“Elena, today you should go and buy yourself some suitable clothes for your brother's birthday party.”
“Yes, mother.”
“Mother, I also want to go for a walk.” The boy asked, pulling his mother's skirt “Can I go with Elena?”
“It will be next time, Milan. Today is too cold, if you go out you could get sick.”
Not cold enough to stop Elena from going out, though. The clear line Vivian Valverde drew between her two children couldn’t be more evident if she tried. And Elena knew her mother wasn’t really trying… it was just easy for her to forget about her eldest daughter, who’d caused her so many tears in the past, compared to the child that brought her happiness.
For example, Elena almost froze last night because of the piercing wind that got through the walls. The manor wasn’t prepared for this unusual winter season, but last year her parents and her brother’s chambers were remodeled to include chimneys, only hers was left for later (and still did not have one).
She also should have gotten a decent dress for Milan's birthday party by now. Her mother and brother had visited the store and ordered clothes weeks before, but at that time she had also been punished. In addition, the money that went to her expenses was considerably less than that of the family heir.
Actually, going together when she’d need to visit cheaper stores would be humiliating. In spite of the freezing wind outside, it was better to be able to go alone. The other benefit of this was that she wouldn’t need to babysit Milan, as it was the case every time her brother wanted to stick to her.
No, Elena didn’t hate her little brother, but maybe she was a bit jealous.
The boy kept insisting on tagging along and was crying loudly now, something definitely unbecoming of the Earl’s heir. A good thing his father wasn’t there, or he would call Milan out for it.
“I'll get that cake you like so much from Honey's Bakery.” She promised.
“Bring the chocolate one. Last time you made a mistake and bought a honey cake.”
She sighed. When he acted spoiled like that, it was hard not to scowl at him.
Their relationship was complicated.
“Yes, the chocolate one…”
The housekeeper told her that the carriage was ready and Elena rushed out. Normally, a lady of her status should not go without a companion, but Elena's personal maid, Mariela, had to return to her parents' house because her mother was ill. No one else had noticed that detail that affected the safety of an Earl's daughter, and no other maid had taken the position because it was one of her mother’s responsibilities to assign someone.
Elena did not blame them. Some days she forgot her own identity, too.
The hems of her skirt got dirty with mud, the result of the rain the night before, as she walked down the stairs. Luckily, her dress was a dark grey and it wouldn't be noticed unless someone got really close. Elena didn’t think that she’d run into any of the lords or knights’ daughters in town on a chilly morning that practically commanded them to stay indoors.
“Miss, we are waiting for you out here,” The coachman said when they stopped in front of Madame Celine's shop.
“Thank you, Andrés. It won’t take long.”
Many ladies would need much more time to get clothes adjusted perfectly to their size. Elena, however, had a slender figure and most of Madame Celine's or the other stores' dresses did not need to be adjusted any further. Besides, being the young miss of the Valverde house, the employees were always extremely diligent with their work. It was true that Elena had less money than Milan or her mother, or compared to daughters of noble families in other regions, but by the standards of the people of the town, she was just a rich lady.
Elena knew very well that despite her circumstances not being what she would have wished for, her standing in life was still privileged. That was why she didn’t complain and kept her discontent to herself. To be born into one family or another could define one’s fate for a lifetime... and at the end of the day, it was a matter of luck.
“Are you planning on going to the capital for the next season, my lady?” Madame Celine asked as she handed her another set of clothes, dress, hat, gloves, and shawl included.
“I don’t think so. But it’s up to my father to decide when the time comes.”
“The Earl will probably want to show you off on the balls. When I worked in the capital, I met countless noble ladies, but none were as beautiful as you.” Madame Celine complimented. “Those eyes… really unique. I don’t believe you’ll go another season without finding a perfect match.”
“Thank you, Madame Celine.” Although the woman’s words weren’t comforting at all to Elena’s heart, she still forced a smile.
Less than an hour later, Elena left Madame Celine's store with two dresses ready for the winter season. Although she doubted that many social gatherings would take place until spring began, it would be better to get proper shoes and coats as well, so she asked Andrés to wait for her while she crossed the street to visit another store.
A few meters from the entrance, a girl dressed only in a summer dress sat on the stone sidewalk. Elena might have not noticed her because her dirty brownish-gray clothes mixed with the ground and the walls around her, but then the child pulled up her skirt to get her attention when she passed by her side.
“Miss, do you have an extra coin?”
Poor kid. She was barefoot and barely dressed on the coldest day they’ve ever had in the county, if she stayed like this would she survive the winter? Elena took some silver coins from her pouch and handed them to the girl.
“You should be able to buy some food and clothes. Do you have a family?”
“You scoundrel!” Someone else shouted, kicking the girl away before she could speak, and Elena could only turn to look in horror at the young man who decided to intervene. “Are you all right, Miss Elena?”
Frowning at his unwelcome display of ‘chivalry’, she tried to remember who was this guy who called her by her name... his face was not familiar to her but, after a moment, she could identify him as Mr. Gabriel, the music teacher they had recently hired for Milan.
“Thank you for your concern, but the violence was not necessary. She is just a child, you see.”
If children found themselves begging on the streets in the territory under the power of the Valverde family, it was their responsibility to deal with it as well, wasn’t it?
“In the future, don’t hit people who are less fortunate than you, Mr. Gabriel.”
Because of the cold, it was even more noticeable as Gabriel's face turned red, revealing his embarrassment.
“I am sorry, Miss.” He did not apologize to the child. If she had any said about who taught Milan, this man would be fired right then and there.
Elena sighed. The only thing she could think of to help the girl was to get her some warm clothes, and shoes.
“What is your name?”
“I am Laila, my lady.”
“Come with me, Laila.” She said, smiling, and ignoring the repelled expression of the man behind her. “Mr. Gabriel, I have some things to do today, but I will see you at my little brother's party.”
“Of course, I wouldn't miss it.”
“If you’d excuse me…”
As she crossed the door of the store, Elena had to stop abruptly as she found herself facing someone else. He was a tall, young man dressed in fine black clothes. He had all the bearing of a nobleman, and yet he was not someone Elena would recognize... Should she be able to recognize him? His eyes were the same emerald green she saw every day in the mirror.
“I’m sorry," he apologized, stepping aside, "go ahead first, please.”
Her eyes fell on the brooch that held the man's cloak, and her heart skipped a beat. The black dragon head... wasn't that the coat of arms of the House Alba?
Who was that man?
“Excuse me, who are you…”
But before Elena could find out, he had already left.