My engagement to General Kaelen caused quite a stir in the capital. No one had expected that I, my reputation sullied by Isabelle’s scandal, could still marry into the General’s estate. Soon, the taverns and teahouses were buzzing with rumors that the General had long been in love with me and had stepped forward to defend my honor when I was being mocked and scorned.
Rose was relaying these rumors to me as I embroidered my wedding veil.
“My lady, the list of betrothal gifts from the General is so long! Do you think he’s given you his entire fortune?”
I had been a stranger to General Kaelen, even a little afraid of him. But when I saw that scroll, filled with rare and precious treasur- es, i was deeply moved. Whatever his reasons for marrying me, for this gesture of respect alone, I would manage his household
well and ensure he had no worries.
After my engagement was settled, Isabelle contacted Josh. Bound by the memory of her kindness, Josh finally agreed to marry her. However, his family was poor, with an old, bedridden mother to care for, and he could not produce a respectable bride–price. Isabelle was furious but had no choice but to swallow her pride.
As if in a fit of pique, she set her wedding day for the same day as mine.
The day arrived. As my maids and governesses were helping me with my makeup, Isabelle walked in, already dressed in a vibrant
red wedding gown.
“All of you, out. I have something to say to my sister.”
“My apologies, Lady Isabelle, but I cannot obey,” Rose said, stepping in front of me, showing Isabelle no deference. “The Duchess has ordered me not to leave my lady’s side for a moment.”
Isabelle’s face flushed with anger. “Sister, you are far too lenient with these servants! They have forgotten their place and dare to defy me, their mistress!”
“Today, let me teach these insolent servants a lesson for you, so they do not bring shame upon our house when you arrive at the
General’s estate.”
11
Isabelle raised her hand to slap Rose, but I caught her wrist.
“Sister, you are not qualified to discipline my people. And lest you miss the auspicious hour, you should return to your own preparat-
ions. A word of advice: spend less time reading fanciful storybooks. I am not so foolish as to let you switch places with me.”
Chapter 2
04:50
པ་པ་པ་ད དཔས པ་པ ་་པ་ ༥བབ་་་་པབ ་པ ཕ་པཔ་པ་་་
དདཅ —སྡཔ་པ་པསཔ ་་པཔ་ད དཔཁ
ions. A word of advice: spend less time reading fanciful storybooks. I am not so foolish as to let you switch places with me.”
“Someone, escort Lady Isabelle back to her chambers.”
“Yes, my lady.”
A governess acknowledged the order, grabbed Isabelle’s arm, and began to pull her away.
Isabelle stared at me, stunned, forgetting even to struggle. She couldn’t seem to believe that I had so easily seen through her sch- eme. She had indeed planned to switch our bridal sedans, hoping to force the issue with General Kaelen. Once the deed was done, she believed both our families would have to accept the outcome to save face.
The bride–swap in the storybooks had seemed so simple. But in reality, her plot was exposed before it even began.
Her plan thwarted, Isabelle could only be sullenly helped into her own meager, two–man bridal carriage.
I, on the other hand, was escorted amidst a crowd of well–wishers to a grand, eight–man carriage, followed by a train of dowry ches- ts so long one could not see the end. Lady Sylvia had emptied her coffers and pleaded with the Duke just to scrape together a dow-
ry of eight chests for Isabelle.
Josh, dressed in his festive groom’s attire, wore little joy on his face. He watched the grand procession carrying the Duke’s eldest daughter away, a strange sense of familiarity washing over him. A voice in his soul screamed that the bride in that carriage should
have been his.
The wedding attendant, seeing the groom lost in thought, prompted him. “Master Atreides, the bride is here. We can return to your
home for the ceremony.”
