~Chapter 29~
Trisha’s advice had been right.
It was fortunate that Harriet remembered the song the Countess sang at Viscount Ainborough’s house three years ago.
It seemed she had passed the first hurdle successfully. The bright expression on the Countess’s face, much like when she greeted Trisha, was proof of that.
Of course, just entering the party smoothly didn’t mean the night’s challenges were over. In fact, things were only just beginning. Look at how the faces of the people who recognized her were filled with shock.
“Harriet Listerwell? Is that really her?”
“I was wondering who she was, and it really is Harriet Listerwell! I didn’t recognize her since her skin disease is gone.”
“Wow… Was she always this beautiful?”
“Never mind that; look at who she came with. They say Countess Pellon is her companion!”
The whispers that started here and there soon spread to the people nearby, and before long, everyone’s eyes were glancing at Harriet. Her smooth, wavy chestnut hair, moist red lips, well-manicured nails, and healthy, glowing skin.
The woman who used to be called “ugly” had disappeared, and in her place stood someone who could be the new “flower” of high society.
A man who didn’t even realize she was Harriet Listerwell stepped up and asked her for a dance.
“Nice to meet you, young lady. My name is Adam Hopfner. I know it might be rude to ask someone who just arrived, but I didn’t want to lose my chance to anyone else. May I have the honor of being your first dance partner?”
The last time she had received a dance request was when she had her debut at a ball with Bella at the age of fifteen, where she rotated partners with other young men. But she didn’t feel particularly happy or emotional now. ‘Wasn’t this man one of Bella’s followers?’
This was the same man who used to praise Bella, saying that true beauty was in flawless skin, and who always looked at Harriet, covered in rashes, with disgust.
“Who would want to dance with her? Disgusting. You might catch her skin disease.”
Yes, he had said that once.
Now, that same man was blushing as he asked her for a dance, not recognizing her because her rashes were gone.
Harriet glanced down at his outstretched hand, then looked back at him and asked,
“Aren’t you worried you might catch my skin disease?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m Harriet Listerwell. You used to be so scared of even touching me.”
“Uh… Harriet, Listerwell…?”
Seeing his flustered expression, Harriet gave him a sweet smile and turned away.
She had no lingering feelings for that man, but there was a woman who did—one who had just witnessed the man she admired being humiliated. She quickly approached Harriet, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“It’s been a long time, Miss Harriet. I think it’s been about a year since I last saw you. What have you been up to?”
Everyone knew Harriet had been sent to a monastery, so the question was clearly meant to embarrass her.
But Harriet smiled brightly.
“I’ve spent the past year reflecting on my actions and living a pure life, following God’s teachings at St. Clarissa’s Monastery. I’ve been a bit nervous about being back in Genoa, so thank you for speaking to me first. By the way, your name is…?”
Harriet’s calm response, far from the expected embarrassment, left the woman who had spoken to her flustered. And the fact that Harriet didn’t even know her name—when she clearly knew Harriet’s—felt like a subtle defeat.
“I’m Viviana Delrus. We’ve met several times. I’m surprised you don’t remember.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. We’ve met, but I was never properly introduced to you.”
Viviana had no response to that. It was true—they had never been formally introduced, and everything she knew about Harriet came secondhand from Bella.
As Viviana faltered, another young woman by her side decided to attack more directly.
“Do you even realize how much Bella has suffered because you disgraced your family name?”
For a moment, Harriet felt a flash of anger. She wanted to shout that it wasn’t she who had disgraced the family name—it was Bella. The brooch incident with the Duke of Kailas was not her doing.
But if she lost her temper now, it would be like admitting defeat.
So instead, Harriet let her eyebrows droop slightly and tilted her head.
“I truly regret my past actions. My uncle cut off my guardianship, so Bella shouldn’t have had any more trouble because of me after that.”
Though she spoke of her “regret,” her expression showed no real remorse. The moment the young woman opened her mouth to argue, Harriet added,
“And Bella seems to be doing quite well. I heard she’s with the eldest son of the Count of Cheslow…”
At this, Bella’s friends momentarily glanced at each other, uneasy.
The fact that Bella had become involved with James, Daphne’s fiancé, had been quite a shock, even for them. After all, they couldn’t believe that an angel like Bella would accept the affections of a man who already had a fiancée.
But they still believed in Bella’s innocence.
“Lady Laurel and Lord Cheslow’s relationship was already falling apart!”
“That’s right! Lord Cheslow was so devoted to Bella that she had no choice but to accept him.”
Seeing their fierce defense of Bella, Harriet shrugged as if she didn’t understand.
“Who said otherwise? I was just saying it looks like she’s found a good match.”
It was only then that they realized they had spilled more information than they needed to. Their faces turned red as they realized how foolish they sounded.
Harriet smiled faintly at the group, knowing they still hadn’t truly become Bella’s “real” friends.
“It seems Bella isn’t here tonight. Please send her my regards. Well then, I’ll be off.”
With that, Harriet politely excused herself and left them. The group left behind was in shock, completely taken aback by the drastic change in Harriet’s behavior. In the past, she would only deny their accusations without offering a proper defense, but now she acknowledged her past, and yet somehow it felt like she had ‘won.’
“She’s completely changed. We’d better let Bella know about this.”
“Yeah? Oh, yes, we should.”
Both of them could only tightly grip their fans and turn away. However, Viviana couldn’t shake her curiosity about how Harriet, who had once suffered from terrible acne, now had such clear skin. After all, one of the reasons she couldn’t approach Adam Hopfner was because of her own stubborn acne.
After finishing her small power struggle with Bella’s friends, Harriet was introduced to some important figures in high society by Trisha. Unlike Bella’s immature friends, these were people who truly held the wealth and power in the empire.
“It might be hard to remember all their names at once, but do your best to try. There’s a big difference between recalling their names when you meet them again and not being able to.”
“And they probably already know my face and name.”
“Exactly. Come to think of it, you’re quite famous on your own, right?”
Harriet thought Trisha was teasing her and gave an awkward laugh. But Trisha’s eyes gleamed.
“Even if it’s in a bad way, everyone knows who you are. In some ways, that’s a valuable asset.”
Harriet hadn’t thought of it that way before.
“That’s true. Everyone does know me.”
Perhaps she could use her “reputation” to her advantage somehow. Though she didn’t have any specific ideas yet, it seemed like something she could put to use someday.
For tonight’s party, her goal was to meet as many people as possible and give the impression that “Harriet Listerwell turned out to be surprisingly fine.”
Though Trisha was her companion, she had far more acquaintances than Harriet, so she couldn’t stay by her side the entire time.
After sending Trisha off to her friends, Harriet, aware of the eyes on her, moved toward the drinks table. Sangria and punch, perfectly suited for a summer evening, were prepared.
The Vanderbilt family’s wealth was apparent from the generous use of expensive ice.
‘I should try to strike up a conversation with someone who seems decent.’
The topic of conversation didn’t really matter. All she needed to do was prove that Harriet Listerwell could hold a normal conversation.
She sipped the sangria, which had been diluted with soda water to lower the alcohol content, while scanning the crowd for a suitable conversation partner—someone who wouldn’t turn away with a glare just because Harriet Listerwell approached them.
Then, she spotted someone who seemed like a good option.
