Chapter 52 ARRIVALS
Chapter 52 ARRIVALS
Ace
The estate had never looked more alive.
Carriages rolled through the main gates one after another, their polished wheels crunching against the gravel path as they approached the front steps. Servants moved quickly across the courtyard, opening doors, carrying luggage, and guiding guests toward the grand hall.
From the balcony above the entrance, I watched the arrivals carefully.
The gathering had officially begun.
Emma stepped beside me, leaning casually against the stone railing.
“Well,” she said, glancing down at the courtyard, “they certainly didn’t waste time.”
“No,” I agreed. “They never do.”
Below us, a dark carriage bearing the crest of the Northvale family came to a stop. Lord and Lady Northvale stepped out, followed by their daughter, who looked around the estate with open curiosity.
Emma nudged my arm.
“Those ones are harmless," she said to me.
“Oh is that so?"
"Of course."
"How reassuring then.”
She pointed toward another carriage arriving behind them.
“Those ones are not.”
I followed her gaze.
The crest on that carriage was unmistakable—House Bellmont.
“Bellmont,” I murmured.
Emma nodded.
“They love gossip almost as much as they love influence.”
“Probably, that explains why they came early.”
Another carriage rolled through the gates.
Emma squinted slightly.
“Oh, this one will be interesting.”
“Who?”
“Lord Harwick.”
I sighed quietly.
“Let me guess… difficult.”
“Very.”
She glanced at me with a mischievous grin.
“But on the bright side, he enjoys being impressed.”
“That’s comforting.”
Emma chuckled.
“I’m serious. If Selene handles him well tonight, half the nobles in that hall will immediately change their opinion.”
Before I could respond, a servant approached us and bowed respectfully.
“Your Grace.”
“Yes?”
“The guests have begun gathering in the ballroom.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
The servant left.
Emma pushed herself away from the railing.
“Well, brother,” she said, “it’s time.”
I exhaled slowly.
“Yes. It is.”
Inside the grand ballroom, the atmosphere was already buzzing with quiet conversation.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting warm light across the polished marble floor. Musicians played softly in the corner while servants carried trays of drinks between the guests.
Nobles stood in small groups, discussing politics, trade, and the latest rumors circulating through their territories.
But one subject dominated nearly every conversation.
Selene.
As I entered the room, the conversations paused momentarily.
Heads turned.
Then the murmurs resumed.
I recognized many of the faces around me. Very important people who held high offices.
Some offered respectful bows.
Others gave polite nods.
And a few simply watched.
Lord Harwick approached me first, his silver hair gleaming beneath the chandelier light.
“Your Grace,” he said, bowing slightly.
“Lord Harwick.”
“It has been some time.”
“It has.”
His eyes moved subtly around the room. I wondered what he was looking for. Whether my mother or my bride. One could never tell with a man like him.
“I hear congratulations are in order.”
“They are.”
He smiled politely.
“Marriage suits you.”
“Thank you.”
“But of course,” he continued casually, “everyone is quite eager to meet the new Duchess.”
I kept my voice calm.
“You will.”
Harwick chuckled.
“I expected as much.”
Behind him, several other nobles were clearly listening.
The curiosity in the room was almost tangible. Like something that you could hold.
Emma slipped quietly to my side.
“They’re getting impatient,” she whispered.
“I noticed.”
“Good.”
She smirked.
“That means Selene’s entrance will have maximum effect.”
“You sound like a strategist.”
“In noble society, presentation is half the battle.”
I glanced toward the ballroom entrance.
“Where is she?”
Emma checked the clock mounted on the far wall.
“Right on time.”
At the top of the grand staircase, Selene stood with the Duchess beside her.
The emerald gown shimmered softly in the candlelight. Its silver embroidery caught the glow from the chandeliers, giving the fabric a subtle elegance that drew attention without overwhelming it.
Selene inhaled slowly.
“I can hear them,” she whispered.
The Duchess smiled faintly.
“Of course you can.”
Selene glanced toward the staircase.
“Are they all looking?”
“Most of them.”
Selene’s hands tightened slightly at her sides.
“This feels like stepping onto a stage.”
“In many ways, it is.”
Selene looked at her nervously.
“What if I make a mistake?”
The Duchess placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
“You won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’ve already faced more difficult moments than this.”
Selene thought about that.
The council meeting.
The whispers when she first arrived at the estate.
The uncertainty of earning the Duchess’s acceptance.
Yes.
Compared to those challenges, walking into a ballroom should have been simple.
Still, her heart beat faster.
Below them, the ballroom doors opened fully.
The music softened.
The conversations slowed.
Emma’s voice floated upward from the bottom of the staircase.
“Selene,” she called gently, “it’s time.”
Selene looked at the Duchess one last time.
“Ready?”
The Duchess nodded.
“Ready.”
Together they stepped forward.
As Selene began descending the grand staircase, the room below grew silent.
Every pair of eyes turned toward her.
Ace stood near the center of the ballroom, watching her with unmistakable pride.
For a moment, the tension Selene had been carrying all day melted away.
Because the only face that truly mattered in that room…
Was his.