My Mom Has Been Possessed

Chapter 32

Children’s Social Gathering (3)

 

One of the noblewomen gathered at the marquisate’s table spoke up.

“Lady Lysianthus is attending the social gathering today, isn’t she?”

The ladies lit up at this remark.

Though it was awkward to bring up first out of propriety, none could deny their deep curiosity about “Lady Lysianthus.”

“That’s right. The temple sent an official notice, confirming that she is indeed His Grace the Duke’s biological daughter.”

“You received the notice as well? I was so surprised when the letter arrived early this morning.”

The noble families invited today by the Marchioness of Hyacinth were mostly close to central power.

As such, most of them had received the temple’s official notice directly.

As they discussed this for a moment, Viscountess Cien cautiously broached the topic.

“Being his biological daughter means… well, you know what that implies, right?”

Though the subject wasn’t explicitly stated, all the ladies instantly understood.

Some, mindful of decorum, coughed into their teacups.

While illegitimate children were common, noblewomen were generally displeased by their husbands’ extramarital offspring.

In some cases—especially when the wife’s family outranked her husband’s—it even led to fierce inheritance disputes.

The biggest issue arose when the legitimate offspring were only daughters, but the illegitimate child happened to be a son.

Of course, the Lysianthus Ducal House was slightly different from such scenarios.

In the brief silence that followed, one of the women smiled meaningfully and said,

“But it’s truly unfortunate for Viscount Delphinium, isn’t it?”

“Oh? Why so?”

“You haven’t heard?”

The noblewoman who had first spoken widened her eyes dramatically.

“Viscount Delphinium is His Grace the Duke’s younger brother. If the Lysianthus Dukedom had remained without an heir, one of the viscount’s sons might have inherited the title.”

“Ahh.”

The lady who had just asked the question sighed. Those aware of this fact simply listened with interest.

“Well, even if it’s a shame, what can you do? Unless the child were born of the late Duchess, there might be some room to contest it, but ultimately, His Grace would want to pass on his land and title to his own blood.”

“That’s not a certainty, is it?”

“What do you mean?”

The lady, now under a sudden barrage of curious glances, flinched.

She continued hesitantly, wearing a slightly timid expression.

“I mean, His Grace might prefer to pass the title to a male heir. After all, there have been cases where, even with daughters, a nephew was adopted as the successor….”

“Hmm, that does make sense.”

Indeed, the kingdom still upheld such customs. Even the law allowing women to inherit titles was a relatively recent change influenced by the Empire.

“If the child were the late Duchess’s, there’s no doubt His Grace would want to pass the title to her.”

“True. His Grace was famously devoted to the Duchess. Imagine, he’s lived alone for six years without remarrying.”

The conversation shifted back to the Duke’s unwavering love for his late wife.

Most of the noblewomen present were close in age to Elodie and the Duke. Having witnessed their courtship firsthand in their youth, many were fond of them.

“The Duchess was such a wonderful person. Thinking about her again brings back memories.”

“Indeed. To think His Grace even….”

Moreover, most of them liked Elodie.

While Luke was undoubtedly a matchless suitor, ranking just below the prince in status, his unwavering loyalty left no room for jealousy.

Besides, Elodie’s noble lineage was equally impressive. Together, the Duke and Duchess had been a celebrated couple in the social scene.

As the group reminisced about the two, Countess Lavinia interjected in a sly tone.

“But from what I’ve heard, His Grace wasn’t entirely so devoted, after all.”

“What?”

The ladies, startled, widened their eyes like rabbits at Countess Lavinia’s comment.

The Duke of Lysianthus, not a one-woman man?

“Did you hear something?”

“Well, yes, actually….”

The Countess deliberately paused, enjoying the growing anticipation from her audience. A lover of gossip, she relished the attention.

Finally, when their curiosity had reached its peak, Countess Lavinia spoke again.

“I heard from a reliable source that the person who brought the young lady was actually the late Duchess’s maid.”

“What?”

“Her maid? Do you mean that pretty baron’s daughter?”

“What was her name again?”

Since Aria Hilton rarely participated in social events, she was not well-known despite her striking appearance.

Countess Lavinia emphasized her words.

