The carriage wheeled away from Lady Ann's manor spitting up a cloud of smoke and dust. The moment it had gone far enough, a scrawny woman covered head to toe in an old cloth, hurried to the door of the manor.
The knock that came was unexpected. When the housekeeper pulled the gates open again and the person standing outside, his face immediately pulled into a disgusted sneer. "We don't give handouts to beggars here, go to the Church. Don't dirty the sights of the nobles with your disgusting peasant filth."
The woman's body trembled faintly but she didn't budge, a soft voice came from underneath the bowed head "I'm not here to beg, I'm here to see Victoria."
"Preposterous! Who gave you the audacity to call the Ladies name you wretched lowlife!–"
"Let her in."
The voice from behind the promptly stopped the housekeeper's rant. He looked at the lady in shock, "But–"
Victoria ignored the butler and beckoned for the lady to enter. Neither of them spoke, the peasant woman looked up briefly at the dazzling and brilliant scenery, Victoria dressed in expensive clothes better than anything she's ever seen with envy and jealousy.
When they arrived at a secluded courtyard, Lady Victoria turned and looked at the woman, "Were you the one who sent me the letter?"
Just by standing there, she seemed to carry a faint air of arrogance and class, the exaggerated rumors spread around the county about her and her mansion falling into dire straits did not extinguish her pride noble.
The hood that covered the peasant woman's head fell revealing a beautiful face devoid of soot and dust. If Cecilia or Xie Han were here at this moment they would have quickly recognized her.
Cinderella.
But why had she appeared here now?
And what connections did she have with this nominal fiancé?
It was obvious that she was looking for Lady Victoria.
"Yes, I was the one who wrote the letter."
Her delicate face blushed a little, "May I ask if you are Brother Heimu's fiancè?"
Lady Victoria raised a brow, "Did you write to me without knowing my identity? Are you a fool?"
Cinderella heard the words and shook his head shyly, "No, I just wanted to make sure."
"Then no, I'm not his fiancé, I'm his wife."
Cinderellas shy expression immediately froze on her face.
wife...?
Cinderella stared at the young woman in front of her, her eyes widened, and she spoke in disbelief. She even forgot the honorific and title and called out her name directly.
"Impossible"
"Why is it impossible, I am his soon-to-be wife, in a month we will be married. This is why I wanted to talk to you, what is the purpose of that letter. "
"I don't have time to waste on a lowly commoner."
Cinderella schooled her expression, her darkened eyes abruptly destroyed the sunny and pure temperament, but instead gave people a gloomy and dangerous feeling.
Cinderellas expression didn't last long, the next second she showed a sunny smile, and her voice turned crisp and cheerful, "So it's sister-in-law, hello sister-in-law, I'm Cinderella, sister of Heimu ."
"Sister? when did Heimu have another sister? Especially one so lowly."
Cinderellas eyes twitched", Sister-in-law, you may not have heard of me, but I often hear Brother Heimu mention you. Well, I didn't expect my sister-in-law to be so beautiful. The rumors really are utter nonsense."
Victoria paused and looked more closely at Cinderella, "He mentions me?"
"Yes, Brother Heimu speaks about you sometimes in his letter back home, even as soon as he came he immediately wanted to visit you."
Her eyes flashed, and she then said with a bit of complaint, "Brother Hei is also true to you. It's hard not to be jealous."
She muttered as if sighing to herself, " It's really hard not to misunderstand."
Although Cinderellas voice was complaining, her tone was full of intimacy, obviously seemed to have a close relationship with Heimu, not like siblings, and and her last sentence was very quiet as if whispering; It seemed to be talking to herself, but in the quiet courtyard it was loud enough for Victoria to here.
And there was something wrong with what she said.
Misunderstand?
Misunderstood what?
A woman hearing something like from stone who claims to have a deep relationship with their fiancé will definitely not be indifferent.
Lady Victoria looked over, frowned directly, and said coldly, "What misunderstanding?"
"Nothing, nothing." Cinderella smiled awkwardly.
"Maybe Big Brother Heimu just took care of me a little bit more, and I felt it wrong."
However, these words gave people the feeling that there was something deeper and it was even more suspicious.
Lady Victoria originally wanted to say something, but there were footsteps and conversations outside the courtyard, she walked to the small house inside, "Come in and talk."
The open is really not a good place to chat, so Cinderella followed Victoria into the house.
The house was not lived in and there were dust rings and cobwebs among the cupboards and chairs. Lady Victoria used a handkerchief to wipe the dirt from a chair, sat down gracefully, and looked at Cinderella with no intention to invite her to sit.
Cinderella looked at the slender and beautiful figure of the young woman, her eyes deepened even more.
The silk handkerchief was thrown carelessly, pampered and noble, such hands had never touched coarse and dirty work like hers.
Such a life is enviable...
Really enviable...
Cinderella lowered to hide the look in her eyes,
"In the letter, you mentioned that you live with Heimu..."
Seemingly inadvertently she blushed and lowered her head even further, "Well yes, my mother died and my father married his mother. We've been together since childhood, we...no never mind."
She wasn't worried that Lady Victoria would check because everything she was saying was true.
Regardless, there always seemed to be a bit of an ambiguous flavor in her words that made people want to think more.
Lady Victoria nodded, "Well, you must be very close."
Cinderella smiled brightly, and said with a face of understanding, "Big Brother Hei is like this, he had always been kind and loving especially to his family. When he came home, it was obvious that he was tired but he insisted on coming home to us instead of resting at an inn."
"It gratifying that he is still so eager after many years, but I've always felt a little bit sorry for him."
Cinderella smiled even brighter after seeing Victoria's obvious pause, just like the sunny girl next door.
He looked into Victoria's eyes, and continued to speak with a sigh, "I really envy my sister-in-law for being Big Brother's fiancé."
"If only I could be the one..."
Noticing she had said something wrong, she immediately explained with a blushing face,
"Sister-in-law, don't misunderstand, I have no other intentions, I just lamented for a bit."
Lady Victoria bit her lower lip, her expression a little gloomy.
But Cinderella seemed to be incomprehensible, and continued, "Sister-in-law, when did you and Big Brother Heimu get together? Tell me about your love history."
Lady Victoria pursed her lips, "We were betrothed at birth. "
"It's good, unlike me, I'm still single now."
Cinderella sighed, as if he had remembered something, "By the way, sister-in-law, how many nobles do you know?"
"Why don't you help introduce me to someone."
Lady Victoria's expression was a bit cold, but her words were still polite,
"...Well what kind do you prefer?"
Cinderella smiled and said lightly, "I don't ask for much, just someone like Big Brother Heimu."
Cinderella suddenly covered his mouth, and immediately explained eagerly, "Sister-in-law, don't get me wrong, I just think of Big Brother Heimu as a big brother. After all, the biggest wish in my life is to find a nice partner to settle down."
"And Big Brother Heimu has taken care of me like a brother since we were children."
Cinderella looked at Lady Victoria after she finished speaking, and said with a hit of caution,
"Sister-in-law...you shouldn't...Do you mind?"
Her exaggerated movements caused something to fall from her pockets, it was a delicate rose bottle perfume that was inexplicably familiar.
Cinderellas eyes widened and she frantically bent down and hid the bottle with a sheepish smile.
Lady Victoria pursed her lips thinly, "I don't mind."
"That's a relief. So what about my offer."
"There is a noble banquet being held in a week. I have an invitation and I will definitely introduce you to someone suitable there"
Cinderella smiled sweetly, "It would be my pleasure."