The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 86: Fighting Vitriol

Jessamyn walked up the stairs, her heart pumping with adrenalin. She saw Celena strolling around the hall getting fawned over by sycophants.

If a mistress could walk amidst the sea of disdainful eyes with her head held high, Jessamyn didn’t find the need to keep her head low.

What did I do wrong? I didn’t betray my country! I didn’t hurt anyone! I didn’t steal anyone’s property! I didn’t throw soil in anyone’s food! Why should I accept the mockery?

Joar was right. She should fight for her respect. If she needed to survive in this place, she needed to steel her face and sharpen her tongue.

As she approached the ladies, her scowl melted away, replaced by an innocent smile.

"Ah... Lady Ethel," she held the arm of the lady and pulled her closer. The old lady couldn’t handle her pull and almost stumbled but managed to gain her balance. Jessamyn didn’t bother to help her.

"I’ll apologize for not recognizing you earlier... You’ve gotten... rounder..." Jessamyn grimaced.

Lady Ethel’s face darkened hearing Jessamyn calling her fat. She tried to talk back but Jessamyn didn’t let her and continued.

"You must be doing very well. I heard you managed to find a way to..." With her bright smile still adorning her face, she turned to Jerrick and placed her hand on his forearm ever so gracefully.

"Jerrick, did you hear? Lady Ethel’s daughter-in-law gave birth to the gardener’s son. The family kept it under wraps to spare her son from ridicule for wearing a green hat. Lady Ethel, cunning as ever, patiently orchestrated the announcement of the illegitimate child as the heir, while discreetly ushering her daughter-in-law and the gardener’s son out of sight. Quite clever, don’t you think?"

Without expecting Jerrick’s reply and not minding the reddened face of Lady Ethel, Jessamyn turned her attention toward the other lady. "Lady Mildred! I didn’t forget you either. My beloved mother-in-law mentioned your illness because of your husband’s frequent visits to brothels..."

She paused and turned to look at Jerrick. "Lord Havisham loves blonde women. Too bad he was forced to marry a brunette... Lady Mildred might look like dried hay now, but she used to be a beauty in her prime. Anyway..." Jessamyn turned to Lady Mildred.

"You must be relieved now that he is bedridden..." she sighed. "At least, you have a grandson. Your mansion is secured. Unlike some unlucky ladies... who couldn’t even attend ceremonies like this because they lost their only grandson..."

Jerrick’s eyes widened. He never cared about gossip; he had no idea what made his Songbird so fiery but she was spitting fire with those ladies. He knew they deserved it.

But, the last phrase... he had a feeling, she mentioned her mother-in-law. She used to talk this way about Emily in the past, and he ignored it. But now, he didn’t want to ignore it anymore. He decided to investigate why Jessamyn didn’t like her mother-in-law.

Jessamyn wasn’t finished yet. She looked at the third lady. "Lady Agatha..." she smiled.

Lady Agatha, unconcerned with formalities, paid no heed to the Archduke’s presence as she hastily left, not bothering to offer a word of farewell. The other ladies promptly followed suit, trailing after her in haste.

None of them knew the past Countess of Rohan hid a sharp blade of a tongue under that impeccable beauty.

Still, they murmured amongst themselves, grumbling the perceived insolence of the prospective Archduchess, attributing her behavior to pride and disrespect toward their elders. None paused to consider that perhaps they ought to have focused on their own affairs rather than engaging in gossip about her.

Jessamyn didn’t care. At least, they won’t mock her right in front of her face anymore. That was enough for her.

"Some men think I am easy because I agreed to marry you," she told Jerrick and walked away.

She could handle the women and didn’t want to handle the men. Didn’t he tell her he would protect her? Let him!

Jerrick fisted his hands. Who dared to? He surveyed the area to see if anyone dared to approach her. He noticed the king’s mistress following Jessamyn. He looked around for Isadora but she was nowhere around. He tried to find Bernard, but he was nowhere either.

In the distance, Jerrick noticed Louis making a direct path toward Jessamyn. Jerrick hurried towards Jessamyn, hoping to intercept her before anyone else could.

Jessamyn was trying to find Isadora. She couldn’t find her anywhere. She looked for the Grand Duke hoping he was keeping her safe. She saw him talking to a few of the blushing ladies. Isadora was not with him.

She regretted not having an eye on Isadora when it was her first time in a royal ceremony.

Could she be in danger?

But she remembered Bernard having an eye on Isadora the whole journey. She didn’t find him when the ceremony was going on but he might have been around Isadora. He always tried his best to be by her side and be her support.

She hoped she was with Bernard. But where could they be?

As she wandered through the hall, she was blocked by someone.

"May I have the pleasure of this dance?" Jerrick asked, extending his hand as he smiled charmingly. He couldn’t control his smile as this would be their first dance.

"Did you find Isadora anywhere?" Jessamyn asked, her eyes brightening to see Jerrick. "I cannot find her anywhere."

The corners of Jerrick’s lips twitched. He stared at his extended hand, hoping she realized he was waiting for her dance. He needed to talk to her about a lot of things.

But she was not looking at him. Her eyes wandered around the hall, trying to find Isadora.

"She might be at the dining hall," Jerrick said, trying to get her attention.

Jessamyn shook her head. That was quite impossible.

Seeing the furrow line between her eyebrows, Jerrick knew she wouldn’t rest until she found her friend.

He stood on his tiptoes and looked through the crowded hall. "There..." he pointed in a random direction. "I see her with Bernard..."

"Do you?" Jessamyn tried to stand on her tiptoes to look in that direction. But she couldn’t look past the crowd. She did see the tall head of a man with Bernard’s hair in the distance.

She relaxed and patted her chest.

"Now, shall we?" Jerrick held out his hand.

Jessamyn only then focused on Jerrick. He’s asking me for a dance... Her heart raced.

-----

Meanwhile, under the relentless gaze of the scorching sun, a woman darted through the uneven and neglected garden pavement. Her auburn hair stuck to her face wet with perspiration and she panted as she ran for her life.

The cracked stones threatened to trip her with each hurried step, while patches of parched earth struggled beneath the oppressive heat.

"I can’t run anymore..." Isadora muttered.

However, looking forward, she ran gathering all her energy. She knew she couldn’t afford to stop.