When her dance lesson was finished, Calista left the parlor and went to her own chamber with her exhausted body.
Calista called some servants to get her bath ready.
It became a routine for her to take a bath after a long day.
When she was finished getting a bath and was dressed in a new outfit that was much more comfortable than the last, Calista habitually opened a book and read as she waited for her dinner to be delivered.
Once a knock was heard from the door, she gave permission to the person from the other side of the door.
A click of the door was heard, and Calista brought down the book on her hand and then expectantly turned her head to the door, expecting to see a trolley full of food, but was disappointed when she saw only a maid.
"Where's my food?" she asked in disappointment.
The servant bowed her head at her before speaking, "There will be a family dinner, my lady. The duchess and duke are expecting you to show up."
Calista flinched.
Family dinner?
"That's the first time I heard about that," she mutters.
"It was a sudden appointment, my lady," the servant politely responded.
Calista heaves a sigh at the sudden appointment. It will be the first time she will ever attend a family dinner ever since she arrived at the manor.
She got so used to her everyday routine that a sudden appointment made her feel too tired and lazy to attend, but she knew better than to decline and not attend her first-ever family dinner.
However, what made her not want to attend the family dinner was the thought of sitting through the dinner table with the duchess, duke, and the other children, especially Lilian and Elias.
Ever since what happened in the garden, they haven't seen each other, and it would be rather awkward to see them again.
"Fine," she finally said, her tone laced with reluctance. "Tell them I'll be there shortly."
The maid nodded and left the room. Calista stood, smoothing her comfortable outfit. It wouldn't do to appear at a formal dinner dressed so casually. Calista called for her servants to get her dressed.
Once she was dressed, she immediately went to the dining hall.
When she was standing in front of the dining hall, Calista braced herself and heaved a sigh before entering the dining hall.
The dining hall was grand yet suffocatingly formal. A long mahogany table stretched the length of the room, its polished surface gleaming under the soft glow of the ornate crystal chandelier above.
The huge framed windows have heavy velvet curtains on them, casting an amber hue across the space as the evening sun filtered through.
The air in the dining hall was full of hints of roasted meats and spiced wine that made Calista gulp.
At the table, Calista caught sight of a few figures. The duke, with his midnight-black hair and steel-blue eyes, was sitting at the head, while the duchess, with her molten gold-like hair, was sitting at the right side of the table.
Beside the duchess was where Lilian was sitting with her platinum blond hair with pastel pink undertones styled in a pigtail.
Lilian's eyes darted briefly toward Calista as she entered, and their eyes met, but Lilian immediately retracted her eyes and avoided her gaze.
Calista saw this but let it slide before she shifted her eyes to the left side of the table and caught sight of a familiar dark auburn-haired individual casually sitting, not even lifting his head up.
As if feeling her gaze, Elias lifted his head, and their eyes met. They held the gaze for at least two seconds before Calista broke it because of Elias's raised eyebrow, as if questioning her.
After inspecting the whole dining hall, Calista greeted everyone.
"Greetings, everyone!" She said in a respectful tone as she bowed down.
"Calista, have a seat, dear," the duke's gentle voice echoed.
Everyone looked at the duke, especially Elias and Lilian, who had a dumbfounded expression at the duke's gentle voice. However, the duke didn't give much attention to the gazes from others as he looked at Calista only.
Calista noticed Lilian and Elias's reaction that made her feel uncomfortable as she spoke reluctantly, "I will, father."
Calista darted her eyes around the vacant seats, wondering where she should take a seat.
"You can take a seat beside Elias."
At the duke's word, Calista nodded her head and then went closer to Elias's seat. Elias's and Calista's eyes met for a brief moment before she took a seat beside him.
Calista expected some kind of announcement to be made at the family dinner because, from what she remembered from the historical novels that she read, family dinners are not held just to eat as a family.
Surely there's something.
However, contrary to her expectation, the dinner started without any announcement made, and other than small talk between the duke and duchess and occasional conversation between them, there's none.
Calista even glanced at Lilian as if questioning. However, her question was not answered since Lilian immediately avoided her gaze.
She's not even sure if Lilian noticed her questioning gaze.
Once the dinner came to an end, the duke was the first one to stand up.
"Gifts are sent to each of your chambers. I hope all of you will like it," the duke said as he glanced at Calista for a moment before leaving.
Once the duke was gone, the first one to stand up from their seat was Elias, who then quietly left the dining hall without a word. Then the next was Lilian, who also did the same thing.
Calista and the duchess were the only ones left in the dining hall. The dining hall was enveloped in a defeating silence.
Calista was sweating balls and was bracing herself.
I'm standing up in one, two, three, go!
Calista was about to stand up when—
"I heard about what happened."
Calista's actions halted at the duchess's word. She looked at the duchess with a questioning gaze.
What does she mean?
The duchess smiled at her perplexed expression.
"I'm referring to what happened in the garden," the duchess answered calmly.
Calista's eyes widen at her word.
W-what is she going to do?
She was beyond worried about why the duchess brought that up, and the fact that she knew about it was even more concerning.
Did Elias or Lilian tell her? Surely it was not Elias. He seems not that kind of person—it's Lilian for sure. Does she want to use the duchess against me? Is that the real reason for the family dinner?!
Calista was freaking out at what will happen next.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to punish you or something. I'm here to get the full picture of the story," Beatrice said in a calm voice.
Calista breathes in and out to calm herself down.
"Did Lilian tell you about it?" She reluctantly asked.
Beatrice shook her head. "She didn't."
Calista nodded her head.
So it was someone else. There are really a lot of ears and eyes from the duchess.
Calista got goosebumps at that thought before she opened her mouth and started telling her side of the story. She first started when she went out of the garden to get some fresh air and coincidentally saw Lilian between the bushes, who was acting strange and suddenly lunged at her.
"I was so shocked at her strange behavior that I accidentally pushed her, and then the prince saw it, and it became a mess," Calista took a big breath as she talked without stopping.
Very different from what I heard from the prince. However, Calista doesn't seem to be lying.
Beatrice thought.
"Thankfully Elias came and saved me," she concluded.
Beatrice blinked at her words.
"Elias saved you?" She asked, trying to make it clear.
"Ahm, he said he didn't do that to save me, but he still saved me from the mess, Your Grace. And I was grateful to him," Calista replied sincerely.
Beatrice squints her eyes as she finds the situation amusing. She didn't know that Elias was involved. From the prince's story, it was only Calista, Lilian, and him.
It was the first time her second child ever showed an interest in something other than maintaining his indifferent attitude.
"What do you think about joining classes with Elias?"