In the Doghouse - Chapter 108
“Why do you keep saying such unbecoming things…”
Courtney muttered, her cheeks blushing slightly. Richard smiled gently and refrained from making any more strange comments.
The first dance ended. The two of them gracefully bowed to each other. To those unaware of the hidden details, they looked like a scene straight out of a fairy tale—utterly mesmerizing. Internally, Courtney felt quite pleased and her confidence swelled.
Richard then led her toward the edge of the hall. Now it was time to fulfill their duties: greeting nobles, exchanging insincere pleasantries, and enduring meaningless conversations. Richard spoke in a reluctant tone.
“I’d like to chase them all out right now so we can enjoy a private banquet.”
“Weren’t you just saying how excited you get in front of people?”
“Well, if you were to undress me here and now, I’d prefer that, of course…”
His expression quickly turned mischievous, revealing what was on his mind. Courtney shook her head and lightly pushed him away.
“Stop that and go handle your duties.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
“See you later.”
Courtney waved at him with a small gesture.
Richard looked at her longingly before turning away. He wished they could steal away to the terrace for some private time, but there were too many matters to attend to first.
As Richard headed toward the Emperor’s platform, Madam Berricker and the close attendants, who had been waiting at a distance, approached Courtney. As expected, Isabella, always quick to get things done, promptly reported.
“I checked the hall, and it seems the food is being replenished at a sufficient pace. The wine, however, is being consumed faster than expected, so I’ve informed the staff outside.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Rebecca handed over the fan she had been holding and added, as if she didn’t want to be outdone,
“I overheard some conversations while making my rounds. It might be a good idea to speak with Duchess Wrighton today. She’s been expressing some concerns.”
“Concerns? About what?”
“She seems to be blaming herself for His Highness’s refusal to attend the outing. She thinks it might have been because she didn’t host it well last time. And since Madam Devon didn’t deny anything…”
Rebecca trailed off, glancing at Courtney nervously.
Courtney’s brow furrowed slightly. She didn’t need to hear the rest to understand the situation.
The last tea party she had attended as an insignificant daughter of the Devon family, before Richard’s proposal, had been hosted by Duchess Wrighton. Since then, she had been warmly welcomed wherever she went, so it was no wonder the Duchess would be worried about her standing, fearing distance from the imperial family.
It was easy to imagine what had likely happened if she’d expressed her concerns in front of Patricia. Patricia had no doubt relished the opportunity to engage in a battle of wits with the Duchess.
Courtney didn’t want her family to use the imperial family’s authority to act arrogantly. But at the same time, she couldn’t publicly show any dissatisfaction either. Her reputation was no longer just her own.
In any case, while Courtney had been exchanging risqué comments with Richard under the guise of dancing, both Isabella and Rebecca had performed their roles excellently. Nodding, Courtney said,
“Thank you, both of you did very well.”
Isabella and Rebecca smiled with pride, and even Madam Berricker seemed satisfied with their performance, as they had exceeded expectations.
Determined to use Rebecca’s help, Courtney began looking around for Duchess Wrighton. However, the first person she locked eyes with was a familiar man standing about ten paces away—Frederick Devon, with an irritated expression. The sight of his sour face instantly soured Courtney’s good mood as well.
It wasn’t unusual for her brother to attend the imperial banquet. In fact, it would be stranger if he didn’t show up. To avoid becoming the subject of gossip, they would have to exchange at least a polite greeting. Still, she wasn’t happy to see him. She had already heard everything from the butler—how he complained daily about how there was no benefit in having a sister who had become the Crown Princess.
Courtney turned her back on him as if she hadn’t seen him and, fortunately, immediately spotted Duchess Wrighton conversing with Duchess Herbert. She quickly made her way over to them.
“Hello, Duchess Wrighton.”
The Duchess turned her head absentmindedly, and upon seeing the Crown Princess, her eyes widened.
“Oh, Your Highness! It’s been a while since we’ve spoken.”
“Am I interrupting your conversation?”
“Not at all!”
The Duchess, perhaps surprised that the Crown Princess had approached her first, began speaking in a somewhat disorganized manner, unlike her usual refined self. She rambled on about how wonderful the Harvest Festival was and how beautiful Courtney and Richard’s dance had been, bombarding Courtney with praise to the point of awkwardness.
Courtney hadn’t been expecting flattery, but it seemed the Duchess had been under considerable stress. In truth, Courtney harbored no ill feelings toward her. She had declined the invitation to the outing simply due to scheduling conflicts.
“Thank you for the compliments. Duchess Herbert here was kind enough to help me with much of it.”
“Oh my, how humble of you.”
Duchess Wrighton covered her mouth with her hand and responded in an exaggerated tone. It was clear she was determined to make up for any past missteps. On the way to the banquet, even Duke Wrighton had emphasized it several times—she absolutely had to win the favor of the Crown Princess.
After all, looking at the current Emperor’s precedent, it was unlikely that the Crown Prince’s affection for his wife would fade anytime soon.
