The King's Unbreakable Wife-Chapter 143: Dresses and Drama (2)

Hazel remained in the same spot, staring at where Berkeley once stood.

"My lady," Mary said, confused as to why Hazel didn’t continue to the garden. There was a bit of time left before the party would start, but if Hazel continued to stand here she would end up late.

Hazel seemed startled and new to the palace, Mary didn’t know what was the cause. Mary turned to the other maids for help, but their heads were lowered and their eyes still glued to the floor. With the woman they serve in distress, shouldn’t they look to help?

"My lady,’ Mary called Hazel again, hoping to get through to her this time.

"Y-Yes," Hazel stammered, snapping out of her thoughts. "Oh, I’ll be late. Forgive me."

"There is nothing to apologise for," Mary whispered. "Was it that man?"

Hazel realised that Mary wouldn’t know about the test as the matter was private. Hazel forced a smile to stop Mary and the guards from worrying. "It is nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment. We should continue."

Hazel knew the guards would relay this to Tobias and he would confront the doctor. Why was it today that she came face-to-face with the doctor when she had an important party to attend? Hazel couldn’t put it as a mere coincidence since nothing had been a coincidence since she arrived.

Someone must have placed him there to startle her. It wasn’t a secret that this was the path she had to take to the garden.

’I can’t think about this now,’ Hazel thought.

She needed to be focused on the queen and all the other women right now.

Hazel finally reached the garden and already there were a few women seated or walking around looking at the flowers. She entered the garden going toward her seat which was at the large table at the end of the long two lines of tables.

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Hazel stopped to greet the woman she recognised as the baroness. "Baroness, it is nice to see you here."

Katrina Barrett, the wife of Baron Desmond Barrett, drew closer to Hazel. With a young daughter debuting in a few years, she had to work on getting close to the future queen so her daughter would be in the queen’s circle. "Likewise. I was looking for an opportunity to send your parents a gift as a congratulations. I haven’t gotten the chance.’

This wasn’t a surprise to Hazel as she could not think of a time her mother or father were around the Barretts. They certainly weren’t accepting guests now that Hazel was engaged to the prince. Everyone would be trying to get close to them now only because of her engagement.

"I shall tell them you wish to send a gift. If you don’t mind, I must take my seat before the queen arrives," said Hazel.

"Of course. There will be plenty of time for us to speak later," Katrina replied.

Hazel made her way to her seat without being stopped by any of the other women present. So far, only the baroness was so bold to approach her.

Hazel had been around many of these ladies before as she attended many parties so they knew her a little bit to approach her, but her new title might make them reluctant to approach her.

’It might be that they are waiting to see my relationship with the queen first,’ Hazel considered.

Hazel wasn’t the only one carefully plotting her moves. Everyone before her was also playing games.

Not long after sitting down, Hazel spotted Tabitha entering the garden with her maids.

Hazel stood like everyone else to greet Tabitha. It was moments like this when Tabitha’s influence was shown. The women flocked to her but were careful not to block her path. Should a scene be caused between Tabitha and Hazel today, it was obvious whose side the women would take.

"Hazel," Helena softly called to her sister.

Hazel felt relaxed at the sight of her sister. One familiar face she was comfortable having around. "I missed your entrance."

"I came in another way to not disturb the queen’s entrance. It is a tad bit surprising that we are at the same table," Helena said after spotting her name beside Hazel’s. "Linda is also seated here but she is to the right of the queen. Actually, right next to the queen."

Hearing this, Hazel looked at the names of the women sitting at the table. It was a bit strange that Linda would be seated to the right of the queen just as Hazel was seated to the left. Hazel would have thought that a friend of the queen would have the honour of Linda’s seat.

Though Hazel liked having Linda this close, there was something off here. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to think about it as Tabitha came to take her seat.

Tabitha sat down with the help of her maid and then looked up to Hazel to acknowledge her. "You look splendid today, Hazel. The dressmaker outdid himself this time. Do you see why the dresses made here were more suited for you?"

"I do. That wasn’t the issue why I didn’t wear them. You also look lovely, Queen Tabitha. Your beauty rivals the flowers,’ Hazel replied and then took her seat. "Thank you for having my sister near."

"She is family so it is only fair she sits close," Tabitha answered.

’Then what is the purpose of having Linda near?’ Hazel wondered.

Not understanding why the queen was keeping Linda close led Hazel to think that her best friend might be used if the queen was planning something. Not only had Tabitha attempted to use Helena, but now she was trying to make use of her best friend.

The queen was cruel and Hazel saw no future with the two of them ever being close. Why worry about the court when there was such an evil person sitting beside her?

If only she could reveal the queen’s true colours right now. Expose that the queen was not a kind woman as she displayed herself to be. Though it was something she wanted to do, Hazel knew that it would be pointless to reveal to these women as they wouldn’t care.

None of them would care what the queen was like when their motive for being near her and filling her with compliments was to raise their status. They could put up with the queen as long as they benefited from it.

Hazel sat quietly with Helena beside her, watching as more women walked into the garden and the party was well on its way.