157: The Precious Tiara
The evening ball that day was very lively and delightful. After dancing with Dylan, Avril took turns dancing with Chris and the other servants.
Incidentally, Chris was as good at leading as Dylan. His enthusiasm reminded Avril of her dance lessons with the dance tutor, and almost got riled up. So, when Grace asked the orchestra to slow down the music, it was a relief. Avril didn’t have to dance with her hair all messed up.
However, towards the end of the evening, Chris asked, “Shall we call the dance tutor again?” Avril was secretly tempted to accept.
Among the servants who saw the dance, there were whispers that the rumor about, “Avril, the villainess who ruined a masquerade ball” might not have been baseless after all.
Of course, everyone was puzzled.
It was a glamorous and happy night for the first time in a long time. That day, Avril was accepted by the people who supported the main mansion of the Duke of Lancester.
Dylan was in high spirits and watched on with glee.
When Avril returned to the townhouse in the royal capital, a jewelry box she had never seen before was waiting for her.
“What is this…?”
Avril found it as soon as she got home, before she could even finish changing. Her eyes widened, and the maid told her.
“This was delivered to you while you were away, Lady Avril. It is from Lord Dylan’s mother’s family.”
“…Lord Dylan’s mother’s family…?”
“I haven’t heard anything about this.”
It seemed that Dylan was just as surprised by the unexpected delivery. He held up the delivery box and stared at it intently.
“This is a really nice box. I wonder what’s inside it?”
The white ceramic jewelry box, with feet, was lavishly decorated with gorgeous ornaments. Even the ornate box itself seemed like a piece of jewelry.
Avril took the jewelry box from Dylan and opened the lid.
“Lord Dylan, this is…!”
Inside was a shining silver tiara. Many diamonds of different sizes sparkled on the platinum base. It was undoubtedly a precious tiara that could be passed down as a family heirloom.
From Lord Dylan’s mother family… so, from Lord Dylan’s mother? But this is so sudden…
It went without saying that Avril was incredulous, but Dylan was also frozen stiff. Then, she heard him mutter.
“…I remember seeing it in my parents’ wedding photos. My mother wore this on her wedding day.”
“! It’s that important?!”
How did such a tiara come to her? She was truly baffled and had no idea how, but then she noticed the small letter attached to the tiara.
To Dylan’s beloved, congratulations on your marriage. This is for you.
“Lord Dylan… could it be, she saw the photo we sent her from the Myrtle Town and sent this tiara?”
“Maybe she saw it and realized I was getting married? I thought she hadn’t even noticed that I had grown up…”
The handwriting was shaky in places. At a glance, she could tell that Dylan’s mother didn’t ask anyone else to write it for her. Watching Dylan’s astonishment, even Avril was emotional.
“Is it okay for me… to wear Lord Dylan’s mother’s tiara…?”
Her voice faltered unknowingly. Dylan didn’t answer and instead called out to Grace.
“Please.”
“Yes, Lord Dyan.”
Grace put on gloves and came over. Then, she placed the tiara on Avril’s head. It was heavy and had an incredible presence.
The tiara on her head, which was reflected in the mirror, looked so beautiful that she couldn’t help but stare at it.
Considering that it was delivered swiftly from his mother’s family—the marquis’s family—this tiara was probably not gathering dust in the back of a warehouse. But instead, carefully stored in a place where it could be easily accessed. It was a tiara that Lord Dylan’s mother had always treasured, despite the sorrowful memories it held.
Thinking about this, her heart trembled and words spilled out.
“…It must’ve matched well with the dress I wore in the photo we sent her.”
“It must have. Maybe that’s why she gave it to you.”
“Yes.”
I don’t regret giving the dress to Clarissa, but I do feel a little sad…
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