, Bok Tower garden, the Bonnet house, and many more, you have to indulge in such conversations and share your experience."
"What happened to keeping quiet and letting them talk about themselves?" Inquired Madeline with her head tilted to the side, and Isabella scoffed at the idea of letting them talk.
"Keeping quiet will only leave a bad name, are you a mime?" She waved it off and smiled curtly, "that looks like something you are capable of doing, but certainly not me. I’m the daughter of an Earl, you must have greeted my father at the celebration but don’t remember, anyway, I make sure I follow the trend and visit every expensive estate in the upper East quarters."
The two women continued to converse while having their meal, and Frederick watched them from the kitchen with Adeline by his side.