Page 97 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 1
"I didn't realise."
"I didn't tell you," she responds.
"Do you regret your decision?"
For a moment I don't think she's going to answer, but then she gives me a small smile. "No. Never."
The door opens before I can ask any other questions, and Lady Ermentrude sweeps in. It isn't until now that I consider her not being here to greet us as a little rude.
Her dark hair is braided in an intricate crown, looking like it took hours to do, and her dress looks like quality velvet with so much embroidery that I have to wonder how she's still standing with it all on.
I rise to my feet and offer her a friendly smile. "Lady Ermentrude, it's a pleasure to get to know you better," I say.
Her expression changes, revealing nervousness I didn't expect. "Thank you for coming, Lady Beatrice, Lady Vermouten."
"Isabella is fine," Bella responds.
Lady Ermentrude nods and takes a seat opposite the two of us.
I sit back down, not entirely sure that I didn't just make some kind of mistake.
"I should ring for tea," Lady Ermentrude says. "I'm sorry that it wasn't here when you arrived. Mama is flustered over the wedding. I think she's fearful that she's going to have to return to her own House once it's done."
"Why would she need to do that?" I ask. "Aren't you the heir to House Tufflion?"
"Part of the wedding contract is that if Lord Bastian and I have a child, then House Tufflion will be forfeit to House Rothorne."
I raise an eyebrow. "Why would she agree to that?"
Lady Ermentrude picks up the bell and gives it a ring, presumably summoning the servant. "She thinks that it's an improbability that we'll have a child, but now the wedding is approaching, she's starting to doubt herself. But I don't think it will matter either way. If Lord Bastian and I have a child, I'm sure he'll let Mama come and live with us in House Rothorne."
"Er, yes, I'm sure," I say, while Bella gives me a look that says she's not convinced at all, but luckily doesn't actually say as much.
"It won't be his choice anyway, but Lord Fallmartin's," Bella points out.
"Oh, that's true. I hadn't thought about the fact that I'll have to live with him once Lord Bastian and I are married. It's going to be so strange. Here, it's just me, Mama, and the servants. But there are a lot more people in the House Rothorne apartments, aren't there?"
I nod, a little overwhelmed by the way the conversation is going, and hoping that I don't come across as this naive when I talk to people while having no idea of vampire customs. Though as far as I'm aware, she's older than I am.
A servant enters the room with a tray and sets it down between us. The china is beautiful, but a little faded in places, which makes me wonder about Lady Ermentrude's dress.
My gaze slips across to it, noticing several patches where it's clearly been altered. I'd say that it likely used to be her mother's and was resized for her, more out of necessity than anything else. Which at least explains why they accepted a marriage contract that includes the possibility of their House being folded into House Rothorne. They don't have the spare money for the alternative. It does make me wonder what Lord Fallmartin is getting out of this, but I'm sure he'll have some sort of plan.
My heart aches for the two of them. That can't have been easy, especially not when they're ultimately deciding to lose their House in the process.
"How do you take your tea, Lady Beatrice?" she asks, drawing me back to the conversation.
"Oh, just with milk. I'm not used to sugar yet."
"Of course, you're newly arrived like Lord Bastian."
I nod. "We're twins."
"It must have been nice to grow up with a sibling."
"Yes, it was." It's the part since coming to court that's been more of a struggle, but I don't say as much. I don't want to scare her just a few days before the wedding.
"I hope we get to know one another well once I'm married to your brother," Lady Ermentrude says. "It'll be a little bit before your wedding, won't it?"