“Yes, Aria Hilton. Quiet and timid, but the Duchess was very fond of her, wasn’t she?”

“Oh, yes, now I remember.”

“But what does the maid bringing a child have to do with anything… gasp.”

One woman, about to question the significance, suddenly gasped.

“My goodness. Could the young lady who’s arriving today possibly be…?”

“Yes, well. It’s still just speculation at this point,” Countess Lavinia said, her words stirring the table into murmurs. The commotion was only possible because neither the hostess, Marchioness of Hyacinth, nor Lady Lysianthus was present yet.

“My goodness. So, could Lady Lysianthus actually be the maid’s daughter?”

“Hmm, this is troubling. I didn’t think His Grace was that kind of man.”

“Oh, come on. There might be some misunderstanding. For instance… maybe the young lady really is the late Duchess’s child?”

Though it was a long-held rumor that the Duke and Duchess’s child had been stillborn seven years ago, the possibility lingered.

Could it have been due to some “unfortunate incident”?

As the noblewomen exchanged speculations, they suddenly heard voices.

“Wow, the flowers are so pretty.”

“Be careful not to trip.”

“I’m seven years old now; I’m not a little kid who trips all the time!”

The soft exchange of a woman and a child drifted into earshot.

The youthful voice sounded more like a girl’s than a boy’s. The noblewomen’s attention turned toward the sound.

And then, they saw them.

“There are the noblewomen. Should we greet them first and then go to the playroom with your friends?”

“Okay!”

Holding the hand of a blonde woman was a little girl with pink hair and deep pink eyes, her cheeks flushed rosy.

The noblewomen’s mouths fell open. Most of them vividly remembered the late Duchess, Elodie.

One thought popped into all their minds simultaneously.

“She looks just like the Duchess!”

The shock was even greater for those who had known Elodie as the Count’s daughter during their families’ exchanges. Their faces turned as pale as sheets.

It was no wonder.

Even from a distance, the girl confidently bore a striking resemblance to the late Duchess. They suddenly realized why the Duke had gone through the trouble of a paternity test.

The young lady didn’t resemble the Duke in the slightest!

“No… it’s like she was born without his involvement!”

It was as though the late Duchess had somehow reproduced on her own. Countess Lavinia, who had been leading the gossip about illegitimacy, stood there slack-jawed.

By then, the pair had approached the table.

The first to speak was Aria.

“Good afternoon, noblewomen. My name is Aria of the Hilton Barony, currently serving as Lady Lysianthus’s governess. Under normal circumstances, I would greet each of you individually, but as I’m accompanying the child, I ask for your understanding.”

With an elegant bow, she offered a polite greeting.

Aria Hilton’s demeanor was impeccable, exuding both grace and nobility. Yet, her cheerful tone gave her the air of a lively young lady rather than a noblewoman nearing thirty.

Under normal circumstances, the noblewomen might have been intrigued by this new face at the social gathering. However, their attention was entirely captured by the small girl beside her.

Dressed in a white blouse, a red dress, and black shoes, the girl appeared to be around six or seven years old.

She greeted them with careful enunciation.

“Good afternoon, noblewomen. My name is Bonita Lysianthus.”

Fortunately, Bonita’s cheeks had filled out slightly in recent days, no longer giving her the frail, emaciated look she once had.

Though still slender, she now appeared as an adorably delicate child rather than pitiable.

The noblewomen’s cheeks reddened.

“How could I say such things about such a young child!”

“My goodness, she really is the late Duchess’s daughter.”

“She looks about the same age as my Maya.”

They inwardly reflected on their earlier gossip and felt ashamed.

Many of them were mothers to children around Bonita’s age, so seeing her in person made their prior conversations feel even more embarrassing.

This included Countess Lavinia, who had led the discussion. Remembering her own daughter, she cleared her throat awkwardly and attempted to speak.

“Ahem, so, Bonita…”

“Oh my,” came a voice, cutting her off.

The Marchioness of Hyacinth had arrived.

Holding her elegant fan, she gestured gracefully toward Bonita, Aria, and the noblewomen gathered around the table.

“I seem to be a little late. My sons were causing such a ruckus. Please, do forgive me.”

“It’s quite all right, Marchioness! I’ve only just arrived myself,” Aria responded cheerfully.